Alexander Povetkin: record, next fight and profile →
Former super middleweight champion Carl Froch gave high praise to Dillian Whyte for his performance on Saturday night in Gibraltar. Whyte got revenge with a dominant four round stoppage of Alexander Povetkin to reclaim the WBC's interim-heavyweight title.
World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman believes the 41-year-old was not physically ready for the rematch with Dillian Whyte. On Saturday night in Gibraltar, Whyte stopped Povetkin in four rounds. Back in August of 2020, Povetkin was dropped twice in the fourth round - but then came out in the fifth and knocked Whyte out cold with a brutal uppercut up the middle.
Alexander Povetkin appears to have accomplished everything that will come of his pro career. A high-profile rematch with Dillian Whyte ended in despair for the 41-year-old Russian heavyweight, who suffered a one-sided knockout loss Saturday evening at Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar. The fight was all one way, with Whyte (28-2, 19KOs) landing heavy right hands from the opening bell and repeatedly hurting Povetkin before closing the show late in the 4th round.
Dillian Whyte exacted his revenge -- and regained his WBC "interim" title belt -- in emphatic fashion as a huge right hand followed by a violent hook to the jaw scored the fight's only knockdown and ended matters at the 2:39 mark of round four.
By Ron Lewis - It took less than 12 minutes for Dillian Whyte to put Alexander Povetkin of Russia in his past. This time there were no mistakes as he outboxed, then outpunched the former WBA champion, putting his career back on track even if a world heavyweight title fight now appears again to be a long-term goal.
Povetkin, Whyte Scorecard Live BoxingScene - Held at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar and shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in all other markets excluding the UK and Ireland (7 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET), Alexander Povetkin vs. Dillian Whyte II is expected to attract a huge worldwide audience to watch as ‘The Body Snatcher’ Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs) attempts to exact his revenge on Povetkin (36-2-1, 25 KOs) following his shock defeat to the big Russian last August. (photos by Mark Robinson).
Alexander Povetkin has focused more on what transpired during the first four rounds of his fight with Dillian Whyte than the stunning conclusion in the fifth round. As satisfying as it was for the Russian heavyweight to knock Whyte unconscious August 22 in Brentwood, England, Povetkin recognizes that he’ll have to be better in their rematch than he was before he landed that incredible left uppercut early in the fifth round. The 41-year-old Povetkin knows he can’t count on landing that type of shot again in their rematch Saturday night at Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar.
Dillian Whyte never let his violent knockout loss to Alexander Povetkin demoralize him. Whyte wanted their rematch to take place as soon as possible. It’ll finally happen Saturday night after multiple postponements, but Whyte didn’t spend the past seven months dwelling on the stunning defeat that cost him his spot as the WBC’s mandatory challenger and that sanctioning organization’s interim title.
Tony Bellew wasn’t trying to downplay Alexander Povetkin’s incredible comeback against Dillian Whyte. But based on what the Sky Sports boxing analyst witnessed August 22, Bellew doesn’t consider Povetkin capable of beating Whyte again Saturday night at the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar. The ex-WBC cruiserweight champion and retired heavyweight contender chose Whyte to win their immediate rematch by knockout in an interview with IFL TV.
David Haye noticed an old, tired Alexander Povetkin who looked “way past his prime” on August 22. As faded as Povetkin appeared to him when the former WBA heavyweight champion encountered Dillian Whyte, Haye feels Whyte has made a mental mistake by convincing himself that Povetkin simply caught him with “a lucky punch” in the fifth round that night. Povetkin’s vicious left uppercut knocked Whyte unconscious and abruptly brought an end to a fight Whyte was winning easily at Matchroom Boxing’s headquarters in Brentwood, England.