Dillian Whyte has ‘no regrets’ in fighting Alexander Povetkin despite surrendering chance to face WBC champ Tyson Fury

DILLIAN WHYTE has “no regrets” in fighting Alexander Povetkin – despite surrendering the chance to challenge WBC champion Tyson Fury.

Whyte, 32, agreed to risk his mandatory position by headlining Eddie Hearn’s final ‘Fight Camp’ staged in the back garden of Matchroom’s HQ.

But it backfired after Povetkin, 40, upset the Brit with a huge left uppercut in round five.

Whyte now needs to enact revenge on the Russian to win back his position as mandatory challenger for Fury.

But he refuses to feel remorse having lost the banana skin bout – instead hailing Povetkin for landing “one of the punches of his career”.

Whyte told Sky Sports News: “I have no regrets, it was a great fight.

“Povetkin done well, like I said, I know I can beat him, I know I could beat him.

“I showed that from round one. From round one I was getting onto him, but obviously he’s a very experienced guy.

“His corner was on the verge of pulling him out and he pulled out one of the punches of his career.

“But that’s heavyweight boxing, it’s full of drama, ups and downs.”

Whyte had been the WBC’s No1 ranked challenger for over 1,000 days without fighting for the belt.

And he appeared on course to set up a shot at Fury having outboxed Povetkin for four rounds, twice flooring him.

But his dreams of fighting for the famous green and gold belt was sent up in smoke in the fifth following a stunning left uppercut.

Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed the gutted heavyweight has a rematch clause – and Whyte plans to waste no time in gaining redemption.

He said: “I was bossing the fight, I was winning the fight, I got clocked, it’s heavyweight boxing.

“It’s not like I got beat up round after round, I got clocked, that’s all. He dipped low, I shoot the hook, he came with the uppercut and that was it.

“The main thing is we’ve got a rematch, we’re gonna exercise the rematch, try and get it done by the end of the year.”