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Nick Parkinson
Dillian Whyte returns to fight for the world heavyweight title after taking revenge on Alexander Povetkin, winning the fourth round of the TKO on Saturday.
Whyte regained the WBC provisional title after flattening Povetkin with a left hook at the Europa Point sports complex in Gibraltar, a British overseas territory on the southern tip of Spain.
Povetkin eliminated Whyte in August last year, but could not repeat it because he was beaten for the third time as a professional. His other two losses came to points at Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA, IBF and WBO titles in 2013 and by stopping at Anthony Joshua for the same belts three years ago.
While Povetkin is probably considering retirement, Whyte has given his career such a much-needed boost. However, alongside rival world champions Tyson Fury (WBC) and Joshua (WBA, IBF, WBO) in advanced talks over a two-fight deal, Whyte’s wait for the first world title will continue for some time.
“If he wants a rematch and it’s the right money, I’ll fight him again because I shouldn’t have lost the first time – I’m mad at myself,” Whyte said of Povetkin.
“I was with him in the first round, then I thought I had to relax and not blow up. He just lost to Klitschko and Joshua – that shows how good he is. I can beat anyone.”
This was a dangerous, obligatory fight for Whyte. Povetkin could reach 41, but in recent years he has shown that his strength makes him one of the biggest heavyweights in boxing. In August last year, Povetkin (36-3-1, 25 KOs) recovered after two knockdowns in the fourth round to eliminate Whyte with a left uppercut in the fifth.
Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs), 32, simply could not afford a third defeat in his career, after being stopped by Joshua in 2015. The loss to Povetkin cost Whyte first place in queue for a WBC title shot and dropped to No. 6 in that governing body’s rankings. The other three governing bodies do not even rank Whyte in the top 10.
Saturday’s win repaired the damage to Whyte’s career last summer after defeating the most experienced heavyweight contender.
“Tonight was to get his career back on track and he showed tonight that he wouldn’t be turned down. We’re going back to where we wanted to be and the goal remains the same – to give Dillian a shot at the world title. “said Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn, who expects Whyte to fight again this summer.
Whyte, who moved from Jamaica to London at the age of 12, let his hands go in the first round, and Povetkin was sent in two strokes before recovering quickly.
Povetkin, who tested positive for COVID-19, postponing the rematch in November, saw a different side of Whyte in the second, while the Londoner patiently closed.
Whyte injured Povetkin with a straight in the third round, and the English boxer swung in the fourth. Later, in the fourth, Whyte shook Povetkin with one or two, and when the Russian hit the ring, Whyte jumped with a right hook and a left one. Povetkin hit the canvas and, when he got back on his unsteady feet, the fight was over.
Later, Whyte brought a chair for Povetkin, dizzy, to sit before celebrating in front of a crowd limited to 500 due to coronavirus restrictions.
On the book, Campbell Hatton – the son of former two-time world champion Ricky Hatton – made a successful professional debut, with a 40-36 point victory over Spaniard Jesus Ruiz (0-11). Hatton, 20, attacked the body as his father used to and won each round in a light four-round match.
“I don’t think I did my best. I think my nerves got to me; it can’t get better until next time,” Hatton said.
Ted Cheeseman (17-2-1, 10 KOs) claimed the British super welterweight title with a dramatic finish in an 11th round victory over James Metcalf (21-1, 13 KOs).
Cheeseman, a Londoner nicknamed “The Big Cheese”, landed a barrage of gunfire and finished Metcalf with a left hook to his jaw at the end of the 11th.
Fabio Wardley, English heavyweight (11-0, 10 KOs), coached by Ricky Hatton, got a knockout victory in the fifth round over Texan Eric Molina, 38 years old (27-7, 19 KOs). Molina, who was stopped by Joshua and Deontay Wilder in the world title photos in 2016 and 2015, respectively, managed until Wardley, 26, struggled with ropes with great effect.