Ruiz Jr vs Joshua 2: Dillian Whyte ready to put his troubles behind him against Mariusz Wach

Dillian Whyte is eager to remind everyone he is a "dangerous operator" when he returns to action this weekend after almost quitting boxing.

Whyte faces Mariusz Wach on the Andy Ruiz Jr-Anthony Joshua bill in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office, in his first fight since outpointing Oscar Rivas in July.

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"I've had three weeks' notice for this fight, obviously, ideally, I would like more time for this fight," heavyweight Whyte told Sky Sports after Tuesday's public workout.

"But I've been using the gym and training through this time as a distraction, so I'm good and ready. I'm grateful to be back and to show people the level I am because I could have come back to a much easier opponent considering what's been going on and what I've been through.

"But I said 'I need someone decent, who's going to give me a few rounds and give me a bit of a tester' and Mariusz Wach, he's a tall guy, a tough guy, he's got a very good jab, a very, very good jab, that's one thing he does well, he does jab well."

Whyte, who spent over 600 days as the WBC's No 1 contender, became mandatory challenger after defeating Oscar Rivas on points in July, but the governing body suspended that status after an "adverse finding" in a UK Anti-Doping test.

The 31-year-old, who was cleared to fight against Rivas and insisted he won "fair and square", has since been told if his situation is resolved he will again become mandatory challenger in February 2021.

"I'm a dangerous operator," added Whyte. "Everyone says I'm slow and cumbersome, I'm not a very good boxer, I'm slow, I'm not co-ordinated but no one wants to fight me and I've been No 1 and mandatory for such a long time, so I don't understand."

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Whyte, whose sole defeat in the professional ranks was to Anthony Joshua in 2015, is eager to climb through the ropes again after almost turning his back on the sport.

"I'm just looking to get in there and do what I do," he said. "I've been out for a while, it's been a tough time, a hard time, I've thought about walking away from boxing.

"I was going to walk away a few times, I said 'you know what, I've had enough' but my mum, my brothers and people around me said 'don't give up, don't give in, you've worked too hard.'"