AS his December 12 fight with Anthony Joshua approaches, Dillian Whyte has given his prediction over how the contest will go.
The pair will meet at a sold out O2 Arena in London for the Commonwealth and vacant British heavyweight titles.
Whyte, who beat Joshua while the pair were novice amateurs, insists he will repeat the trick and do so inside the distance.
“Itโs probably going to be the hardest fight of my career, weโre preparing for 12 hard rounds but I donโt think itโs going 12 rounds,” he said.
“Heโs somebody Iโve beaten before. Iโm just as powerful, if not more powerful. I beat him once and Iโll beat him again, doesnโt matter how much heโs improved.”
Joshua is yet to be taken beyond three rounds by an opponent in 14 fights as a pro, but Whyte believes the men he has been beating are below par.
“Iโm not one of the old men heโs fought in his last 14 fights,” he continued.
“The average age of his opponents is something like 38 or 39. Iโm young, hungry.
“In between the sixth and the eighth round heโs going to get knocked out. I want it to go long. Iโm going to take a bit of time.”
While Joshua feels that Whyte could well take him further into a fight than he’s been before, he foresees a different outcome.
“Itโs another step up the ladder, the British title especially, no matter if it was Dillian or someone else,” he said.
“I approach this with the same hunger and attitude I do for all my fights but this one has a little extra to it with all the trash talking and the attention so that gives us a bit more incentive to prepare for a 12 round war rather than me going in there knowing that it may not go the full distance.
“This fight has the potential to go the distance, Dillian could be the man to potentially take me past three rounds.”
When probed on what changes he and Whyte have made since their amateur bout, Joshua gave a somewhat surprising answer.
“Nothingโs different, weโre still the same fighters, still hungry, same ring it hasnโt changed. The best man will come out victorious,” he opined.
“Dillian will step in the ring, Iโll get the result and then itโll be the next man talking about beating me. Once I get past Dillian Iโll hear the next person come and say theyโll beat me. Thatโs why Dillianโs here, to give me a young, hungry opponent and the British title on the line. Then itโll be onto the next man.“