James Dielhenn
Senior Boxing Journalist @JamesDielhenn
Ruiz Jr vs Joshua 2: Dillian Whyte’s brother explains mid-flight aeroplane 'nightmare'
Last Updated: 04/12/19 9:02am
11:20
Dillian Whyte's brother physically restrained a panicked man on a chaotic overnight flight and said the altercation "was like a movie".
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An aeroplane from Britain heading to Saudi Arabia for the Sky Sports Box Office fight between Andy Ruiz Jr and Anthony Joshua contained heavyweight Whyte and his even larger brother Dean, but was plunged into anarchy when a fellow flyer tried to open the doors at 35,000-feet.
"There is a guy literally fighting the staff, trying to open the door, pulling on the door, saying he wants to get out," Whyte's older brother Dean told Sky Sports after safely landing.
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"I said: 'listen, not on my watch, buddy'.
"I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt but thought: 'I have to stop you'.
"He was fighting the stewards who couldn't handle him so I bent his arms and said: 'you had better calm down, mate'. He was still resisting so I bashed him about. That took the fight out of him.
"I said: 'listen, I'm going to hurt you'.
"He thought about it and thought I was a big lummox. He did the right thing."
Dean Whyte explained he spent the rest of the flight keeping a close eye on the distressed passenger.
"He tried to get up a few times but I pushed him back down and said: 'just stop'," Dean said.
"Panic is in you, it was like a movie or a nightmare.
"It was a scary situation."
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Dillian Whyte, who fights Mariusz Wach on the undercard, was oblivious to the entire issue because he was asleep in first class.
"He didn't know! He was down the front," Dean Whyte laughed.
"I was complaining about being in economy because I couldn't fit but I was there for a reason because I was able to intervene."
Dillian Whyte later reacted: "If it was me, I would have knocked the guy out - but [my brother] is more diplomatic than me!"
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