Alexander Povetkin claims WBC interim heavyweight title from Dillian Whyte with crazy KO

Ryan Young
·Staff writer
Updated ·2 min read

Dillian Whyte’s reign as the WBC’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight is over — and he went down in spectacular fashion on Saturday night.

Alexander Povetkin, after nearly losing it in the fourth round at Matchroom Fight Camp in England, came out with a massive uppercut knockout just 30 seconds into Round 5, sending Whyte straight to the ground in one of the best knockouts of the year.

"I didn't feel that I would finish the fight like this but I was pretty confident in the fourth round," Povetkin said, via CBS Sports. "Yes, I went down twice, but it wasn't too much damage ... I was watching his fights and took into account that he missed the uppercut from the left and the right. So I trained for just those shots."

Povetkin, who will turn 41 next month, now boasts an impressive 36-2-1 record. The loss marked Whyte’s first since he fell to Anthony Joshua via TKO back in 2015. He had won 11 straight times since then, with his last win coming against Mariusz Wach in December.

Whyte, who held the WBC’s interim heavyweight title for more than three years, has already triggered the rematch clause and hopes to fight Povetkin again in December, he said following the match.

"We have a rematch clause," Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said, via CBS Sports. "The first thing Dillian said was, 'Give me that rematch. Give me that rematch.' It was a heavy knockout, so he'll have to recover. We will execute that rematch clause. ... He will rematch Alexander Povetkin and I believe he can beat him and bring his No. 1 position back to life. Tonight, this is the ups and downs of boxing."

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