Derek Chisora and Dillian Whyte have backed Anthony Joshua to get revenge on Oleksandr Usyk, with the former saying the Brit is ‘guaranteed’ to win via knockout.
Joshua takes on Usyk for a second time on Saturday as he looks to win back the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts the Ukrainian took off him in September 2021.
Usyk outclassed his opponent in the first fight, however, many believe AJ got his tactics wrong as he attempted to outbox the Ukrainian.
But Chisora is adamant things will turn out very differently this time around.
Chisora told talkSPORT: “From what I saw from AJ, the way he was chucking his shots from the new coach, with the whole team he’s set around for his new fight, I can guarantee that AJ will be winning via knockout.”
Joshua says this is a must-win for him and there are fears about the direction his career will take if he fails to do so.
But Chisora is relaxed about Joshua’s situation should Usyk win the rematch.
“If we don’t win the World Cup it doesn’t mean we have to come out of the World Cup or not play football any more,” Chisora added.
“It’s just the way of life, you win some, you lose some. If you get divorced you marry another woman! What’s the problem?!
“Him winning would be amazing, him losing would be dreadful for us and then we have to build him back up again to fight again.”
Meanwhile, Whyte believes Joshua will emerge victorious in Jeddah as he urged the Brit to get back in touch with his aggressive side.
“I do expect him to bounce back,” Whyte told Sky Sports. “He’s a British fighter like me and I only support our own, so I do hope he gets the job done.
“I can understand that [rediscovering his aggressive side], because I’m of the same mindset as well. It’s good for me if he wins as well.
“I think it’s the right mindset he needs going into the fight, it’s the only way he wins the fight.
“When we fought, we fought twice, both fights we had there was a lot of aggression between me and him in the fight, that’s the difference between fighting me and fighting Usyk, that aggression wasn’t there.
“He was sort of trying to outbox someone who has been boxing for 25/30 years.
“I believe if he revisits that aggression he had for me he does a much better job and probably beats Usyk and knocks him out this time.”
