Dan-favourite heavyweight, Dave Allen, has weighed in with his prediction for Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Dillian Whyte.
The fight comes almost eight years after their first professional meeting for the British title. Joshua claimed that win with a knockout and went on to become a two-time world champion, whereas Dillian Whyte came up short in his world title tilt against Tyson Fury last year.
Speaking to Boxing News, Allen had praise for both men.
“I think Dillian Whyte, if he goes out on this, he deserves it. I see people online say this and that but he’s had an unbelievable career.
He’s fought the best back-to-back. I’m a fan of them both. They both literally fight anyone. A lot of people say that but these two, more often than not, they jump in with the best”
He is picking Joshua as a clear winner, believing that the former champion is “fresher” than Whyte.
“I think Joshua wins. I think Joshua is fresher than Dillian Whyte, you know. I see lots of talk that Joshua has too many miles on the clock. The Usyk fights weren’t massively punishing. 12 rounds ain’t easy at the best of times, but they weren’t massively punishing.
[Andy] Ruiz and [Wladimir] Klitschko aside he’s not really been in too many wars and took too much damage. Psychologically it’s probably affected him more than physically.”
Allen says it’s the opposite for Whyte, believing him to have had a much more punishing campaign in the heavyweight ranks. Come fight night, he sees a knockout win for ‘AJ.’
“Dillian Whyte has been an absolute warrior for the last 10 years nearly. I think Whyte has more miles on the clock than Joshua so I think Joshua is that little bit bigger and better and going off the first fight, though it was so long ago. Joshua apart from getting caught in the second round, was well on top.
I think Joshua wins, I think he wins by stoppage.”
The fight at the O2 in London will be on DAZN PPV in the UK and on DAZN worldwide.