Dillian Whyte can only beat Tyson Fury by KO, according to former welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton.
The two former sparring partners will meet in a highly-anticipated heavyweight title clash later this month in front of 94,000 fans at Wembley Stadium on April 23.
Fury is already the bookies' favourite for victory following his stunning demolition job of previously undefeated American Deontay Wilder.
But Hatton, who retired in 2012 after back-to-back losses to Manny Pacquiao and Vyacheslav Senchenko, has given Whyte a puncher's chance of defeating Fury.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the 43-year-old said: “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 outspeed Tyson Fury.
“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.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 01: Tyson Fury points to a picture of Dilian Whyte during the Tyson Fury v Dillian Whyte press conference at Wembley Stadium on March 01, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)
"Dillian will know he’s capable of landing that and beating Tyson.”
Fury's trainer SugarHill Steward recently moved in with the Gypsy King in his hometown of Morecambe as he continues his preparations for his big domestic showdown against the Body Snatcher.
And the nephew of legendary boxing coach Emanuel Steward confirmed they will also be looking for the chance to land a knockout blow.
He told BT Sport: “Tyson is just whatever he feels.
"I don’t know what the opponent, Dillian, is thinking. Maybe he has a plan when he sees him.
"Tyson doesn’t have a plan. It’s just whatever feedback he gets from the person in front of him is where he’ll go from there.
"Listen, this is the heavyweight division, the most exciting division in boxing. Everybody has a chance.
"Knockouts always, knockout time. Every fight, I’m preparing Tyson to knock somebody out.
“We bring in the proper sparring to sometimes simulate the opponent, but just to give different looks as well.
"So it’s not just to have different sparring that’s mimicking the opponent.
"I don’t want to go too deep into my strategy and my bag of wisdom, but there is some kind of science to my madness."
Lineal heavyweight champ Fury was last seen in action in October against Wilder, who he knocked out in the 11th round to retain his WBC strap.
Whyte, meanwhile, last took to the ring in March 2021 for a rematch with the recently retired Alexander Povetkin.
READ MORE: Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte undercard confirmed featuring Tommy Fury, David Adeleye and Isaac Lowe
READ MORE: Tony Bellew calls Errol Spence Jr 'a modern day' Marvin Hagler ahead of Yordenis Ugas fight