Think St George’s dream run in rugby league circles from 1956-66. For 11 years it didn’t quite matter how good Wests, Balmain, Manly or Souths might have been, because the team at the top was virtually untouchable as the Saints marched to 11 consecutive premierships.

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Yet Whittaker is confident he has the tools to dismantle a seemingly indestructible middleweight after returning to a full training program, having taken time off to heal an injury suffered in February’s unanimous decision loss to Adesanya.

“I’ve learnt a great deal from the last fight and since then. There are so many psychological advancements since that fight, just because of the way the first fight between him and I went, and the way the second fight went down,” Whittaker said.

“There’s a lot of growth, a lot of things taken back that were lost during that first bout. It was a very meaningful change for me. I’m really looking forward to what I’m going to be able to do now moving forward.

“There was a fair amount of changes [in the approach to the second fight]. The most impact it will have is in the next fight, because it will be a culmination of the first and second fight.

“I do believe the last fight took me to another level, mentally more than anything else, and that’s why I confidently say that I am the best middleweight in the world.”

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