Alexander Povetkin vs. Dillian Whyte II - 27 March 2021

[Ruthless-RKO]

Whyte Doubts Povetkin Has COVID, Povetkin Ready To Show Medicals

Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte is not convinced that Alexander Povetkin actually contracted COVID-19.

Whyte, however, is not buying the information from Povetkin and his team.

He believes Povetkin required additional time to prepare for their rematch - which is being targeted for late January, although that scenario is not set in stone.

"I personally don't think he's got COVID. I think he just needed more time to get ready, because he took a lot of damage in the first fight. After the first fight, he took a lot of time off. Even though I got stopped, I went straight back to training and I got straight back on it," Whyte told Sky Sports.

"I was just in my peak stage now, so I can't just crash out and let it all die down. I've got to keep the engine warm and still train, but just not as hard. I keep the same intensity, but just not the volume. They wanted more time, or whatever. More time for me. More time for me to learn and bond with my team and to keep improving. We worked on a lot of stuff in the last camp that's only falling into place for this camp, so it's all good."

Povetkin's promoter, Andrey Ryabinskiy, rejects Whyte's claim and makes it clear that his boxer has no problem presenting medical records to prove his illness.

"There are so many different opinions. Let's not listen to opinions, but be guided by facts and make decisions. The facts are simple - Alexander got coronavirus, and we were forced to postpone the fight. This can happen to any athlete. Alexander was in the hospital, we have all the documents at hand. If Eddie Hearn has any question of this kind, I am ready to submit all these documents," Ryabinskiy told Sky Sports.

"He had a rather difficult form of coronavirus, but he passed this crisis period, the doctors put him back on his feet. Alexander is now feeling well; no complications have been identified. At the moment, his main task is to restore health and return to the necessary physical shape. We hope Alexander will return to training in two to three weeks. But any physical activity should be coordinated with doctors, while they are careful in their forecasts and only say that it is necessary to monitor the situation and Alexander's well-being. Obviously, it is more profitable for us to have a rematch with Whyte after his defeat as soon as possible."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Whyte taking a leaf out of Wilder's book now with his conspiracy theory's.

Want him to get sparked again..

[ash_]

Whyte really is an idiot isn’t he

[mickey1975]

Povetkin “took a lot of damage “!
He looked ok when sparking him!

[DrDuke]

Whyte is trying to show off. Probably he doesn't event realise, how hard he was iced. He'll be KOed again.

[dookus]

Whyte really does try to gee himself up a lot

[fanman]

All mind games, and harmless. If Pov got the virus hard, he might not be the same, it can have long term problems, never mind for an athlete. Or could have wanted a longer break, entirely possible.

Should make for a good rematch either way. Pov has done amazingly well to be mandatory again for the world title.

[TheLeprechaun]

Whyte is trying to show off. Probably he doesn't event realise, how hard he was iced. He'll be KOed again.

I think he's as thick as a plank of wood mate. I'm not sure how he can talk sh*t about Povetkin after he was left unconscious on the floor by him. How he's gotten to be a PPV star in the UK off the back of being starched by Joshua I don't know. I suppose that's a testament to matchroom marketing.

[Counter-puncher]

How he's gotten to be a PPV star in the UK off the back of being starched by Joshua I don't know. I suppose that's a testament to matchroom marketing.

could be it's because he walks heavy

[Autobarn]

Whyte is trying to show off. Probably he doesn't event realise, how hard he was iced. He'll be KOed again.

I think he's as thick as a plank of wood mate. I'm not sure how he can talk sh*t about Povetkin after he was left unconscious on the floor by him. How he's gotten to be a PPV star in the UK off the back of being starched by Joshua I don't know. I suppose that's a testament to matchroom marketing.

He’s provided loads of good action, whether being stopped or grinding out hard wins. He’s earned his role as a kind of B-level PPV attraction.

Povetkin v Whyte 2 is as attractive a matchup as Helenius v Kownacki 2.

I appreciate Dillian; he does get dragged down by that chip on his shoulder but at least he fights contenders unlike the beloved Frank Bruno - and the fights he’s in are leagues above the plodfest round Robin of Audley, Skelton, Sprott and the cult hero Danny Williams.

Heavyweight boxing is as good as its ever been over here, and Whyte represents the grassroots.

[margaret thatcher]

bought eddeh says dill was up before 10

[Ruthless-RKO]

By Gabriel F. Cordero

WBC interim heavyweight world champion Alexander Povetkin is recovering well from Covid 19. The next step is to return to training and evaluate his performance. “Sascha” has undergone a comprehensive medical examination and we’ll soon know if his rematch with Dillian Whyte will take place at the end of January.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Russian WBC Interim Champion Povetkin’s boxing bout against Dillian Whyte postponed

On November 3, Povetkin was rushed to one of the hospitals in Moscow, after he had been diagnosed with a positive COVID-19 case

MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. An earlier scheduled January 2021 fight between Russia’s WBC (the World Boxing Council) Interim Heavyweight Champion Alexander Povetkin and Britain’s Dillian Whyte has been postponed indefinitely, Andrei Ryabinsky, the head of Boxing World promotion company, told TASS on Monday.

On November 3, Povetkin was rushed to one of the hospitals in Moscow, after he had been diagnosed with a positive COVID-19 case. A source in the boxer’s team told TASS two weeks ago that Povetkin had completely recovered from the novel coronavirus and resumed with his trainings.

The boxer was discharged from the hospital on November 10 and continued his anti-coronavirus treatment at home.

Povetkin was initially set for a return bout against Britain’s Dillian Whyte on November 21, however, the fight was postponed indefinitely after Povetkin was reported to contract COVID-19. Later reports suggested late January 2021 as a provisional date for the Povetkin-Whyte bout.

"There will be no fight with Whyte in November," Ryabinsky stated in an interview with TASS. "We have underestimated the consequences of the virus and everything did not go as smoothly as we hoped for."

"Alexander [Povetkin] has been hospitalized again for a medical examination," he continued. "He has been discharged from the hospital in the recent days and starts with his training sessions. We will be amplifying his training sessions stage by stage under a strict observance of doctors."

"The sport of boxing is a very serious burden inflicted on a human body and I am totally against risking Sasha’s [Alexander Povetkin] health," he continued.

"We will be holding talks in regard to the date of the fight and will be then coming up with our proposals, which will come as soon as we know what training tempo [Povetkin] can keep up with," Ryabinsky stated.

On the night of August 22, Russia’s former Heavyweight World Champion Alexander Povetkin defeated Britain’s Dillian Whyte in the fifth round with a technical knockout to win the WBC interim heavyweight champion title.

The interim title allowed the Russian boxer to fight for the WBC heavyweight title, which is currently owned by UK’s Tyson Fury. Tyson ‘The Gipsy King’ Fury is 32 years old and his professional boxing career record stands at 30 wins (21 by KOs) and one draw.

In early September, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn announced that Russia’s Povetkin was scheduled for a return bout against Britain’s Dillian ‘The Body Snatcher’ Whyte. The 32-year-old British boxer holds a personal record of 27 wins (18 by KOs) and two defeats throughout his professional boxing career.

Povetkin, 41, is known to the fans as the ‘Russian Vityaz,’ and boasts a record of 36 wins (25 by KOs), two defeats and one draw throughout his career. The Russian boxer also won the gold at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens.

Before Whyte, Povetkin fought last time in December 2019 against US heavyweight Michael ‘The Bounty’ Hunter. Povetkin and Hunter fought to a draw on December 7, 2019 in Saudi Arabia in the WBA (the World Boxing Association) Heavyweight Title Eliminator bout. The judges’ scorecards read 115-113 for Povetkin, 115-113 for Hunter and 114-114.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[stujones]

That is one of the most confusing press releases ever - talks about so many postponed dates - so is it no longer on in January. I had huge doubts this was going to happen with Povetkin being hospilised for Covid. He might not ever be the same.

[Ruthless-RKO]

That is one of the most confusing press releases ever - talks about so many postponed dates - so is it no longer on in January. I had huge doubts this was going to happen with Povetkin being hospilised for Covid. He might not ever be the same.

Yh I had to read it a few times to make sure it wasn’t old..

[CaptainSpacerod]

I hope Povetkin is well and recovers fully but I’m glad the rematch is off. Whyte didn’t deserve a rematch and doesn’t deserve a title shot. He’s a domestic / European level fighter who’s only so prominent due to world class promotion from Eddie Hearn.

The kind of fight Whyte should be looking at is Hughie Fury. Whyte would spend the entire build up saying Hughie isn’t in his league and dissing every other HW out there while demanding a title shot. Then Hughie would win quite comfortably on points.

[margaret thatcher]

lol who the hell goes after hughie fury though

[Finkel]

That post is from September. He looks like he has been up and about since late November though, going by his Instagram.

[DrDuke]

There're rumors, that, despite eventually starting to recover, Povetkin had a pretty tough course of the disease and even lost some weight.

[Gnome]

I hope Povetkin is well and recovers fully but I’m glad the rematch is off. Whyte didn’t deserve a rematch and doesn’t deserve a title shot. He’s a domestic / European level fighter who’s only so prominent due to world class promotion from Eddie Hearn.

The kind of fight Whyte should be looking at is Hughie Fury. Whyte would spend the entire build up saying Hughie isn’t in his league and dissing every other HW out there while demanding a title shot. Then Hughie would win quite comfortably on points.

I'd love that fight.

[margaret thatcher]

There're rumors, that, despite eventually starting to recover, Povetkin had a pretty tough course of the disease and even lost some weight.

bridgerweight time

[Ruthless-RKO]

Povetkin's Promoter: Whyte Rematch in Late Winter, Early Spring

As Boxing Scene previously reported, WBC interim-heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin will be unable to face Dillian Whyte in a rematch on January 30th.

Back in August, Povetkin brutally knocked out Whyte in five rounds at Matchroom's Fight Camp in Brentwood.

Afterwards, Whyte exercised an immediate rematch clause.

The second fight was scheduled to take place last month, on November 21. The fight was postponed after Povetkin was hospitalized with COVID-19.

Both sides were targeting a tentative date of January 30 - but then it was revealed by Povetkin's promoter, Andrei Ryabinsky, that his boxer was still recovering from COVID and was recently hospitalized for additional tests.

Povetkin may have rushed his recovery and went back to his training camp too quickly after being released from the hospital.

In his estimation, Povetkin will be ready to move forward with the rematch by late winter or early spring - with dates being viewed in late-February and March.

"Alexander is doing fine, he needs to sit at home and come to his senses, and then quietly and very carefully start training. In fact, he had a hard time overcoming this coronavirus," Ryabinsky told Vasiliy Konov.

"Also, after [the initial] recovery, we did thorough medical examinations, which showed that he needed more time to recover and had to take care of his health. When the fight with Whyte takes place will depend on how well Alexander will recover. But I think that this fight can tentatively take place in late winter or early spring - dependent on the doctors allow it. But there will definitely not be a fight on January 30."

[joshj909]

I guess he lost a lot of weight due to Covid. Although this would be an advantage to Whyte do to Povetkin getting even older, Whyte is once again left in limbo. He's no longer the WBC mandatory, he is no longer the Interim champ. His best bet would be to go for a shot at Wilder if he can't make the Fury fight. Otherwise he will just have to have a stay busy year against lesser names until he can face Povetkin to become WBC mandatory again.

[Jimmy2020]

Povetkin will get rolled over very quickly in the rematch. He has had a bad reaction to Covid-19 and won't be a shadow of what he was.

Dillian on the other hand looks bigger and stronger than ever after spending some time on the Med.