WHYTE: I’LL GET A JUMP ON RUSSIAN
DILLIAN WHYTE claims Gibraltar will be “jumping like York Hall” tomorrow night because 500 fans are being allowed in for his rematch with Russia’s Alexander Povetkin.
Whyte insisted on having fans for the return after he was knocked out by Povetkin behind closed doors in August and Gibraltar came forward to host the clash.
The Gibraltar authorities will admit 500 fans to the Europa Point Sports Complex – they must either have been vaccinated or test negative tomorrow. Whyte, 32, claims they will generate an atmosphere to drive him on. “It will be good to have the fans back,” he said. “We looked at different venues and doing different things to try and get big-time boxing back.
“I’m just glad Gibraltar and the people here came up with this idea. They’ve made everything safe. Most of the population here are vaccinated, it’s the best place for us to get a crowd. The place is going to be jumping and rucking, it will be like York Hall, it will be jumping.”
Whyte (top) insists he is not feeling the pressure, even though he admits it is a must-win fight for him if he is to get his world title hopes back on track.
“Of course this is the most important fight of my career,” he said. “This is boxing, I’ve been through ups and downs my whole life. I’m used to bouncing back and proving wrong those who have written me off.
“The main thing is getting the win. I’m a competitor, I hate losing and I want to make it 1-1.”
Whyte twice knocked Povetkin to the canvas in the first fight but the Russian roared back to win before the halfway mark.
Povetkin, 41, claims his fifth-round KO victory at Matchroom’s Fight Camp is history and says he expects to be facing a fired-up Whyte.
“I have forgotten the last fight because this is a new story,” said the Russian former WBA heavyweight champ (above). Dillian will be better in the second fight than the first one.
“I’m not going in with the mindset that I will knock him out. It could go the distance, I’m not focused on the KO. I just need to follow my plan.”
The rematch was originally scheduled for last November but was postponed when Povetkin contracted coronavirus.