FIGHT WEEK
Can Alexander Povetkin do it again? The Russian meets Dillian Whyte in a rematch of their unforgettable August fight, in which Povetkin survived two knockdowns to stop Whyte with a single uppercut.
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AMANDA SERRANO (39-1-1, 29 KOs) VS.
DANIELA ROMINA BERMUDEZ (29-3-2, 10 KOs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6SjAEvUSfQ
- When: Thursday, March 25
- Where: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- TV/Stream: NBC Sports Network
- Division: Featherweight (126 pounds)
- At stake: Serrano’s WBC and WBO titles
- Pound-for-pound ranking: None
- Odds: NA
- Also on the card: Abimael Ortiz vs. Eduardo Baez, junior featherweights
- Prediction: Serrano UD
- Background: Serrano, a native of Puerto Rico who lives in Brooklyn, has won nine world titles across seven divisions (between 115 and 140 pounds). She’ll be defending two 126-pound belts on Thursday at Plaza del Quinto Centenario in Old San Juan. The southpaw has won 25 consecutive fights – 20 by knockout — since losing a decision to Frida Wallberg back in 2012. She fought last on Dec. 16, when she stopped Dahiana Santana in the first round. Bermudez currently holds bantamweight and junior featherweight titles, meaning she’s attempting to hold belts in three divisions simultaneously. The Argentine also is on a hot streak, having gone 13-0-1 since he was outpointed by Yesica Bopp in 2014. She stopped Cintia Castillo in 10 rounds on Dec. 4.
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ALEXANDER POVETKIN (36-2-1, 25 KOs) VS.
DILLIAN WHYTE (27-2, 18 KOs)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_CekGA9CA0
- When: Saturday, March 27
- Where: Gilbraltar
- TV/Stream: DAZN
- Division: Heavyweight (no limit)
- At stake: No titles
- Pound-for-pound ranking: None
- Odds: Whyte 3-1 favorite
- Also on the card: Ted Cheeseman vs. James Metcalf, junior middleweights; Chris Kongo vs. Michael McKinson, welterweights
- Prediction: Whyte KO 9
- Background: Povetkin stunned the boxing world by rising from two knockdowns to stop the favored Whyte with a single left uppercut in the fifth round on Aug. 22 outside London, which cost Whyte his mandatory status. The rematch is Saturday in the British territory of Gibraltar (bordering Spain). Povetkin, 41, had mixed results the past few years – losing to Anthony Joshua, outpointing Hughie Fury and then drawing with Michael Hunter – and he struggled for four-plus rounds against Whyte, going down twice in Round 4 in what seemed to be the beginning of the end for him. Indeed, his career as an elite heavyweight seemed to be in doubt as the bell rang to start Round 5. And then one perfect punch changed everything. Whyte fell flat on his back and had no hope of continuing, a major setback for him that gave new life to Povetkin’s career. Can he do it again? The oddsmakers don’t think so. They’ve made Whyte around a 3-1 favorite, which presumably was based on his recent history and the early rounds of the first fight. The Londoner had won 11 fights since he was stopped by Joshua in 2015, including victories over Dereck Chisora (twice), Robert Helenius, Joseph Parker and Oscar Rivas. And he seemed to be on his way to a stoppage against Povetkin. He had better get it right this time. It would be difficult to battle back from another loss. Povetkin will be motivated: If the Russian can pull off another upset, he will be in excellent position to get a big-money fight before he’s finished.
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Also fighting this week: Junior welterweight prospect Akeem Ennis Brown (14-0, 1 KOs) will defend his Commonwealth and British titles against Sam Maxwell (14-0, 1 KOs) on Friday at Copper Box Arena in London (BT Sport). And, at the same venue the following day, Willy Hutchinson (13-0, 9 KOs) and Lennox Clarke (19-1-1, 7 KOs) fight for the vacant Commonwealth and British super middleweight belts (BT Sport).