The fun and games appear to be up for Robert Whittaker.

While the former middleweight champion and his next opponent Darren Till have been completely cordial ahead of their contest on July 25, it seems that with each day that passes, Whittaker is getting closer to fight mode. That means any pre-fight niceties are being put on hold

“Honestly, it’s the same as it’s always been,” Whittaker said, speaking to Submission Radio. “It’s cool how it’s a different approach, but I’m not really thinking about whether Darren’s a cool guy or not. Before the fight was lined up it was cool to just josh back and forth, have a bit of fun with it, try to make some interest for the fight, but once we kind of knew we were fighting, I don’t really care what sort of person he is. It’s just one of those things where all I’m focusing on now is just focusing on crushing him.”

It’s not that Whittaker has an actual issue with Till, he just knows the business he’s in and what that means.

“Let me just say, I have no friends in the middleweight division,” Whittaker said. “I can’t be friends with anybody I could be fighting. So, let’s just clear that up. And two, mate, we’re in the fight game. It’s cool to be lined up with a guy that isn’t acting like a Gronk, but at the end of the day, he’s coming to take what’s mine and I’m coming to take what’s his, and that’s the game we’re in. That’s the fight game, that’s the fight world.”

Whittaker is known for bringing in a heavy intensity on the weeks of his fights, and it appears he’s going to do just the same when he heads to Abu Dhabi to meet the Englishman, warning Till he’s planning on bouncing back from his previous loss with a vengeance.

“The thing is, we’re just cool. He’s doing his thing, I’m doing mine,” Whittaker said. “We have a bit of fun, but we’re both respectful. But don’t get this wrong, the weeks are getting closer and our sights are set on each other’s faces. It’s war time. I’m ready for the fight of my life, and I’m gonna bring the fight of his life.”