Well the bell after the 2nd knock down came around nicely for him and the shot he landed was excellent but I think most would say they thought the end was near before he pulled that shot out of the bag. Rematch will be interesting. Big pressure on Whyte to correct the wrong.
So what, he could've fought some no hoper whilst biding his time sitting comfortably for the Fury Wilder winner. Shot old man or not he's still dangerous, as proved.
It’s also a bit alarming that Whyte thinks he only has to make a minor adjustment to win the rematch. Like even now after getting knocked out cold you get the impression Whyte and Hearn think the rematch is a foregone conclusion.
I think that’s probably what they fought they were fighting. He just came off a hard fought 12 rounder against Hunter which he probably should have lost. He was 41 a week after the fight. I think they saw it as a *reasonably* safe bet. The mistake was forgetting that Whyte isn’t that great himself.
Oh for sure they thought Povetkin was on the slide and would be a big name for Whyte's record + would draw some £££££ , but it was still recognised that even though he's on the decline he was still dangerous. Michael Hunter is a ****ing good fighter, I really rate him so whether you think he lost that or not (I thought Hunter won), he went at it with him and it made for a good fight. He also gave AJ numerous problems in there fight. Despite his age he's still a dangerous opponent.
Can't say I agree with that one. Whyte has almost immediately taken himself back out to Portugal and getting the work in, which is to be admired really. Straight back on the horse. He knows if he doesn't win the rematch it's devastating for his career.
I don’t disagree with any of that really. I think ultimately the thought was “ok his best years are gone. He’s looked a useful fighter in his last couple of fights but that can’t go on for ever. It’s worth the gamble given how we can spin this” They were wrong! Though Pov did really look his age in there at times. He’ll always be able to box though, and he certainly showed that. Was a lovely setup
I don't disagree that Whyte had all the momentum in the fight and it looked for all the world he would get Povetkin out of there but Povetkin was setting that shot up all fight and it worked as he stopped Whyte before he was finished himself. Rematch is very intriguing, real 50/50 that.
This content is protected "10: 31 when he's hurt he's dangerous." I agree with Dave's assessment there. If there's a guy who knows what he's talking about, who been in there with Povetkin. It's good old Price. Maybe Whyte should have him in his corner, and maybe he could provide some third party advice for the rematch. Would be the stuff of faery tales if both could work together and help Dillian overcome that Russian.
The point is, Whyte took the risk and was KO'd by the shot old man. Yes, he could have fought some absolute no hoper but not on PPV. He took on a name, a top 10 guy, because they could sell that as a PPV. Fighting no hopers or waiting for Fury/Wilder would have meant a decrease in income. He didn't simply fight a credible opponent because he's a warrior, he did it for the money he gets that way. This isn't a criticism of Whyte, just a reality check. He's still a contender, good luck to him. He'll get the rematch and probably sell it on PPV again. But he has to be considered a distinctly second-tier heavyweight for the near future now, even if he wins the rematch (which he should).
This is true. Hunter should be rated above Whyte, of course. Povetkin fought AJ two years before he faced Whyte, and the AJ and Hunter fights must have taken something out of him at his age. That's the thing. He's realistically fading fast now from fight to fight. Povetkin is still a top 10 guy but on his way out. There's no huge shame in losing to him but a really good rising contender certainly shouldn't be doing so. Ergo, Whyte was an average contender at best (as many of us suspected) and will remain so unless he improves significantly.
Before the Povetkin-Price fight, Price said he wasn't tested once. Do you really believe that during a global pandemic Whyte and Povetkin were tested that much?
