Whittaker headlines Saturday, April 18th, against Braian Nahuel Suarez at the Liverpool arena, a matchup that has drawn criticism as a thin main event. The reaction has centered on the gap between his rising profile and the level of opposition, especially for a headliner slot.
He addressed the fight in simple terms, making it clear how he expects it to look.
“On paper, he’s a good opponent, but I just feel like if I go out there and do what I’m supposed to do, I’ll show the levels really,” Whittaker said to James Sweetnam.
“It can either go the whole 10 or beat him down and get him out of there. I know no matter what, I’ll win.”
The tone wasn’t dismissive, but it didn’t present the fight as competitive either. Whittaker also left the outcome open, saying it could go the distance or end inside the limit, while stating that he expects to win regardless.
The more revealing part of the interview came when the discussion moved away from Saturday and toward the division’s top names. Asked about a potential fight with unified light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, Whittaker spoke with confidence about his ability to compete at that level.
“At the end of the day, he’s just another man. Nobody really moves like me at light heavyweight. Nobody really got my speed, my athleticism, my agility,” Whittaker said.
The 2020 Olympic silver medalist, Whittaker, who recently signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, is talking in terms of established champions, but he isn’t being matched against upper-tier contenders yet. Mentioning Bivol instead of contenders Artur Beterbiev or David Morrell just makes it sound off.
Reflecting on past fights, Whittaker said he has come to enjoy negative reactions from crowds and sees it as part of the experience.
“When I go out there and silence everybody, I kind of like that.”
Saturday is not likely to show much about where the 28-year-old Whittaker (10-0-1, 7 KOs) fits with the top guys at 175. It will probably just keep the same question going. Is he ready to back up the talk?
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