TYSON FURY took to Twitter to hail 40-year-old Alexander Povetkin after his shock win over Dillion Whyte – and rub the Londoner’s nose in it.
Whyte’s WBC world heavyweight title hopes went up in smoke as he was left stunned by the Russian’s impressive victory.
A wonder punch from Povetkin left the Brit on the canvas in only the fifth round in this WBC interim and silver belt contest, making sure the eight-year age difference counted for nothing against the much younger man.
And the Gypsy King tweeted an image of the Russian with the words: “40 and proud.”
Whyte had talked up meeting Fury or Anthony Joshua beforehand.
But the 32-year-old Body Snatcher will now be out in the cold and unlikely to get his chance back on the world stage after this loss.
Povetkin, meanwhile, now has the opportunity to make a play for big-money bouts with Fury, AJ and Bronze Bomber Deontay Wilder over the next two years.
It was not quite the stunner which made roly-poly Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr a quick millionaire after he KO’d Joshua in 2019.
But this bad night in Brentwood has certainly left Whyte with an empty future.
He had hoped to meet Joshua after staining the Watford man’s career with an early victory.
Joshua, 30, hopes to get a fight this year as he looks to meet Fury in 2021.
The 32-year-old Mancunian is still set to complete his trilogy with Wilder next year but will also have a warm-up bout this year.
Whyte, meanwhile, will have talks with his promoter Eddie Hearn with his career in tatters.
He put the 2004 Olympic gold medal winner down twice in the opening two rounds.
But the Brixton man was floored by the stunning upper cut from the Soviet.
And Fury could not wait to rub it in.
