Dillian Whyte returns to winning ways after points win over previously undefeated Jermaine Franklin at Wembley

The Body Snatcher was returning to the ring for the first time since his knockout defeat to Tyson Fury in April, and knew he was in a contest when the pair exchanged heavy jabs in the first round.

Franklin found some early success when he caught his counterpart flush on the jaw early in the second before Whyte landed a nasty looking left hook, but the pair seemed to answer all the questions that were being asked.

Whyte looked at his best in the middle rounds as he started to up the ante with Franklin seemingly struggling to deal with the intensity but the American continued to march through the shots after he was backed onto the ropes in the seventh.

Searching for a way past Franklin, the 34-year-old Whyte looked to be getting frustrated but landed a gigantic right hook onto Franklin which rocked him before the bell rang to prevent any further onslaught.

The pair traded shots in the last and Whyte connected another right to put Franklin on the ropes before the bell once again signalled the end, but the judges scorecards read 115-115, 116-112, 116-112 in favour of Whyte to bring Franklin’s unbeaten run to an end while the Body Snatcher returned to winning ways.

"He was undefeated and he gave me a good fight," Whyte said.

"I'm trying to upgrade my style. I could probably have been a bit more active and thrown a few more shots but it was a new coach [Buddy McGirt], and new style.

"An undefeated heavyweight's the hardest thing to beat on this planet. He's undefeated and he's got a lot of beans in his body. His stock rose tonight.

"I could've probably been a bit more active and let off a few more big shots."

Michigan fighter Franklin said he felt he was “robbed”.

"I felt like I got robbed. I won the earlier rounds and I did enough to get the decision.

"I had a seven-week camp and I did what I could and I'm down for a rematch if they give it to me. I proved a lot of people wrong.”