Dillian Whyte vs Deontay Wilder? Eddie Hearn quizzed on ‘colossal fight’ after Alexander Povetkin knockout

Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
George Flood28 March 2021

Eddie Hearn was quizzed regarding the potential of a “colossal”, long-awaited fight between Dillian Whyte and former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder finally coming to fruition after the former’s explosive knockout of Alexander Povetkin.

Whyte put his world title chances back on track at the ‘Rumble on the Rock’ in Gibraltar on Saturday night, avenging his shock stoppage defeat by the Russian last summer with a dominant display that was finished off emphatically in the closing stages of round four.

Whyte regained his WBC Diamond title, while mandatory challenger status is expected to follow, though a world title shot is still likely to be some way off with old foe Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury having agreed to meet in two mammoth all-British unification showdowns this year.

So just what lies in store next for ‘The Body Snatcher’, who said he was open to a trilogy bout against the 41-year-old Povetkin or potentially an even bigger fight back in Gibraltar in the summer.

“His world championship dreams were on the line tonight. I think he’s right, I’d like to see him box quickly again in the summer, maybe go over to the United States and have a fight over there,” promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports.

“We called for the Deontay Wilder fight for a long, long time. He actually DMed Dillian Whyte and told him ‘I will never, ever give you that fight’.

“Now, he got knocked out [by Fury] and he’s calling for the fight with Dillian Whyte. For me, that’s a stadium fight. That’s a colossal fight.

“The ultimate aim has always been for Dillian Whyte to challenge for the world heavyweight title.”

Hearn added: “Everyone knows in boxing, Whyte is a handful for anyone in the division.

“Tonight was about getting his career back on track, the world title ambitions back on track, coming back from that knockout, it wasn’t easy.

“He showed tonight the determination, he wasn’t going to be denied. He manhandled Alexander Povetkin, battered him from pillar to post.”

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