Hearn on Whyte-Povetkin: The Most Important Heavyweight Fight in 2020

Eddie Hearn, promoter for Dillian Whyte, believes his boxer's upcoming clash with Alexander Povetkin is the most important heavyweight contest of 2020.

Whyte will stake his WBC mandatory status against Povetkin on Saturday night at Matchroom's Fight Camp in Brentwood.

Povetkin, an Olympic gold medal winner and former WBA champion, is likely in his final opportunity to put himself in line for a world title shot.

The winner of the fight will be in direct position to fight for the WBC heavyweight title.

If Whyte comes away with the win, then pursuant to a WBC order he will be due a mandatory title shot by February 2021.

The current WBC champion is Tyson Fury, who is contractually bound to face Deontay Wilder in a trilogy fight, which is targeted for December 19.

At their recent convention, the WBC sweetened the pot for Whyte-Povetkin - by sanctioning the fight for their "Diamond title."

"[The WBC Diamond title] is on the line for the first time. It’s still for the interim world heavyweight title, but also the Diamond belt. It’s the most important heavyweight fight this year by a mile. Alexander Povetkin can bowl in and become WBC mandatory just by winning this fight. Dillian Whyte has waited 1000 days. The winner of Fury against Wilder has to fight Dillian Whyte or Povetkin or vacate the belt," Hearn told IFL TV.

"If they [Fury and Wilder] fight in December, we’ve always known that February is unlikely. We want to do that because I want to do the undisputed. By the way, if Tyson Fury doesn’t want to fight Dillian Whyte, I’ve already talked to AJ. AJ wants the WBC world title. He wants to be the WBC world champion. So whoever has the WBC world title, they’ll be fighting AJ.

“So if Fury wants to vacate and Dillian Whyte fights #1 or #2 for the title, he can fight AJ for the undisputed."