Whyte labours to majority points win over Franklin

Heavyweight Dillian Whyte laboured to a majority points victory against American Jermaine Franklin in London.

Two judges gave Whyte the nod with cards of 116-112, while the third saw it a 115-115 draw.

Anthony Joshua was watching ringside as eyes turn to a potential rematch between the bitter British rivals in the new year.

Whyte had 19 knockouts on his record before his encounter with Franklin and there were high hopes of an explosive return inside the OVO Arena in Wembley.

The Jamaica-born fighter was in action for the first time since being stopped by WBC champion Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium in April.

But Whyte set the tone for a slow-paced fight from the first bell, preferring to feel out Franklin rather than push for an early success.

It was the American, 29, who was throwing most of the punches and he did some fleeting damage to Whyte in the third with a quick right and left-hand combination.

Franklin landed another long right in the fourth, with hardly anything of note coming back from Whyte.

Just as it seemed a snail pace had been established, Whyte fired off a flurry of hits in a welcome expression of intent.

The fifth round, and the entire fight in truth, followed the same pattern.

Whyte would momentarily inject some fire into the fight, pushing Franklin back, only to take his foot off the gas.

After an opening of no meaningful exchanges, Franklin invited Whyte onto him. The crowd, now mostly conversing among themselves, tried to urge both fighters on.

Whyte was then tagged by a right hand from Franklin, but again seemed unconcerned by any power his opponent might possess.

He just smirked at Franklin and slowed down again.

The crowd’s encouragement fell on deaf ears as Whyte thought he was ahead on the scorecards and appeared content to stroll to the final bell.

Whatever plan he was trying to execute, it almost paid off in the final seconds of the 10th round as he landed a big right on Franklin.

The American shuddered, but did not go down. Hopes rose in the arena for a late knockout, but they were quickly dashed as Whyte and Franklin settled back into their previous rhythm for the final two rounds.

Whyte, however, did finish the fight on the front foot, hurting Franklin by landing his first clean left hand.

His previously-undefeated opponent stumbled backwards into the ropes, but the bell rescued Franklin.

It was a strange performance from Whyte, who has built a career on his crowd-pleasing fights and explosive nature inside and outside the ring.

But with Joshua watching on and their rematch some seven years in the making, perhaps Whyte will feel he has done his chances of convincing his long-term nemesis no harm to face him again.