When former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker acquired the decision about preventing Khamzat Chimaev in Saudi Arabia in June, he was sitting at residence having some household time. “Bobby Knuckles” shortly accepted the match.
“I used to be form of doing my factor, sitting with the household and I acquired a message. I acquired a textual content message. ‘Hey, what do you consider preventing Chimaev, June 22, Saudi Arabia?’ My calendar was free, so I used to be like yeah. Why not,” Whittaker advised ESPN Australia.
Chimaev is undefeated, however Whittaker believes that he brings a package deal of talent units that Chimaev won’t be prepared for when the 2 conflict at Kingdom Enviornment in Riyadh.
“I undoubtedly suppose the aim, very similar to all of my different opponents, is simply to go on the market and struggle my struggle,” Whittaker mentioned. “It is about going on the market and push my sport plan onto him and see how he adjusts to me as a result of I carry an arsenal of talent units that he is not prepared for, I consider.”
“I’ll go in there and I’ll struggle my struggle. I’ll struggle a arise struggle. I’ll see the place it goes. I’ll drag it out. It is a five-round struggle. I have been in loads of these and I’ve acquired no give up in me, so let’s have a look at how this goes.”
One space that Whittaker believes that he might have an edge in is conditioning. It’s a five-round struggle, and Chimaev has a been recognized to fade because the struggle will get into the later rounds. Whittaker additionally has way more expertise than “Borz.”
“I do suppose the truth that I’ve expertise in 25-minute fights, the truth that I have been in a position to take fights, onerous fights, the size of 25 minutes, it is totally different. Anybody that has carried out it, who’s had a tough struggle for the 5 rounds understands how totally different it truly is and even the prep going into it,” Whittaker defined.
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“Now, while I feel I’ve a bonus with expertise and simply tenure having the ability to try this, I anticipate him, particularly as a result of everyone seems to be saying the identical (factor). The story being mentioned throughout the board is that ‘Khamzat falls off. Khamzat’s drained. Khamzat gases.’ We will solely assume particularly as a result of it is a five-round struggle this struggle, we will solely assume that he is doing every part in his energy to come back in effectively tempo himself and going to be good for all the 25-minutes,” Whittaker continued. “I am anticipating a Khamzat that may go 25, however you’ll suppose, simply on paper, that that is a bonus on my aspect.”
Chimaev has been in a position to overwhelm a few of his previous opponents together with his wrestling means and submission prowess. 5 of his 13 wins have come by submission. Whittaker acknowledges that Chimaev is a harmful grappler, however considers himself well-prepared if the struggle goes to the bottom.
“He is undoubtedly acquired a sound jiu-jitsu sport, however he mixes it rather well together with his wrestling. I feel what lots of people aren’t prepared for is the combination of the 2, making it actually MMA-esque,” Whittaker mentioned. “Whereas I undoubtedly suppose he is harmful there, I have been grappling my whole life. I’m very, very assured in my very own talent units. Even when it had been a pure wrestling-jiu-jitsu format, I might maintain my very own if not get a W in that approach too.”
