The heavyweight champion proposed the pair square off in a boxing match with MMA gloves, which the UFC heavyweight champion was very much game for.
Although the odds would not be stacked in favor of Ngannou (17-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC), who will be stepping into Fury’s world, “The Gypsy King” did not downplay Ngannou’s skills at all.
“He’s definitely a machine, that’s for sure,” Fury told ESPN. “He’s definitely a good puncher and all that, and let’s face it: It’s not a wrestling match, or no grabbing or anything. It’s just a standup punching battle with small gloves on. …
“Dillian Whyte’s a much harder challenge than Francis Ngannou at this moment for me, so I only focus on Dillian Whyte for the next fight.”
Fury has to get past Whyte in a fight expected to be announced soon. Ngannou is coming off his first title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 and is expected to be sidelined for the majority of the year after he undergoes knee surgery in March.
In order for Ngannou to get his desired wish to box Fury, the UFC would have to grant him permission. Ngannou currently is contractually tied and his deal extended for an additional fight after he retained his title against Gane.
The heavyweight champion proposed the pair square off in a boxing match with MMA gloves, which the UFC heavyweight champion was very much game for.
Although the odds would not be stacked in favor of Ngannou (17-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC), who will be stepping into Fury’s world, “The Gypsy King” did not downplay Ngannou’s skills at all.
“He’s definitely a machine, that’s for sure,” Fury told ESPN. “He’s definitely a good puncher and all that, and let’s face it: It’s not a wrestling match, or no grabbing or anything. It’s just a standup punching battle with small gloves on. …
“Dillian Whyte’s a much harder challenge than Francis Ngannou at this moment for me, so I only focus on Dillian Whyte for the next fight.”
Fury has to get past Whyte in a fight expected to be announced soon. Ngannou is coming off his first title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 and is expected to be sidelined for the majority of the year after he undergoes knee surgery in March.
In order for Ngannou to get his desired wish to box Fury, the UFC would have to grant him permission. Ngannou currently is contractually tied and his deal extended for an additional fight after he retained his title against Gane.
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will fight Dillian Whyte, not fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk, according to reports.
Tyson Fury reportedly will face Dillian Whyte, not Oleksander Usyk, in his next fight. Meanwhile, Usyk will fight Anthony Joshua in a rematch.
All parties reportedly were in negotiations to have Whyte and Joshua step aside in exchange for a great deal of money, which would’ve opened the door to a Fury-Usyk fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship this coming June in Saudi Arabia.
However, the deal never materialized. That leaves us with Fury vs. Whyte for Fury’s WBC title and Joshua vs. Usyk II for Usyk’s IBF, WBA and WBO belts. The earliest these fights could take place is the spring.
The Fury-Whyte fight will go to a purse bid on Friday for lack of serious negotiations up until now, meaning it will be auctioned off to the promoter willing to put up the most money, ESPN reported.
The result of the purse bid will determine exactly when and where the fight will take place.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZPKLwJNPYX/
Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) will be defending the belt he won by stopping Deontay Wilder in seven rounds in February 2020 and successfully defended by knocking out Wilder again in 11 rounds last October.
“I can’t wait to punch Dillian Whyte’s face right in, mate,” Fury said in an Instagram video. “I’m going to give him the best hiding he’s ever had in his life. Dillian Whyte, train hard, sucker, because you’re getting annihilated, bum.”
Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) upset Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) by a unanimous decision in September to win his titles. Joshua exercised a rematch clause in the contract for their first fight.
The winner of the Fury-Whyte and Usyk-Joshua II fights could fight for the undisputed championship in the fall or next winter.
Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury will fight Dillian Whyte, not fellow titleholder Oleksandr Usyk, according to reports.
Tyson Fury reportedly will face Dillian Whyte, not Oleksander Usyk, in his next fight. Meanwhile, Usyk will fight Anthony Joshua in a rematch.
All parties reportedly were in negotiations to have Whyte and Joshua step aside in exchange for a great deal of money, which would’ve opened the door to a Fury-Usyk fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship this coming June in Saudi Arabia.
However, the deal never materialized. That leaves us with Fury vs. Whyte for Fury’s WBC title and Joshua vs. Usyk II for Usyk’s IBF, WBA and WBO belts. The earliest these fights could take place is the spring.
The Fury-Whyte fight will go to a purse bid on Friday for lack of serious negotiations up until now, meaning it will be auctioned off to the promoter willing to put up the most money, ESPN reported.
The result of the purse bid will determine exactly when and where the fight will take place.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZPKLwJNPYX/
Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) will be defending the belt he won by stopping Deontay Wilder in seven rounds in February 2020 and successfully defended by knocking out Wilder again in 11 rounds last October.
“I can’t wait to punch Dillian Whyte’s face right in, mate,” Fury said in an Instagram video. “I’m going to give him the best hiding he’s ever had in his life. Dillian Whyte, train hard, sucker, because you’re getting annihilated, bum.”
Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) upset Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) by a unanimous decision in September to win his titles. Joshua exercised a rematch clause in the contract for their first fight.
The winner of the Fury-Whyte and Usyk-Joshua II fights could fight for the undisputed championship in the fall or next winter.
Good, bad, worse: Joe Smith Jr. gets it done again in workmanlike fashion.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Joe Smith Jr. isn’t destined for the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
The strapping light heavyweight titleholder isn’t a polished boxer, although he seems to have improved. He isn’t particularly quick or athletic. In other words, the union worker is exactly what he has been called, “a blue-collar fighter.”
And that has both worked for him in the ring and endeared him to fans, many of whom can relate to him.
Smith’s performance against late replacement Steve Geffrard on Saturday wasn’t special but it was good enough, which is all that matters. He used his not-so-secret weapons of fitness, punching power and persistence to wear down and finally stop Geffrard (18-3, 12 KOs) in the ninth round.
Just a typical work shift for Smith, who was making the first defense of his WBO 175-pound belt.
Next up for him? He’s thinking big. He wants to take on imposing fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev or, if Canelo Alvarez decides to fight a 175-pound opponent instead one at 200 or 168, he’d jump at that opportunity for obvious reasons.
Would Smith (28-3, 22 KOs) win those fights? Probably not, although he’d have a puncher’s chance against anyone. Sullivan Barrera (2017) and beltholder Dmitry Bivol (2019) easily outpointed him. It’s difficult to imagine him doing much better against Beterbiev of Alvarez.
We know what Smith would bring to those fights, though. He’d enter the ring in fantastic shape and he’d fight his heart out, which is all we can expect of any boxer.
BAD
I’m an optimistic person.
I hold out hope that Canelo Alvarez will fight one of the five potential opponents I suggested in a previous column, David Benavidez, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo, Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev.
However, also as I’ve written, the Mexican star has been driven more by collecting titles than the person across the ring from him. That allowed him to become undisputed 168-pound champ by a winning series of lackluster matchups.
Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’s trainer and manager, has expressed interest in fighting cruiserweight beltholder Ilunga Makabu to add a belt in another division. Other than that, he’s been quiet about his intentions.
He said recently that he hasn’t even been in serious talks with anyone, although that’s hard to believe because the targeted fight date of May 7 is fast approaching.
I fear that Alvarez and Reynoso will choose the bigger, but limited Makabu, assuming the Congolese fighter defeats Thabiso Mchunu on Jan. 29. At the same time, There has been chatter that Charlo, a 160-pound champ, might be in the mix.
One British outlet had an interesting – and frightening – take on rumors that boxing purists might be disappointed with Alvarez’s next opponent. The outlet floated the idea that he might be targeting YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, which would generate a fortune but have no resemblance to a competitive fight. Let’s hope that Alvarez has enough respect for the sport to pass on that silly notion.
Reynoso said we could get word on his protégé’s next opponent soon. Fingers crossed.
WORSE
Tyson Fury fights are good for boxing because of the energy he delivers before, during and after his bouts. And I have to think that he wants to get his 6-foot-9 body into the ring more often than he has.
The problem is that it’s easier said than done. The WBC beltholder has fought only twice in the past 2½ years, his knockout victories over Deontay Wilder in their second and third fights.
The last fight with Wilder occurred this past October, only four months ago. That followed Oleksandr Usyk’s upset over Anthony Joshua to win three of the four major heavyweight titles. Fans hope that the winner of their rematch will face Fury for the undisputed championship.
In the meantime, Fury needed an opponent. And it appeared that mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte would finally get a crack at his countryman.
Alas, that fight is stuck in the muck because Whyte has refused to accept the 80-20 purse split ordered by the WBC if the principals can’t reach an agreement and it goes to a purse bid, which Whyte has officially appealed. He reportedly wants something close to a 55-45 split.
The purse bid was pushed back to this coming Friday, meaning the parties have only a few more days to come to terms before the event becomes open to other promoters.
And if Fury and Whyte are unable to reach an agreement? Bob Arum, Fury’s co-promoter said his fighter will face someone else in late March. Arum threw out the names of Robert Helenius and Manuel Charr but he will have many good options.
Let’s hope things sort themselves out so we can see Fury fight in a few months.
Good, bad, worse: Joe Smith Jr. gets it done again in workmanlike fashion.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Joe Smith Jr. isn’t destined for the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
The strapping light heavyweight titleholder isn’t a polished boxer, although he seems to have improved. He isn’t particularly quick or athletic. In other words, the union worker is exactly what he has been called, “a blue-collar fighter.”
And that has both worked for him in the ring and endeared him to fans, many of whom can relate to him.
Smith’s performance against late replacement Steve Geffrard on Saturday wasn’t special but it was good enough, which is all that matters. He used his not-so-secret weapons of fitness, punching power and persistence to wear down and finally stop Geffrard (18-3, 12 KOs) in the ninth round.
Just a typical work shift for Smith, who was making the first defense of his WBO 175-pound belt.
Next up for him? He’s thinking big. He wants to take on imposing fellow titleholder Artur Beterbiev or, if Canelo Alvarez decides to fight a 175-pound opponent instead one at 200 or 168, he’d jump at that opportunity for obvious reasons.
Would Smith (28-3, 22 KOs) win those fights? Probably not, although he’d have a puncher’s chance against anyone. Sullivan Barrera (2017) and beltholder Dmitry Bivol (2019) easily outpointed him. It’s difficult to imagine him doing much better against Beterbiev of Alvarez.
We know what Smith would bring to those fights, though. He’d enter the ring in fantastic shape and he’d fight his heart out, which is all we can expect of any boxer.
BAD
I’m an optimistic person.
I hold out hope that Canelo Alvarez will fight one of the five potential opponents I suggested in a previous column, David Benavidez, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo, Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev.
However, also as I’ve written, the Mexican star has been driven more by collecting titles than the person across the ring from him. That allowed him to become undisputed 168-pound champ by a winning series of lackluster matchups.
Eddy Reynoso, Alvarez’s trainer and manager, has expressed interest in fighting cruiserweight beltholder Ilunga Makabu to add a belt in another division. Other than that, he’s been quiet about his intentions.
He said recently that he hasn’t even been in serious talks with anyone, although that’s hard to believe because the targeted fight date of May 7 is fast approaching.
I fear that Alvarez and Reynoso will choose the bigger, but limited Makabu, assuming the Congolese fighter defeats Thabiso Mchunu on Jan. 29. At the same time, There has been chatter that Charlo, a 160-pound champ, might be in the mix.
One British outlet had an interesting – and frightening – take on rumors that boxing purists might be disappointed with Alvarez’s next opponent. The outlet floated the idea that he might be targeting YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, which would generate a fortune but have no resemblance to a competitive fight. Let’s hope that Alvarez has enough respect for the sport to pass on that silly notion.
Reynoso said we could get word on his protégé’s next opponent soon. Fingers crossed.
WORSE
Tyson Fury fights are good for boxing because of the energy he delivers before, during and after his bouts. And I have to think that he wants to get his 6-foot-9 body into the ring more often than he has.
The problem is that it’s easier said than done. The WBC beltholder has fought only twice in the past 2½ years, his knockout victories over Deontay Wilder in their second and third fights.
The last fight with Wilder occurred this past October, only four months ago. That followed Oleksandr Usyk’s upset over Anthony Joshua to win three of the four major heavyweight titles. Fans hope that the winner of their rematch will face Fury for the undisputed championship.
In the meantime, Fury needed an opponent. And it appeared that mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte would finally get a crack at his countryman.
Alas, that fight is stuck in the muck because Whyte has refused to accept the 80-20 purse split ordered by the WBC if the principals can’t reach an agreement and it goes to a purse bid, which Whyte has officially appealed. He reportedly wants something close to a 55-45 split.
The purse bid was pushed back to this coming Friday, meaning the parties have only a few more days to come to terms before the event becomes open to other promoters.
And if Fury and Whyte are unable to reach an agreement? Bob Arum, Fury’s co-promoter said his fighter will face someone else in late March. Arum threw out the names of Robert Helenius and Manuel Charr but he will have many good options.
Let’s hope things sort themselves out so we can see Fury fight in a few months.
Good, bad, worse: Dillian Whyte reclaimed spot in the heavyweight pecking order by stopping Alexander Povetkin on Saturday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qw7eEOmFOw
Dillian Whyte’s achievement on Saturday in Gibraltar shouldn’t be underestimated.
The last time he was face to face with Alexander Povetkin he took an uppercut that knocked him flat on his back and rendered him unconscious, a fate that can be difficult to overcome under any circumstances.
Whyte’s response? He got back into the ring with Povetkin as soon as possible, showed no signs of being gun shy and beat the you know what out of his nemesis. It was as if the first fight never happened, which says something about Whyte’s mental strength.
As promoter Eddie Hearn put it, “He carried on where he left off before the knockout last time.”
The 32-year-old Londoner was overeager in the first round, in which he winged wild punches in an apparent effort to get his revenge in the first three minutes. However, he soon settled down and began to fight more methodically. He jabbed, he started to land straight right hands and he quickly broke down his opponent.
Povetkin had already taken considerable punishment by the time Whyte connected on two damaging rights and the left hook that ended the fight in Round 4.
Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) followed in some large footsteps. Joe Louis avenged a brutal knockout loss by stopping Max Schmeling in their rematch. Lennox Lewis did the same against both Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman. And Wladimir Klitschko got his revenge against Lamon Brewster.
Of course, Whyte is no Louis, Lewis or Klitschko. He has done nothing his career to prove he’s anywhere near that level.
However, at least now, after regaining his place among the top contenders for the heavyweight championship, he’s once again in position to make the most of his potential. And he almost certainly will receive the opportunity he has earned at some point.
***
BAD
Dillian Whyte holds his “interim” belt after his victory over Alexander Povetkin. He hopes to fight for the full championship soon. Dave Thompson / Matchroom Boxing
Whyte is back at the front of the line for a shot at a major heavyweight title. What does that mean? Not much at the moment. As Hearn put it in a post-fight interview Saturday night, “We know there’s a logjam.”
The logjam comes in the form of beltholders Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, who recently agreed upon a two-fight deal to unify all four major heavyweight titles. That leaves every other heavyweight out in the cold until things are sorted out.
Fury and Joshua haven’t even agreed upon a date yet, although organizers are targeting the summer. And if they fight twice, their series could extend into next year.
Of course, one or more of the sanctioning bodies could decide to strip either or both of the champions after their first fight for failing to defend against mandatory challengers. That might be Whyte’s best hope of fighting for a title soon.
Whyte could also be elevated to full champion after earning the WBC’s “interim” status on Saturday.
No matter what happens he isn’t likely to face one of the big two or wear a meaningful belt soon, which seems to be OK with him. He mentioned after the fight that he’d like to face a relative pushover after back-to-back meetings with Povetkin to pad his bank account.
That sort of fight could happen in three or four months. After that, Hearn, who also handles Joshua, is going to have to figure out the best path toward a title for Whyte.
For the record: The fact Fury and Joshua are freezing out the other top heavyweights temporarily is perfectly fine with me. I’m not alone when I say I’d like to see a unified heavyweight champion, which has become a rarity.
Whyte and the others will get their turns.
***
WORSE
We might’ve seen the last of Povetkin (right) on Saturday. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
Povetkin might’ve stepped into the ring on Saturday at less than 100 percent.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman believes the Russian was unable to reach full fitness after a difficult battle with the coronavirus, which forced organizers to push back the rematch with Whyte twice. And Sulaiman might be right.
Povetkin seemed to have trouble with his balance from the outset, as he stumbled multiple times in the first few rounds. And while he took some hard shots, Whyte broke him down fairly quickly.
That’s a shame for Povetkin, who was coming off a spectacular one-punch knockout in the first fight that instantaneously pumped life into his career. Now, sadly for him, his dreams of one last shot at a heavyweight championship might be dashed.
Povetkin’s handlers have indicated that they will encourage him to retire after almost 16 years as a professional. And they obviously have the best handle on what their man has – or doesn’t have – left at 41 years old.
Remember: Povetkin went down twice and appeared to be on his way to a knockout loss before he landed that big uppercut in the first fight with Whyte. Landing one big punch doesn’t mean you still have it.
Povetkin had a good career. His won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. And while he never won a major belt as a professional – he lost title fights against Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua – and twice tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, he has been a legitimate contender for more than a decade.
He’ll always have his Olympic title. And he can say truthfully that he was one of the better big men of his era.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Amanda Serrano demonstrated again on Thursday in Puerto Rico why she’s one of the best boxers in the world, stopping rugged Daniela Bermudez (29-4-3, 10 KOs) with a one-two to the body in Round 9. The seven-division titleholder is a versatile boxer, she can punch (30 knockouts?) and she can take a punch. And, as important as anything to me, she’s fun to watch. Serrano (40-1-1, 30 KOs) is special. … Junior middleweights Ted Cheeseman (17-2-1, 10 KOs) and James Metcalf (21-1, 13 KOs) gave fans a riveting back-and-forth brawl on the Whyte-Povetkin card. Cheeseman ended up with an 11th-round stoppage but both fighters should be proud of their efforts. … Campbell Hatton fought with fire reminiscent of his famous dad in his pro debut on The Whyte-Povetkin card. The son of Ricky Hatton easily outpointed tough, but overmatched Spaniard Jesus Ruiz (0-11, 0 KOs) in a four-round lightweight bout. It’s difficult to gauge Hatton’s ability against a winless opponent but he seems to have the determination to succeed.
Good, bad, worse: Dillian Whyte reclaimed spot in the heavyweight pecking order by stopping Alexander Povetkin on Saturday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qw7eEOmFOw
Dillian Whyte’s achievement on Saturday in Gibraltar shouldn’t be underestimated.
The last time he was face to face with Alexander Povetkin he took an uppercut that knocked him flat on his back and rendered him unconscious, a fate that can be difficult to overcome under any circumstances.
Whyte’s response? He got back into the ring with Povetkin as soon as possible, showed no signs of being gun shy and beat the you know what out of his nemesis. It was as if the first fight never happened, which says something about Whyte’s mental strength.
As promoter Eddie Hearn put it, “He carried on where he left off before the knockout last time.”
The 32-year-old Londoner was overeager in the first round, in which he winged wild punches in an apparent effort to get his revenge in the first three minutes. However, he soon settled down and began to fight more methodically. He jabbed, he started to land straight right hands and he quickly broke down his opponent.
Povetkin had already taken considerable punishment by the time Whyte connected on two damaging rights and the left hook that ended the fight in Round 4.
Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs) followed in some large footsteps. Joe Louis avenged a brutal knockout loss by stopping Max Schmeling in their rematch. Lennox Lewis did the same against both Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman. And Wladimir Klitschko got his revenge against Lamon Brewster.
Of course, Whyte is no Louis, Lewis or Klitschko. He has done nothing his career to prove he’s anywhere near that level.
However, at least now, after regaining his place among the top contenders for the heavyweight championship, he’s once again in position to make the most of his potential. And he almost certainly will receive the opportunity he has earned at some point.
***
BAD
Dillian Whyte holds his “interim” belt after his victory over Alexander Povetkin. He hopes to fight for the full championship soon. Dave Thompson / Matchroom Boxing
Whyte is back at the front of the line for a shot at a major heavyweight title. What does that mean? Not much at the moment. As Hearn put it in a post-fight interview Saturday night, “We know there’s a logjam.”
The logjam comes in the form of beltholders Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, who recently agreed upon a two-fight deal to unify all four major heavyweight titles. That leaves every other heavyweight out in the cold until things are sorted out.
Fury and Joshua haven’t even agreed upon a date yet, although organizers are targeting the summer. And if they fight twice, their series could extend into next year.
Of course, one or more of the sanctioning bodies could decide to strip either or both of the champions after their first fight for failing to defend against mandatory challengers. That might be Whyte’s best hope of fighting for a title soon.
Whyte could also be elevated to full champion after earning the WBC’s “interim” status on Saturday.
No matter what happens he isn’t likely to face one of the big two or wear a meaningful belt soon, which seems to be OK with him. He mentioned after the fight that he’d like to face a relative pushover after back-to-back meetings with Povetkin to pad his bank account.
That sort of fight could happen in three or four months. After that, Hearn, who also handles Joshua, is going to have to figure out the best path toward a title for Whyte.
For the record: The fact Fury and Joshua are freezing out the other top heavyweights temporarily is perfectly fine with me. I’m not alone when I say I’d like to see a unified heavyweight champion, which has become a rarity.
Whyte and the others will get their turns.
***
WORSE
We might’ve seen the last of Povetkin (right) on Saturday. Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing
Povetkin might’ve stepped into the ring on Saturday at less than 100 percent.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman believes the Russian was unable to reach full fitness after a difficult battle with the coronavirus, which forced organizers to push back the rematch with Whyte twice. And Sulaiman might be right.
Povetkin seemed to have trouble with his balance from the outset, as he stumbled multiple times in the first few rounds. And while he took some hard shots, Whyte broke him down fairly quickly.
That’s a shame for Povetkin, who was coming off a spectacular one-punch knockout in the first fight that instantaneously pumped life into his career. Now, sadly for him, his dreams of one last shot at a heavyweight championship might be dashed.
Povetkin’s handlers have indicated that they will encourage him to retire after almost 16 years as a professional. And they obviously have the best handle on what their man has – or doesn’t have – left at 41 years old.
Remember: Povetkin went down twice and appeared to be on his way to a knockout loss before he landed that big uppercut in the first fight with Whyte. Landing one big punch doesn’t mean you still have it.
Povetkin had a good career. His won a gold medal in the 2004 Olympics. And while he never won a major belt as a professional – he lost title fights against Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua – and twice tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, he has been a legitimate contender for more than a decade.
He’ll always have his Olympic title. And he can say truthfully that he was one of the better big men of his era.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Amanda Serrano demonstrated again on Thursday in Puerto Rico why she’s one of the best boxers in the world, stopping rugged Daniela Bermudez (29-4-3, 10 KOs) with a one-two to the body in Round 9. The seven-division titleholder is a versatile boxer, she can punch (30 knockouts?) and she can take a punch. And, as important as anything to me, she’s fun to watch. Serrano (40-1-1, 30 KOs) is special. … Junior middleweights Ted Cheeseman (17-2-1, 10 KOs) and James Metcalf (21-1, 13 KOs) gave fans a riveting back-and-forth brawl on the Whyte-Povetkin card. Cheeseman ended up with an 11th-round stoppage but both fighters should be proud of their efforts. … Campbell Hatton fought with fire reminiscent of his famous dad in his pro debut on The Whyte-Povetkin card. The son of Ricky Hatton easily outpointed tough, but overmatched Spaniard Jesus Ruiz (0-11, 0 KOs) in a four-round lightweight bout. It’s difficult to gauge Hatton’s ability against a winless opponent but he seems to have the determination to succeed.
Who will Dillian Whyte fight after his spectacular stoppage of Alexander Povetkin in their rematch Saturday?
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Dillian Whyte’s fourth-round knockout of Alexander Povetkin on Saturday has restored the Londoner’s positioning as a future world title contender. However, with current heavyweight rulers Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury set to face each other and unify, it makes Whyte’s immediate next step uncertain.
So with his promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealing he hopes to get Whyte back in action as early as this summer, who will be next for “The Body Snatcher”?
Here are some things to consider, as well as interesting betting odds on the situation.
WILL DILLIAN WHYTE’S NEXT BOUT BE FOR A WORLD TITLE?
Although Whyte has regained the “interim” WBC title and is likely to be installed as the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger (Fury is the current titleholder), Hearn evidently wants to get his man one more “keep-busy” fight before they attempt to muscle in on the championship picture.
If A.J. and Fury fight twice in succession, one or more sanctioning bodies might pull their belts after the first meeting because of the time involved.
So if Whyte takes a safe challenge around the time of Joshua-Fury I, he could be in position to fight for the vacant WBC belt after that. In fact, he could even be elevated by the body to full champion.
However, that scenario precludes an attractive fight between Whyte and Deontay Wilder from happening next. And maybe that’s for the best, since the American could also really use a fight to shake off rust from a year-plus absence from the ring.
WHO WOULD BE DILLIAN WHYTE’S ‘KEEP-BUSY’ OPPONENT?
The heavyweight ranks feature a large number of respectable second-tier competitors that could give Whyte extra rounds while he waits for his world title opportunity. And as long as such a fight isn’t the main event of a pay-per-view card — as both Povetkin fights were in the U.K. — it would be fair enough.
In fact, Whyte blasting a 15th-20th-ranked adversary on the undercard of Fury-Joshua I before calling out the winner and/or Wilder would be a productive use of an undercard few will care about while keeping the narrative fresh in viewers’ minds.
COULD DILLIAN WHYTE’S NEXT FIGHT BE A BIG ONE, INSTEAD?
Certainly. And with a tinge of doubt surrounding the Joshua-Fury talks, Whyte could hold out hope of either man being available to him instead of each other or of the WBC losing patience and favoring Whyte vs. Wilder sooner rather than later.
The latest Betfair odds lean toward Whyte facing a formidable foe such as Luis Ortiz or Andy Ruiz Jr. next, while Wilder, Joshua and Fury all have tempting value under the circumstances. The current favorite is Poland’s Adam Kownacki, who is ranked sixth by the WBA and has a 20-1 record that lacks names any bigger than Chris Arreola and Charles Martin.
Who will Dillian Whyte fight after his spectacular stoppage of Alexander Povetkin in their rematch Saturday?
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Dillian Whyte’s fourth-round knockout of Alexander Povetkin on Saturday has restored the Londoner’s positioning as a future world title contender. However, with current heavyweight rulers Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury set to face each other and unify, it makes Whyte’s immediate next step uncertain.
So with his promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealing he hopes to get Whyte back in action as early as this summer, who will be next for “The Body Snatcher”?
Here are some things to consider, as well as interesting betting odds on the situation.
WILL DILLIAN WHYTE’S NEXT BOUT BE FOR A WORLD TITLE?
Although Whyte has regained the “interim” WBC title and is likely to be installed as the sanctioning body’s mandatory challenger (Fury is the current titleholder), Hearn evidently wants to get his man one more “keep-busy” fight before they attempt to muscle in on the championship picture.
If A.J. and Fury fight twice in succession, one or more sanctioning bodies might pull their belts after the first meeting because of the time involved.
So if Whyte takes a safe challenge around the time of Joshua-Fury I, he could be in position to fight for the vacant WBC belt after that. In fact, he could even be elevated by the body to full champion.
However, that scenario precludes an attractive fight between Whyte and Deontay Wilder from happening next. And maybe that’s for the best, since the American could also really use a fight to shake off rust from a year-plus absence from the ring.
WHO WOULD BE DILLIAN WHYTE’S ‘KEEP-BUSY’ OPPONENT?
The heavyweight ranks feature a large number of respectable second-tier competitors that could give Whyte extra rounds while he waits for his world title opportunity. And as long as such a fight isn’t the main event of a pay-per-view card — as both Povetkin fights were in the U.K. — it would be fair enough.
In fact, Whyte blasting a 15th-20th-ranked adversary on the undercard of Fury-Joshua I before calling out the winner and/or Wilder would be a productive use of an undercard few will care about while keeping the narrative fresh in viewers’ minds.
COULD DILLIAN WHYTE’S NEXT FIGHT BE A BIG ONE, INSTEAD?
Certainly. And with a tinge of doubt surrounding the Joshua-Fury talks, Whyte could hold out hope of either man being available to him instead of each other or of the WBC losing patience and favoring Whyte vs. Wilder sooner rather than later.
The latest Betfair odds lean toward Whyte facing a formidable foe such as Luis Ortiz or Andy Ruiz Jr. next, while Wilder, Joshua and Fury all have tempting value under the circumstances. The current favorite is Poland’s Adam Kownacki, who is ranked sixth by the WBA and has a 20-1 record that lacks names any bigger than Chris Arreola and Charles Martin.
