DILLIAN WHYTE faces Alexander Povetkin in a huge rematch TONIGHT as he looks to get his heavyweight world title hopes back on track.
The Body Snatcher, 32, was stunned by the former world champ Povetkin, 41, in Eddie Hearn’s backyard in August 2020.
This time they clash over in Gibraltar with the Brit desperate to avenge that loss and regain his place as WBC interim champion.
However, despite Whyte being the huge favourite to win, William Hill has discovered history is not on his side.
They conducted a study analysing rematches involving every current heavyweight in the top 15 WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF rankings and it has revealed that only SIX PER CENT of first-time losers have gone on to seal revenge.
Fortunately for Whyte, despite the record books not being on his side, a number of star names are backing him as SunSport looks at the predictions of some of the sport’s big hitters:
ANTHONY JOSHUA
“It’s easy to kind of curl up in a ball and hide away because there’s so much negative energy towards failure these days, but what he [Whyte] showed in his true strength.
“That’s why I think it’s going to be a really good fight. The second time around, even though I respect Povetkin so much, he’s an Olympic gold medalist, world champion; he’s only lost to [Wladimir] Klitschko and me.
“Dillian, the strength that he’s had to pick himself up, takes some doing. That kind of energy to take into the rematch will be the reason for his victory.”
WINNER: Whyte
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JOHNNY NELSON
“Dillian Whyte will stop Povetkin between the fifth and seventh rounds.
“I think Povetkin knows he’s got to ride out the storm initially. He will take a few shots and he’ll tuck up tight.
“Dillian will try and jump on him. He’ll use pace, he’ll use speed, he’ll use his freshness, those long arms and that power.
“But he cannot cross swords early, because it’s a case of who lands, not who’s the best.
“Dillian must box him long and hurt him on the end of a long shot, because the second he crossed swords, he got turned over. That’s what he’s got to respect about Povetkin.”
WINNER: Whyte by KO
CARL FROCH
“I reckon he’ll knock out Povetkin. Get him out of there within nine rounds.
“Whyte needs to stay switched on and concentrate for the whole fight. He could still get caught with a few shots, because Povetkin is tricky.
“But I’m confident that Whyte will do the business.”
WINNER: Whyte by KO
TONY BELLEW
“Dillian Whyte by KO inside eight rounds. He was on the way to a stoppage last time and just ran into a once in a career punch. That’s all it was, in my opinion.
“There’s no such thing as a lucky punch in boxing, because lucky punches don’t happen. You throw a punch, it lands, if it was supposed to land.
“But there is such a thing as a once-in-a-lifetime punch. I don’t think he’ll ever be down and hurt the way he was and come back the way he did.
“In the rematch, when he goes down, Dillian will be a bit more patient this time, a lot less reckless, and he’ll go in and flatten him.”
WINNER: Whyte by KO
JOSEPH PARKER
“From the first fight, we all saw that he was controlling the fight before he got caught with that good punch that was set up.
“In this fight, I feel like he’s going to get the victory. I think he’s going to be a little bit more cautious, with those shots that Povetkin throws, but I feel like he’s going to come out on top. That’s my pick, revenge.”
WINNER: Whyte
DEREK CHISORA
“Dillian will be in a catch 22, because first of all he talks like he’s going to bring maximum violence.
“He will want to go violent on this guy and in the back of his mind he’ll remember the knockout, and then he’s going to try and play safe.
“I see Dillian winning it, but how he wins it, I don’t know yet.”
WINNER: Whyte
