World of Boxing CEO Andrei Ryabinsky, who promotes Alexander Povetkin, says the situation with the WBC's mandatory status is complicated.

This past Saturday night at Matchroom's Fight Camp, Povetkin sensationally knocked out Dillian Whyte in the fifth round.

Whyte was the mandatory challenger and held the WBC's interim-title.

Had Whyte been victorious, he was due a mandatory world title shot by February 2021.

Most were under the belief that in victory, Povetkin would now become the WBC's mandatory challenger to world champion Tyson Fury.

However, the WBC has made it clear that Povetkin is not the mandatory challenger - since the bout with Whyte was sanctioned as a voluntary defense of the WBC interim-belt.

There is a rematch between Povetkin and Whyte being targeted for the fall.

The WBC has not issued a ruling on whether or not the winner of the rematch would become the mandatory challenger or simply receive a better ranking.

According to Fury's co-promoter, Frank Warren, the WBC has advised him that his boxer will not have any mandatory obligations for a full year - once a mandatory challenger has been established. 

"A rematch [with Whyte] is a normal practice for such fights," Ryabinsky said.

"The rules of the game changed a little, we have to figure it out. This entire mandatory challenger situation is very difficult, it will now drag on for a year or two. It is deeper and more complex [than initially thought], but in a nutshell everything is like this."

The 40-year-old Povetkin has 39 fights, in which he won 36 (25 by knockout), suffered two defeats and has one draw.