Robert Whittaker 'looking to be the hunter' against Khamzat Chimaev

Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker looks to hand unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev his first career loss when the two meet in the UFC 308 co-main event in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.  The winner will likely be next in line to fight for the title, but Whittaker isn’t looking any further down the road than the fight before him.  

“Honestly, my plans go to the 26th,” Whittaker said on Michael Bisping’s YouTube channel.  “I understand the gravity that this fight holds.  I understand the hype that is behind him because the caliber of fighters that he’s beaten.   He’s a dangerous opponent and out of respect for that danger I’ve trained harder than I ever have before.”  

Chimaev is know for his dominance in the early rounds of a fight.  He’s been labeled ‘the best first round fighter’ by some commentators.  Eight of his 13 wins are first-round finishes.  Whittaker plans to match Chimaev’s pace from the sound of the bell through the duration of the fight.  

“I’ve trained to sprint with him in the first, from the first second until the last second,” Whittaker said.  “I’m ready to swing and throw and fight takedowns for 25 minutes.  And I’ll go as hard as he wants and push it further.  I’m solely looking to be the hunter in this fight.”

Robert Whittaker: ‘I’m going to knock him out’ 

Chimaev will face a confident Whittaker at Etihad Arena this weekend. “Bobby Knuckles” expects to beat Chimaev everywhere the fight goes and predicted a finish.

“I confidently go into fights expecting their best day, expecting him to put his best foot forward and I’m going to beat him across the board,” Whittaker said.  “The idea isn’t to win if I get this sort of scenario.  It’s to beat him everywhere.”

“I’m going to knock him out,” Whittaker predicted.  “The idea is to get in there and put it on his face.”

“I definitely believe the longer this fight goes the more advantages I have, but I look to stack the advantages in the first round before anything else.  The idea is to get in there and take the fight to him, make him uncomfortable, to control the fight from the first second.

“Like I said, he’s a very high skilled guy.  He’s a very good guy.  If I give him a half an inch he’ll take it, but I’m not going to.”