'whyte Playing A Sheep To Catch The Wolf' - Itauma

Moses Itauma v Dillian Whyte

Venue: ANB Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Date: Saturday, 16 August

Coverage: Follow unrecorded matter commentary and perceive connected BBC 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and app from 19:30 BST earlier switching to BBC Radio 5 Live from 22:00.

Moses Itauma accused Dillian Whyte of "playing a sheep to drawback nan wolf" arsenic he questioned his opponent's respectful attack earlier Saturday's heavyweight conflict successful Saudi Arabia.

At a cordial news convention successful Riyadh, nan Britons exchanged pleasantries, thumbs-ups and handshakes.

Veteran Whyte described nan unbeaten Itauma, 20, arsenic nan early of heavyweight boxing and has been complimentary passim conflict week.

Speaking to BBC Sport connected Monday, nan 37-year-old said location was nary weakness successful his younger opponent's game.

But Itauma's reference to nan wolf and sheep metaphor highlights a strategy wherever nan "sheep" - a seemingly weaker aliases harmless subordinate - pretends to beryllium susceptible successful bid to drawback nan stronger and much fierce "wolf" disconnected guard.

"We're each heavyweights - immoderate conflict tin extremity astatine immoderate point. I'm not delusional," said Itauma.

"I cognize what threat Dillian Whyte poses, I'm not overlooking him, I'm taking him seriously."

Whyte was speedy to disregard nan idea, though, arsenic he insisted: "Ain't nary sheeps astir here. A batch of wolves, but nary sheeps."

Jamaica-born Londoner Whyte brings a wealthiness of experience, having won 31 of his 34 master fights.

He has shared nan ringing pinch immoderate of nan division's biggest names, including Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, and holds notable wins complete Derek Chisora and Joseph Parker.

"I've had a fewer main events and a fewer pay-per-views, but location is truthful overmuch much near for maine to execute successful nan game," added Whyte.

His profession has stalled successful caller years, though.

A stoppage triumph complete Ebenezer Tetteh past December was unconvincing, but Whyte appears to beryllium successful his champion beingness style for immoderate time.

"I'm personification who is not expected to beryllium here," added nan 'Body Snatcher'.

"Never had a awesome amateur career, nary support. A kid from Jamaica who has been written disconnected galore times, not meant to survive, meant to beryllium dormant earlier I was successful my 20s. But present I americium doing stuff, truthful what much tin I say?"

Chatham's Itauma is simply a powerful and agile southpaw, erstwhile tipped arsenic nan man who could break Mike Tyson's grounds arsenic nan youngest heavyweight champion.

Although that timeline has passed, excitement astir nan Slovakia-born combatant remains high.

Itauma has already stopped 10 of his 12 master opponents and boasts a cleanable 24-0 amateur record.

"This is nan commencement of greatness," he said.

Briton Nick Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs) will take sides his WBA featherweight title against Australia's Sam Goodman (20-0, 8 KOs) arsenic nan main support connected Saturday's card.

The 28-year-old makes nan 3rd defence of nan title he won against Raymond Ford successful June 2024, having astir precocious stopped TJ Doheny successful March.

Kirkby-born Ball, who remains nan only reigning antheral world champion from Britain, said: "It's bully pressure."

Goodman, 26, was antecedently group to look Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue, nan undisputed super-bantamweight king, earlier wounded dashed his hopes.

"I've sewage galore avenues for triumph and I'll utilization immoderate 1 presents itself connected conflict night," he said.

British heavyweight David Adeleye, 28, will besides look Croatian Filip Hrgovic connected nan card.

Tensions flared arsenic Hrgovic, 33, playfully performed a rendition of Tiesto's "The Business" - overmuch to Adeleye's annoyance - singing: "I had a cardinal nights conscionable for illustration this. So let's get down, let's get down to business."

Adeleye was peculiarly irked erstwhile Hrgovic suggested nan bout would beryllium a "walk successful nan park", adding an other separator to nan intriguing showdown.