IT
has been announced that Dillian Whyte will get the chance to level the score
with Alexander Povetkin on November 21 at a British venue to be confirmed.
Povetkin took the lead via a dramatic left-hander that volleyed Whyte to sleep
on August 22 to close the four-week Matchroom Fight Camp in sensational style.
The rematch has been in the offing since Whyte woke up. He made it clear to promoter Eddie Hearn he wanted to fight Povetkin again immediately after the surprise loss.
“I’m
over the moon to have the rematch,” said Whyte. “As soon as I got out of the
ring I was looking for confirmation that the fight would be on… There won’t be
any major adjustments but I just need to be more switched on and not get
distracted. He was able to use his experience against me.”
Povetkin
added, “Now the date of the rematch is known, I will soon return to my training
camp and prepare as thoroughly as I did for the first fight.”
Questions
on the venue – it’s hoped there will be a crowd of sorts – cannot be answered
until the ever-changing restrictions regarding the coronavirus pandemic level
out somewhat. It is believed government plans to trial fans coming back into
venues will continue.
Boxing
News
also understands that Whyte has not yet been given the all-clear to return in
November by the British Boxing Board of Control. Due to the nature of his
defeat he is currently under suspension until he has satisfied the Board that
he is fit to fight. Robert Smith, the General Secretary of the Board, fully
expects Whyte to pass the required tests in time.
None
of this was in the script, of course. Whyte had expected to win in August and
secure a shot at the WBC heavyweight title. Famously, the Brixton fighter had
occupied the top spot in that organisation’s rankings for 1,000 days prior to
Povetkin steaming in and knocking him cold in the fifth round but, it should be
noted, Whyte was not the official mandatory for the entirety of that lengthy
spell. Nonetheless, few can deny that Dillian had long since earned his chance.
The
speediness in making this second leg speaks of several things. Firstly it says
plenty about Whyte and his desire to get back in there with a man who beat him
so convincingly. The British star was not pummelled from the opening bell but
the manner of the finish was devastating. Going straight back in with Povetkin
is a risky and brave decision.
It is not the first time a British heavyweight has opted to jump straight back in with an upset conqueror. An immediate rematch paid dividends for Anthony Joshua last year when he rebounded from a seventh-round loss to Andy Ruiz Jnr in June to dominate the American over 12 six months later. Eighteen years before that, Lennox Lewis aced a similar revenge mission, halting Hasim Rahman in four rounds seven months after being stopped in five. Yet David Price opting to accept a return with Tony Thompson only five months after being beaten in two rounds ended with another stoppage defeat. For further context, only 13 weeks will have elapsed between Whyte being knocked out and the opening bell of the sequel.
Inevitably,
tales about Whyte’s imperfect preparation were told in the aftermath. His
dedication should not be questioned – he was in sublime shape and his refusal
to make a single excuse himself should also be applauded – but hindsight
suggests that replacing long-time coach Mark Tibbs with Xavier Miller and
adding Dave Coldwell to the team just days before fight one was not ideal. Also
consider reports that Whyte’s sparring out in his Portugal training camp wasn’t
befitting of the fight that awaited and there is plenty for the Londoner to
work on. Povetkin’s age, he is now 41 and looked it for large parts of their
summer encounter, may also work in Whyte’s favour.
The event will be broadcast by Sky Sports Box Office in the UK. Though DAZN are expected to stream stateside, this is yet to be confirmed.
Sky
Sports have also announced they will be screening the following:
The
September 26 World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final between Yuniel
Dorticos and Maris Briedis which takes place in Berlin, Germany; Joshua Buatsi
takes on Croat, Marko Calic on October 4 with Chantelle Cameron challenging for
the vacant WBC super-lightweight title against Brazil’s Adriana Dos Santos
Araujo on the same bill; and on October 17, Hannah Rankin and Savannah Marshall
collide for the vacant WBO super-middleweight strap while Newcastle’s Lewis
Ritson steps up against Mexico’s Miguel Vazquez.