RICKY HATTON has told Dillian Whyte that he has to knock out Tyson Fury to stand any chance of victory.
The Body Snatcher finally gets his shot at the WBC heavyweight champion on April 23 in front of a sold-out Wembley Stadium.
Dillian Whyte has been told he must knock Tyson Fury out to become heavyweight champion
The 33-year-old, who refused to attend the first official press conference for the fight, goes into the clash as the underdog.
British boxing legend Hatton has revealed he believes Fury, who he compared to heavyweight great Rocky Marciano, has the versatility to retain his title.
And he also stated that Whyte’s only chance would be to land a KO blow on the Gypsy King.
Hatton told talkSPORT: “I think he has to go for the knockout. Let’s have it right, he’s not going to outbox Tyson Fury, he’s not going to out-speed Tyson Fury.
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“Tyson, for a giant, 6ft 10in, is so versatile. He showed in his last fight [against Deontay Wilder] and previous fights, that he can stand close and mix it up.
“He can box southpaw, he can box orthodox, he can box from a distance, he’s great defensively. So, there’s no point in Dillian going out there thinking he can outbox Tyson because he can’t.
“He’s got to go for the knockout and try and get that big one in. Tyson’s been on his backside a few times. Dillian will know he’s capable of landing that and beating Tyson.”
Hatton added: “I think it’s all about what Tyson Fury turns up, Tyson lately has been fighting like a 6’10’ Rocky Marciano.
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“For this fight, I think we’re going to see a bit of the old Tyson Fury. Distance, you know, try break Dillian down a little bit.
“I think Dillian has got to go in there and go for the knockout because I can’t see him winning on points.”
Fury’s trainer Sugar Hill Steward recently admitted they are uncertain on what game plan to adopt to try and counter Whyte’s strengths – but he insisted that they are planning to try and stop the Body Snatcher.
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He told BT Sport: “We don’t know exactly, it’s not a repeat. Just because every fight is a different situation you have to adjust to it, we don’t know what Dillian Whyte is going to do when he comes into that fight.
“Obviously the one thing on our minds is a knockout, definitely that, but it’s how do you get it, this way, here, or maybe it’s way over there.
“You have to be in there to see it and make a decision, that’s for me and him to make those decisions and counter anything the opponent is doing and to execute and get that big knockout.”
