Russian heavyweight Alexander Povetkin is distancing himself from a potential fight with British contender Dillian Whyte.
This past Saturday night, Povetkin knocked out Olympic bronze medal winner David Price in brutal fashion in the fifth round.
The contest took place before a crowd of nearly 80,000 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
In the main event of the same card - IBF, WBA, IBO world champion Anthony Joshua added the WBO title to his collection with a twelve round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Joseph Parker. It was the first time where Joshua went the full twelve round distance.
Povetkin is the mandatory challenger to Joshua in two sanctioning bodies, the WBO and WBA.
Hearn says Povetkin (34-1, 24 KOs) is indeed in line for Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs), but he's also interested in matching Whyte against the Russian puncher in a main event headliner for a card being planned in the month of June.
"[Povetkin] will be mandatory for Joshua but I've got another heavyweight who wants to fight Povetkin in June, if he wants it," Hearn said.
Povetkin's trainer, Ivan Kirpa was the first to shake his head at the idea of that contest.
"Povetkin has already boxed with someone else, and for some reason when he wins in style than conversations begin to have him fight Takam, Price and someone else was offered - but not a champion. Alexander defeats Price, and then they say that he doesn't need to fight with Joshua, but let's fight again and this time with Dillian Whyte. I do not see the point of doing this fight at this stage of Alexander's career, although the promoters and Alexander himself will decide this," Kirpa said.
Povetkin has backed the opinion of his trainer, as he wants that mandatory crack t Joshua.
"I'm the mandatory challenger for Joshua," Povetkin told his promotional team, World of Boxing.
"I look forward to the moment when I can compete against the best in the world. Anthony has four belts. I want this fight and I don't even think about fighting someone else."
