As previously reported by BoxingScene.com, Dillian Whyte has no intention of looking beyond Alexander Povetkin as he patiently waits for his shot at the WBC heavyweight title.
Whyte is the mandatory challenger to Tyson Fury but will have to wait his turn, the reigning champion instead set to face Deontay Wilder for a third time later this year.
His status at the head of the queue will be on the line when the 31-year-old defends the governing body’s interim belt against experienced Russian Povetkin in Manchester on May 2.
It is a calculated gamble from Whyte, as he acknowledged at a press conference on Wednesday, but he is only focused on his next foe, rather than a potential fight with Fury further down the line.
Povetkin is a former Olympic gold medallist who has only lost twice as a pro, those defeats coming against Wladimir Klitschko – when he went the distance – and Anthony Joshua.
Whyte cannot lean on such experiences in the ring, leaving him to learn on the job, but still believes he can beat anyone in the division – provided he stays in shape.
Mark Tibbs, the head trainer of Whyte, is expecting a very dangerous bout.
"Povetkin is very dangerous. He's had a very highly-decorated amateur and pro career. This fight for Dillian is very very important. It's one that's going to get his juices flowing. I feel like it's going to be the birth of the all-rounder box fighter, the birth of a completed fighter. We don't underestimate anyone. It's going to be a proper humdinger. There's three ways to beating this guy, whether it's going forward or going back, or standing there and planting our feet and letting them go. It was a tough year but Dillian is back and I'm confident this is his time," Tibbs said.