DILLIAN WHYTE has “no regrets” about fighting Alexander Povetkin – despite surrendering the chance to challenge WBC champion Tyson Fury.
Whyte, 32, agreed to risk his mandatory position by headlining Eddie Hearn’s final ‘Fight Camp’, staged in the Matchroom supremo’s back garden.
Dillian Whyte has ‘no regrets’ in fighting Alexander PovetkinCredit: Matchroom/Mark Robinson
But it backfired after Povetkin, 40, upset the Brit with a huge left uppercut in round five.
Whyte now needs to enact revenge on the Russian to win back his position as mandatory challenger for Fury.
But he refuses to feel remorse having lost the banana skin bout – instead hailing Povetkin for landing “one of the punches of his career”.
Whyte told Sky Sports News: “I have no regrets, it was a great fight.
“Povetkin did well. Like I said, I know I can beat him, I know I could beat him.
“I showed that from round one. From round one I was getting onto him, but obviously he’s a very experienced guy.
“His corner was on the verge of pulling him out and he pulled out one of the punches of his career.
“But that’s heavyweight boxing, it’s full of drama, ups and downs.”
Whyte had been the WBC’s No1 ranked challenger for over 1,000 days without fighting for the belt.
And he appeared on course to set up a shot at Fury having outboxed Povetkin for four rounds, twice flooring him.
But his dreams of fighting for the famous green and gold belt were sent up in smoke in the fifth by a stunning left uppercut.
Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed the gutted heavyweight has a rematch clause – and Whyte plans to waste no time in gaining redemption.
He said: “I was bossing the fight, I was winning the fight, I got clocked, it’s heavyweight boxing.
“It’s not like I got beat up round after round, I got clocked, that’s all. He dipped low, I shoot the hook, he came with the uppercut and that was it.
“The main thing is we’ve got a rematch, we’re gonna exercise the rematch, try and get it done by the end of the year.”
Povetkin KO’d Whyte with a stunning left uppercut Credit: Matchroom/Mark Robinson
Whyte lost his WBC mandatory status following the defeat
Whyte plans to enact his rematch clause against Povetkin Credit: Matchroom/Mark Robinson
Dillian Whyte crashes Eddie Hearn interview asking for ‘rematch in December’ after 5th round knock-out by Alexander Povetkin
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
