Whyte aiming for rematch with Joshua
Dillian Whyte is set to face Alexander Povetkin later this month in a fight that could determine whether ‘The Body Snatcher’ finally gets his rematch versus Anthony Joshua.
The 32-year-old Brit hasn’t been quiet about wanting his rematch, which could be booked in the boxing calendar shortly after his next bout on Saturday 22 August versus the "Russian Vityaz".
Dillian Whyte is the bookmakers’ clear favourite with a price of 2/7. Anyone who senses an upset or simply wants to predict the correct knockout round can find some tasty prices, and new customer offers means they can back them risk-free.
Boxing in the Back Garden
This will be the biggest fight to take place since the world went on lockdown back in March this year following the coronavirus pandemic that has disrupted the whole world over the past four or so months.
As such, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has scheduled for Whyte versus Povetkin to take place in his back garden as a schedule or weekly fights throughout August, culminating in the big showdown.
This has been seen as the safest option available to the promoter to get fights taking place again in a controlled area, in what will be a unique setting for boxing – with no fans. Football is one of a number of other sports to have got back up and running with no fans in attendance since sport was suspended across the United Kingdom by the end of March.
Both fighters have already stated that preparation has been tough due to social distancing as well as simply not knowing whether the fight was going to go ahead or not. It’s been on, then not on and rescheduled since its original planned date of 2 May 2020 at the Manchester Arena was put on hold.
First Bouts in 2020
This will be Dillian Whyte’s first fight since beating Mariusz Wach in round over in Saudi Arabia last December. He is now on an 11-bout winning streak to take his career record to 27-1-0 since losing to Anthony Joshua back in December 2015.
WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO Heavyweight champion Joshua will be in attendance for this bout. He himself has not fought since December 2019 either and doesn’t have anything officially booked in his calendar yet.
Fury or Whyte?
Tyson Fury versus AJ is the dream of most British boxing fans, but Whyte wants his shot at regaining his titles first, after losing the British heavyweight title in the aforementioned bout at the O2 Arena in London, nearly five years ago.
Dillian Whyte knows that if he keeps winning that he cannot be denied that rematch, and a victory over Povetkin in less than a fortnight’s time would surely put him in line. The 40-year-old Russian won’t be any pushover himself, with a 35-2-1 career record, though winning only one of his last three, which started with a defeat to Anthony Joshua in round 7 at Wembley Stadium in September 2018.
Povetkin gave Joshua some early problems in the bout before the Brit came through strongly against the 2004 Olympic Gold medalist.