DILLIAN WHYTE’s rematch with Alexander Povetkin is expected to be delayed again, according to reports.
The pair were due to meet for a second time on January 30 as Whyte bids to win back the WBC interim title which he lost to Povetkin in August.
However, according to TalkSPORT, the rematch will be pushed back once again as Povetkin needs more time to prepare as he continues his recovery from coronavirus.
The rematch was originally scheduled to be fought in November but was postponed when Povetkin tested positive for Covid-19.
Povetkin won the first bout between the pair by a fifth-round TKO, despite Whyte downing the Russian twice in the fourth.
A venue is still to be confirmed for the rematch but Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn is only anticipating a ‘small delay’.
Whyte was in attendance last night as Anthony Joshua beat Kubrat Pulev by ninth-round knockout.
But Whyte was critical of his old rival despite Joshua successfully defending his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight belts.
Whyte told iFL TV: “It was a strange performance, it seemed like he was stuck between two or three different styles.
“He’s got three different trainers in his camp. I don’t understand what’s going on there.
“But he got the victory, so you can’t really complain.
“I don’t why he let Pulev back in the fight.
“He should’ve destroyed him. I thought Pulev was gone. Pulev didn’t pose much of a threat really.
“In his prime he wasn’t the greatest of fighters, wasn’t the hardest hitter – what 12 knockouts from 27 fights?
“He never really knocked anyone out devastatingly, he just wore them down.
“There wasn’t any risk of him knocking Joshua out and he wasn’t going to outbox Joshua for 12 rounds.
“When the KO came, it came good. But I think he could have done it a lot quicker.
“He seemed to be in that negative zone, where ‘I’m fighting, but I’m defending’. I don’t know it was a strange performance.”
