Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte realizes that even if he beats Alexander Povetkin on Saturday night in Gibraltar, he won't be able to secure a title shot until 2022.

Last year, Whyte was the WBC's mandatory challenger and held the interim-title of the sanctioning body.

All of that went up in smoke when he was brutally knocked out by Alexander Povetkin in the fifth round of their August clash.

Whyte will get his chance at revenge tomorrow night.

The number one contender to the WBC title is former world champion Deontay Wilder.

Whyte believes that a win over Povetkin should get him back in place as mandatory challenger - but the sanctioning body may have other ideas on that subject.

Tyson Fury is the current WBC world champion. He recently signed a two-fight deal to face WBO, IBO, IBF, WBA champion Anthony Joshua.

Because there will obviously be a significant delay before a title shot, Whyte intends to remain busy before pursuing a world title fight.

Before he can get himself back in position for a belt, he will need to overcome the looming rematch with Povetkin.

"If I beat Povetkin then that makes me the mandatory challenger again, but as Fury has signed to fight Joshua, I'm going to have to wait," Whyte told BBC Sport.

"I'm obviously excited at the prospect of fighting one of them for four belts. They're the best in the world and I'm in boxing to fight the best. But if they sign for two fights, I'd probably have to wait for a year to fight them. I wouldn't sit around though - I'd fight someone else in between. I was number one challenger before, but I still took dangerous fights."