As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, Dillian Whyte says he plans to get back in training in two weeks’ time and hopes to have a rematch against Alexander Povetkin before the end of the year.
Speaking to Sky Sports News the morning after the Russian flattened him in the fifth round to end his immediate world-title ambitions, said he made a “silly mistake” and says he believes “one million percent” that he will win a rematch.
“I was bossing the fight, I was winning the fight and I just got caught,” the London heavyweight said. “It is one of those things in heavyweight boxing. It is not like I got beat up round after round, I just got clocked, that’s all.
“He dipped low, I shoot the hook, he came with the uppercut. And that was it. It’s all good. The main thing is we’ve got a rematch, we need to exercise the rematch, try and get it done. By the end of the year. I will have a couple of weeks rest and get straight back in the gym. It is not like I need to improve or anything, I just need to be a bit more switched on in certain stages and clock on to his plotting a bit better. When he dipped low, I realised he would come for the hook or the uppercut, so it is a simple adjustment to make.”
Whyte has been top of the WBC rankings for over 1,000 days and last week the WBC said that he would get his chance with the winner of the third fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
But those plans are in tatters now as one of the main hurdles to arranging a Fury-Anthony Joshua fight has been removed.
“I have no regrets. It was a great fight, obviously Povetkin done well,” Whyte said. “I know I can beat him, I knew I could beat him. I showed that from round one. From round one I was getting on to him, but obviously he is a really experienced guy, his corner was on the verge of pulling him out and he pulled out one of the best punches of his career.
“I was a little bit annoyed because it is a silly mistake. I have blocked that punch 100 times in training and the one time it needed to be block, I was a little bit too late to block it. I decided to counter instead of blocking it and that’s what happens. He was on his last legs and I was pressing him as well. It is what it is, heavyweight boxing and that’s what happens.”
Whyte does not believe that the defeat will have a longterm impact on his credibility as a contender.
“I am still one of the top heavyweights around,” he said. “It is not like I am old or I am beaten up and I’m still learning. I learnt a harsh mistake last night. But it is all good, I am still upbeat, I’m still the same me, I’m still ready to go and I can’t wait to get back in. God willing, news on the rematch in the next week or so and get the ball rolling.”
Whyte's promoter, Eddie Hearn, would like to schedule the rematch by the end of November, to give the winner some momentum in campaigning to get in the ring with the Fury-Wilder winner in 2021. The Fury-Wilder trilogy is targeted for December 19.
The WBC has yet to make a ruling regarding the status of the mandatory position in the wake of Whyte's defeat.
"Dillian, really, has to go at the end of November at the latest. That would mean a three week rest now and getting back into camp. He's physically fine, we know it was a bad knockout and there will be a 28 day suspension which won't really affect this fight," Hearn said to Boxing Social.
"There is going to be a big advantage for Povetkin and Whyte to do that fight before Wilder and Fury fight, because then they can push their position with the WBC. That's something we've got to speak to Povetkin about. I think Dillian would be right and ready to box at the end of November.
"Lets see if Povetkin - we know he's under contract for the rematch - but he's got to be comfortable to take that fight at that period as well. I think all being well this fight could happen as early as November, but we'll have to see how things go."
