Whyte: I’ve unfinished business with Anthony Joshua

Dillian Whyte has backed Anthony Joshua to reclaim his world heavyweight titles againstOleksandr Usyk this Saturday but insists his old rival must rediscover the nasty streak that inspired his initial rise to the pinnacle of boxing. 

Calls for an aggressive, imposing AJ have been a familiar theme throughout the build-up to the fight, with Usyk braced for a contrasting challenge to a first meeting in which Joshua’s efforts to outbox the Ukrainian fell short.

More specifically, the Olympic gold medallist has been urged to rediscover the grit and front-foot assurance he displayed against Whyte in their brutal 2015 grudge match.

“It’s a massive fight, the biggest fight of his career,” Whyte toldSky Sports. “I do expect him to bounce back, he’s a British fighter like me and I only support our own, so I do hope he gets the job done.

“It’s good for me if he wins as well.

“I can understand that [rediscovering his aggressive side], because I’m of the same mindset as well. In my last fight [against Tyson Fury] I wasn’t as aggressive as I normally am, I’ve said the same thing to myself, I need to rediscover that aggression.

“I think it’s the right mindset he needs going into the fight, it’s the only way he wins the fight.”

Whyte played down the potential influence of a new coach in Robert Garcia, and reminded that it will all come down to Joshua on the night.

“I honestly don’t think that will make much of a difference,” Whyte said. “He’s the one that needs to make the decision, be dirty and be nasty.”

Whyte played down the potential influence of a new coach in Robert Garcia, and reminded that it will all come down to Joshua on the night.

“I honestly don’t think that will make much of a difference,” Whyte said. “He’s the one that needs to make the decision, be dirty and be nasty.”

Whyte considers his own business with Joshua very much unfinished as he seeks to work his back to a title shot following his defeat to Tyson Fury earlier this year.

The 34-year-old is envisioning a return to the ring in a “big fight” in mid-to-late November, and is not short of targets.

“I want to fight both of them win, lose or draw. I want to fight the best fighters around,” said Whyte. “People want to see me fight Joshua, Usyk, Wilder, all these guys, and that’s what I want.

“We have a lot of offers on the table at the minute, I think this week and next week we should look at the offers and break them down. People are away on holiday so it needs time to sift through these things.

“There’s lots of fights there, there’s Joshua, Usyk, there’s Wilder, I’d love to fight Wilder, I’d love to have another go at Tyson Fury again.

“Joe Joyce-Joseph Parker is there, there’s Daniel Dubois, but my main focus is to get back at Anthony Joshua, I’d love to have another fight against him so let’s see. Hopefully he gets the job done against Usyk and I get another chance to fight him against.”