Braian Suarez has crossed from Argentina to Liverpool with one message for Ben Whittaker: he is not coming to survive Saturday, he is coming to win. The unbeaten British fighter and the hard-punching Argentine met at a pre-fight press conference on Wednesday afternoon, where Suarez said he expects to leave with the victory after their scheduled bout this weekend.
Suarez, who holds a 21-4 record with 20 knockouts, said his numbers speak for him and called himself an attacking fighter. He added that he would rough up Whittaker and was aiming to become the second Argentine fighter signed by Matchroom. Whittaker, who is 10-0-1 with seven knockouts, answered that he has heard enough talk already and that Saturday will settle it.
The fight lands at a moment when Whittaker is drawing more attention after two quick knockout wins last year, including a second-round stoppage of Liam Cameron and a first-round stoppage of Benjamin Gavazi. He said the matchup is one he wanted and one he needs, calling it about activity and about showing his coach, Andy Lee, what he does in the gym. He also said the extra time to prepare has only made him scarier.
For Suarez, the build-up has had a different feel. He said he is still learning English and did not feel comfortable speaking it publicly, so he used mostly his native tongue during the press conference. That left Whittaker to do much of the talking, and he did not hold back. He said that all Suarez can do is keep walking forward with his slow-arse platypus feet and big-arse Roblox head, then added that he will go out, look good, listen to his team and do whatever it takes for however long the fight lasts.
That is the friction point heading into Liverpool: Suarez is bringing record, power and conviction, while Whittaker is bringing recent momentum and the confidence that comes from a short run of stoppages. On paper, the styles should make for a fast start. On Saturday, one of them will have to prove that the words were worth the trip.
Whittaker has the cleaner form and the home-stage advantage, but Suarez has the kind of knockout rate that can change a fight in a single exchange. If the Argentine's forward pressure holds up under Whittaker's speed and poise, the upset he is promising becomes more than a sound bite. If not, Whittaker's recent surge will look even more convincing by the time the night is over.
