Dillian Whyte has seen his fair share of struggles, but the past two years have pushed him to his limits.

The failed drug test that cost him the much-anticipated rematch with Anthony Joshua didn’t just derail his career—it plunged him into a deep depression.

It was a period of such darkness that it made him question everything, including his passion for boxing.

A Rough Road to Recovery

Reflecting on his journey, Whyte confides, “The last two years were really dark and cold. I gave up on boxing, I didn’t care about it anymore.”

Sitting across from Mail Sport at a bustling fish restaurant, he opens up about the impact of the failed drug test, which was later found to be due to a contaminated supplement.

Despite the challenges, including a difficult upbringing in Jamaica and years spent fighting for survival in London, Whyte chose not to stay down.

“I honestly thought I wouldn’t miss boxing or return to it,” he admits, “but I did. I took time to rest, to regroup, and realized just how much boxing means to me. So, while it’s been tough, there are positives too.”

Betrayal and the Price of Reputation

Whyte’s journey is marked by feelings of betrayal.

He felt boxing turned its back on him after the failed drug test.

“They assumed I was guilty without giving me a chance to explain,” he says.

“They didn’t even give me time to fight the case. They picked someone else who’d also failed a drug test and moved forward with that fight. Why didn’t I get the same chance?”

This sense of being overlooked and underestimated is something Whyte has faced throughout his career.

His story is one of perseverance, particularly after growing up in Jamaica, where life could be cruel and unforgiving.

“In Jamaica, life can be taken away in the blink of an eye,” Whyte explains.

“There are people here who treat dogs better than humans are treated in Jamaica. Over there, if you get sick, you might not survive. Life doesn’t hold much value.”

These tough realities set the stage for the battles Whyte would face later in life.

From Struggle to Strength

When his mother moved to England to provide a better future for their family, Whyte was left in the care of relatives who exploited him.

Forced to scavenge for food, he remembers the “pain of hunger” all too well.

“It was tough growing up without my mother,” he recalls.

“The people who were meant to take care of me were stealing the money my mother sent to help.”

Despite the pain, he never held it against his mother, even though he often questioned her love.

“It turns out she was doing amazing things for us, but I didn’t understand it back then.”

When he finally joined his mother in the UK at 13, he had food and a roof over his head, but life was far from stable.

At the same age, he had fathered his first child and found himself entangled with a gang in Brixton.

This dangerous path led to him being stabbed and shot.

“I didn’t have a father figure, and I ended up in a gang,” he admits.

“It gave me a sense of belonging, but it was leading me into trouble. Looking back, I see that now.”

The Turning Point: Boxing

It was kickboxing that ultimately saved Whyte. “If I hadn’t found sport, I’d be dead,” he reflects.

“Kickboxing took me off the streets without me even realizing. It kept me busy and out of trouble.”

Sport provided the structure and community he’d been missing, and it was through this discipline that he found his way into traditional boxing, where he achieved success and earned titles.

Battling the Past: Staying on Track

Whyte knows how easy it is to slip back into old habits, especially after the turmoil of the last few years.

Asked if he feared returning to his old gang lifestyle, he replies, “I’m not so far removed from that life that I couldn’t see it happening again, but I’m a grown man now, and I have kids. Going back would be self-sabotage.”

He understands the dangers intimately—gang life is serious, and many of his old friends are dead or imprisoned.

“Being in a gang isn’t a joke,” he says. “It could’ve easily been me.”

The Road to Redemption

As Whyte prepares for his upcoming fight against Ebenezer Tetteh on December 15, his motivations go beyond just winning.

“I’m fighting for redemption and to build my legacy,” he shares.

However, the question remains whether a victory over Tetteh will be enough to propel him back into the heavyweight title mix or if his past controversies will continue to haunt him.

Despite the hurdles, Whyte remains determined.

“It’s harder now because of the past, but I’ve never been one to follow the rules. I’ve always done things my way,” he says.

“Could I have played the game differently? Maybe. But when I look back, I’ll know I did it on my terms.”

Looking Ahead

At 36, Whyte understands the urgency of staying active.

“Inactivity has been the biggest setback of my career,” he admits.

“It’s not about who I fight right now, but just staying busy.”

His goals are clear: he wants to face the top fighters in the division—Joshua, Wilder, Fury, Zhang, and others.

“But first, I just need to keep fighting and stay in the game,” he says with unwavering focus.

For Whyte, the fight is far from over.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn