DILLIAN Whyte was unhappy with the challenge from his opponent after winning for the first time since November 2022 in a low-key comeback in Ireland last weekend.
Brixton’s Whyte, 35, branded Christian Hammer, 36 a “coward” after his opponent retired following just three rounds of the scheduled ten-round bout in Castlebar, County Mayo.
Whyte took his record to 30-3 after his first fight in more than a year after he defeated Jermaine Franklin at Wembley following this loss to Tyson Fury in April 2022.
Whyte was back in the ring ofter an investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing over returned adverse findings following a drug test ahead of his scheduled fight against Anthony Joshua last August.
The show last weekend was organised by the Boxing Union of Ireland and Whyte was licensed by the Texas Commission.
Romanian Hammer has some pedigree as he has fought Joe Joyce in his previous fight, losing in four rounds, and took Tyson Fury to the eighth round in 2015.
But Whyte dismissed the efforts of his opponent.
“He was negative all through,” Whyte said. “As soon as I hit him he was negative. I told him afterwards he was a coward and I mean that.
“I’m so frustrated. I’ve put so much work into preparing for this fight and to have him quit after just three rounds is so frustrating. I told him afterwards in the ring that I always respected him but tonight he was a coward.
“He just quit, but what can I do? I’ve been through a lot of hell and a lot of darkness so I had a lot of pent-up frustration and aggression and it’s funny, because the camp was calm, everything was calm and it had to come out at some point, that’s my nature, you know.”
Whyte added: “It’s good to be back out and it’s good to get back to work. Obviously Hammer came out swinging and then the pitbull in me just bit back, then I was rushing and making stupid mistakes, but whatever.”
Whyte currently has no plans for who he fights next.
He said: “I don’t know and I don’t care, wherever the fight is. Wherever I can be busy, then I’ll go there and fight. I’m running out of time. I’m not getting any younger. I don’t know what’s next, I just want to fight. Let’s see what happens.
“Anyone [can come next]. I’ve never turned a fight down, whoever wanted it could get it.”
