Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte; Chris Eubank Jr vs Spike O'Sullivan; Roy Jones Jr vs Enzo Maccarinelli - boxing on TV this weekend

Martin Hines looks ahead to this weekend's boxing action, including a big card in London, and a big spectacle in Russia

Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua face off with promoter Eddie Hearn looking on (Getty Images)

Joshua vs Whyte, Saturday night 5pm, Sky Box Office

Another weekend produces another Sky PPV featuring a heavyweight main event, but unlike Tyson Fury’s world title victory over Wladimir Klitschko a fortnight ago, this time the British championship is up for grabs.

Anthony Joshua is one of the fastest rising stars in British sport, but faces the toughest test of his career on Saturday night when he faces longtime rival Dillian Whyte at London’s O2 Arena.

The two boxers first met in the amateur ranks six years ago when Whyte knocked down Joshua en route to a points win, yet both men were tremendously inexperienced at the time and it certainly showed with their respective performances.

Much has been made of that now legendary initial fight but considering that the bout was held in a ring not much bigger than a snooker table and was over half a decade ago, it’s almost impossible to gauge anything tangible regarding the rematch.

After winning gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Joshua turned professional amidst a haze of publicity in late 2013, and has since accumulated a flawless 14-0 record with all of his victories occurring via stoppage.

Whyte too has a perfect 16-0 professional record, but would surely have many more wins had he not been banned for two years following a failed drugs test in 2012.

The 27-year-old returned to the ring in November 2013 and has impressed against average competition ever since, with seven successive stoppages reasserting his reputation as one of Britain’s best heavyweights.

Joshua will have the power advantage in the fight, however it’s noticeable that the majority of his finishes have not been one punch knockouts, but rather through accumulative damage.

Much has been discussed regarding the stamina of the Olympic champion and he has never fought past round three as a professional, yet Whyte has never seen the fifth round in a bout and has been dogged by rumours of carrying a shoulder injury into the rematch.

Movement will be the key for Whyte as he attempts to take Joshua into the later rounds, while Joshua’s temperament will need to be at its best if he is to keep his tactics attritional rather than emotional.

Expect drama and theatre, but do not expect competitiveness. The bookmakers have Joshua a huge 1/11 favourite, with Whyte an 8/1 underdog.

Chief support in London will be a middleweight shootout between Chris Eubank Jr and Spike O’Sullivan, where the winner should secure an opportunity to face WBA champion Danny Jacobs.

Both men have only lost in the professional ranks to Billy Joe Saunders, but it is Eubank who has faced the better opposition overall in his career, and he looked excellent in defeating Dmitry Chudinov last February.

O’Sullivan has been on a run of five successive KO wins albeit against mediocre opposition, and his best victory remains a close points win over the dogged Matthew Hall over three years ago.

Although this has been billed as a grudge match and has attracted a great deal of hype, Eubank is simply a far superior fighter who is brimming with confidence following a switch to trainer Adam Booth.

The 26-year-old took Saunders to the wire in November 2014, and should have the athleticism and nous to successfully negate the attacking instincts of his opponent.

After O’Sullivan successfully a kiss on Eubank in the weigh-in, he may find that a kiss with a fist is better than none tomorrow night.

Just like Roman Reigns, Jimmy White or Andy Roddick whenever he faced Roger Federer, Kevin Mitchell has been the nearly man of British boxing over the past few years, but begins his assault on a potential fourth world title opportunity in London.

Following a heartbreaking loss to WBC champion Jorge Linares in May, the 39-3 Mitchell faces the dangerous Ismael Barroso for a WBA trinket, and a last opportunity to stay relevant in the lightweight division.

Undefeated in 20 fights, the 32-year-old Barroso has 17 KO/TKO wins on his resume including eight in the first round, and will be keen to detonate early on Mitchell whose three career losses have all come via stoppage.

The Venezuelan has never fought in such a high profile bout however, while Mitchell will seek to soak up the home support and utilise both his legendary tenacity and sublime old school boxing in tandem.

Yet another 12 round title fight features in London, as Tony Bellew and Mateusz Masternak fight for the vacant European cruiserweight title.

Fresh from his feud with Apollo Creed’s son, Bellew is the heavy betting favourite against his hard hitting Polish opponent, but will have to be wary of being taken into deep waters by the naturally bigger Masternak whose last two losses have been narrow split decision defeats.

Elsewhere on a stacked bill, Luke Campbell steps up in competition following his one-sided demolition victory over Tommy Coyle against French lightweight Yvan Mendy, Paul Malignaggi completes a lifetime ambition to fight for the European title against Antonio Moscatiello, and Dereck Chisora fights Jakov Gospic.

Jones Jr vs Maccarinelli, Saturday night 4pm, BoxNation

Here is a list of better things to do than watching a 46-year-old Roy Jones Jr face Enzo Maccarinelli, who though he is one of the nicest guys in British boxing, has been brutally stopped seven times in his career:

1.Anything else.

Have a good weekend.