Heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua has thrown his support behind compatriot Dillian Whyte, predicting a knockout victory over New Zealand's Joseph Parker when the rivals square off at Wembley later this month.
Joshua, who earned a unanimous decision win over Parker in April, said Whyte (23-1) would throw caution to the wind and look to make a statement to the rest of the division.
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With a title-unification fight with Deontay Wilder on the line, the 28-year-old claimed he'd taken a cautious approach to his own bout with Parker, in stark contrast to what he expects to see from Whyte.
"I'm going with Dillian and I'm going by knockout as well," Joshua told Sky Sports UK.
"Dillian has got nothing to lose. He's been screaming at world champions, saying 'I want to fight here, I want to fight there' and I feel like he wants to prove himself.
"Parker is strong. Parker can take a shot.
"In my fight, he was on the back foot and I boxed clever, because I'm trying to set up the next fight with [Deontay] Wilder… but I feel like Dillian has got nothing to lose, everything to gain.
"He's going to go in there guns blazing, and try and knock out Parker ASAP."
Joshua is also responsible for the sole blemish on Whyte's professional record, defeating him via seventh round TKO in 2015. On Tuesday, Joshua announced Russian Alexander Povetkin as his next opponent.
Respected boxing trainer Don Charles has also picked Whyte to inflict an early stoppage loss on the South Aucklander.
"Dillian Whyte is right on the wave right now, he's on the way up. He's improved over the last few years and gotten stronger - he has his man strength," Charles told YouTube channel 'Seconds Out'.
"I think he's the puncher of the two and he can box. He's coming off the back of a tremendous win against Lucas Brown and his confidence is up there."
Charles' fighter, Dereck Chisora, lost a close split-decision to Whyte in 2016.
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