Promoter Eddie Hearn says Dillian Whyte has “no fear” ahead of this month’s showdown with Joseph Parker and will be ready for a dogfight at The O2.
The heavyweight rivals share the ring on July 28 with the winner remaining firmly in the hunt for a world title fight.
Parker, a former WBO champion, has been sharpening his skills in sparring sessions with former Anthony Joshua opponent Eric Molina, but Hearn insists Whyte has not seen anything in the Kiwi to concern him.
“Dillian Whyte is a winner. He wants to fight anyone and he has no fear,” Hearn told Sky Sports News.
“He’s a bad geezer. When it gets going, and when it gets down and dirty at the O2 on July 28 – I’m guaranteeing it will be – he will be right in the thick of it.”
Parker agreed to return to Britain, just a few months after losing his WBO belt on points to Joshua in March, and Hearn has questioned how that fight has mentally affected the 26-year-old.
“I spoke to my good friend [Parker’s promoter] David Higgins this morning,” he said.
They say, and we’ve seen it on the camera there, that Parker looks very light, very lean. He feels like he has a point to prove, because he felt like he sort of let the Joshua opportunity slip.
“Whether Joshua was just too good for him, we don’t know, but he’s going to have a lot of speed going into this fight, and he’s got a lot to prove.
“But then at the same time, he’s had that massive fight against Joshua, made a lot of money. Does he still have the burning desire and motivation to win that back? If he does, I think it’s a really, really good fight.”