British professional boxer Dillian Whyte knocked down Alexander Povetkin in the fourth round of their heavyweight rematch with a huge left hook to consolidate on an inspired performance and gain redemption in Gibraltar on Saturday night.
Whyte had Povetkin almost knocked out from the get-go and throughout their second heavyweight battle but waited patiently and eventually closed the show dramatically, returning the favour after he lost to the Russian last year.
The victory has now propelled Whyte back near the front of the queue of contenders in the division where Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are set to decide the undisputed champion soon.
Should Whyte had lost again, he would see his world title dreams gone right before his eyes having already seen his status as WBC mandatory challenger after a 1,000-day wait evaporate when he was previously knocked out by Povetkin.
However, he held his head high and delivered a career-best result ending it with a vicious trademark left hook.
Whyte hurt Povetkin and had the Russian tumbling around inside the first minute with both heavyweights sending punches designed to end the fight immediately flying with adrenaline pumping fast.
Whyte clubbed Povetkin with another right hand, still inside the opening round and Povetkin’s attempt to respectfully touch gloves before the second round was ignored by Whyte who rammed home a straight right hand that left a mark of swelling.
Whyte was accurate on the offense and defense on the night.
“Keep the jab going,” Whyte was told by his new co-trainer Harold ‘The Shadow’ Knight, recruited for his expertise in winning rematches after his role with Lennox Lewis.
In the third round, Whyte landed another brutal overhand right and finished it off with yet another hurtful right hand in the fourth which had Povetkin staggering but, having learned from their first fight last year, he was careful with his follow-up.
Povetkin’s resistance was finally broken 30 seconds from the end of the fourth when Whyte smashed him with a left hook.
The Russian, who had previously only lost to Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko in 39 fights, went down as the referee eventually waved the fight off.
Dillian Whyte went home with the WBC interim heavyweight title after entering the ring with a tribute to boxing legend Marvin Hagler.
A third fight with Povetkin, who is now 41, was mentioned afterward while the world titles will be tied up with Joshua and Fury.
Eddie Hearn also suggested Deontay Wilder as his next opponent.
Waoh!!!