Bitter rivals Dillian Whyte (22-1 16KO’s) and Lucas Browne (25-0 22KO’s) will finally bring their vicious feud to an end at the O2 this Saturday.

Controversy seems to follow both boxers around and the build-up to their fight has involved plenty of drama and bad taste. The acrimonious pre-fight antics between the warring pair have been expletive and often controversial, with Aussie Whyte hurling accusations of racism at Brixton’s Browne.

The heavyweight adversaries will finally be able to inflict the punishment they have been promising on each other this weekend in what is expected to be an epic battle between two big-hitters who have genuine dislike for each other.

Stats

Dillian Whyte   Lucas Browne
Age: 29            Age: 38
Height: 6’4”      Height: 6’5”
Fights: 23         Fights: 25
Won: 22           Won: 25
KO’s: 16           KO’s 22
Lost: 1              Lost: 0
Drawn: 0          Drawn: 0
Rounds: 104     Rounds: 117

Form

Whyte’s last five fights:

WIN vs Robert Helenius – Unanimous decision
WIN vs Malcolm Tann – TKO (R3)
WIN vs Dereck Chisora – Split decision
WIN vs Ian Lewison – RTD (R10)
WIN vs David Allen – UD

Browne’s last five fights:

WIN vs Matthew Greer – TKO (R6)
WIN vs Ruslan Chagaev – TKO (R10) [Stripped of WBA title for failed drug test]
WIN vs Julius Long – KO (R9)
WIN vs Chauncy Welliver – RTD (R5)
WIN vs Andriy Rudenko – UD

Doping

Browne was stripped of his world title for a positive drug test and then failed a Voluntary Anti-Doping Association administered drug test.

Browne contested both positive tests and legal battles forced him to sit out much of the next 18 months.

Whyte also sat on the sidelines for a long time having tested positive for a banned substance over five years ago. Whyte pleaded that he did not knowingly take the banned substance – methylhexaneamine – but the two-year suspension between October 2012 to 2014 was upheld by the BBBofC as he did not do enough to check the controversial supplement’s ingredients.

Inactivity

Inactivity will be a factor in this fight, I think. Browne has fought just once since he beat Ruslan Chagaev in March 2016 to become the WBA (Regular) champion.

He beat an obscure American, Matthew Greer (16-20), inside two rounds, resulting in the “Gator’s” 10^th consecutive defeat.

So that’s just two rounds in two years for the Aussie, compared to Dillian’s 53 rounds bagged within that time. His six straight wins, since losing to Anthony Joshua in December 2015, have come against good competition that boast a combined record of 121-23-3.

Who Needs It More?

Both fighters need a win or their respective careers will dramatically suffer for it.

Whyte, nearing 30, needs a good win to prove himself as a viable contender to Deontay Wilder’s WBC crown. A defeat on Saturday could suggest he doesn’t belong on the world stage and it could be a long, arduous task to get back to biting at the world champions’ ankles dangling above him.

Browne, nearing 40, needs this fight to get back to world-level again or likely face retirement. If he can’t get past Whyte, then he may not have enough time left in the sport to work his way back to contention.

Power

The Sydney resident’s 88% KO ratio is a frightening stat and the South Londoner will need to be wary of that power.

Not too far behind with a 70% KO record, the Brixton bomber has power of his own and half of his last six wins against high-level competition have ended early.

Verdict

I have every faith in trainer Mark Tibbs to have whipped Whyte into the best shape for this fight and delivered him the perfect game plan.

Despite being embroiled in battles before, I believe that Whyte will resist temptation to be pulled into a scrap and stick to the game plan laid out by Tibbs.

A lot of pundits are predicting Whyte to outwork the older Browne towards a points decision or possibly a late stoppage.

I happen to think the same, but something’s telling me that Dillian is going to shine on this stage and really make a statement by stopping Browne inside six.