Dillian Whyte could fight in America next after he took revenge on Alexander Povetkin with a fourth-round stoppage in Gibraltar on Saturday.
It ensured the 32-year-old put his name back in the hat for a world heavyweight championship shot, with the Brixton boxer once more the WBC mandatory challenger.
With Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury set for a twin-unification fight in 2021, Whyte’s wait for a world title bout is expected to go on but he could return to action quickly this summer, according to Eddie Hearn.
? @DillianWhyte visits Povetkin’s dressing room #RumbleOnTheRock #PovetkinWhyte2 pic.twitter.com/rOnFt6GZBT
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 27, 2021
Deontay Wilder, who has not been back in the ring since he lost to Fury last February, has long been mooted as a future opponent and the pair could come to blows if the Matchroom promoter gets his way.
Hearn told Sky Sports: “We called for the Deontay Wilder fight for a long, long time and he actually DM’d Dillian Whyte and told him he would never give him that fight.
“And now he got knocked out (by Fury) he is calling for the fight with Dillian Whyte so for me that is a stadium fight, a colossal fight.
“That was a lot of pressure and I’d like to get him back out quickly in the summer and maybe go over to the States and have a big fight.
“The ultimate aim has always been for Dillian Whyte to challenge for the world heavyweight title and everyone knows in boxing he is a handful for anyone in the division.
“It was about getting his career back on track, the world title ambitions back on track and coming back from that knockout wasn’t easy.
“He showed the determination and he wasn’t going to be denied. He manhandled Alexander Povetkin and batted him from pillar to post and we are back where we wanted to be.”
In front of 500 fans at the Europa Point Sports Complex, Whyte was eager to make up for lost time after two delays since he lost to the Russian in shock fashion at Matchroom Boxing headquarters in Brentwood last August.
One of those postponements was due to Povetkin contracting coronavirus in November and after Wembley was pencilled in to host the rematch, it was eventually switched to British overseas territory due to coronavirus regulations.
The 41-year-old veteran was rocked during the opening three minutes but managed to hold on and showed his trademark durability in bruising second and third rounds too.
Whyte eventually got the better of Povetkin in the fourth with a brutal knock-out blow which saw the fight stopped to inflict only a third ever defeat on the Russian after previous losses to Wladimir Klitschko and Joshua.
After taking his record to 28-0-2, the Londoner is relaxed about the future but eager to get his chance at a world heavyweight title.
“I am ready to go again if he wants it again. If he wants the rematch, I’ll pay the right money and we’ll go again,” Whyte said.
“Eddie likes to put me in these hard fights. It is time to get me an easy fight so I can make some dead money and not take so much risk.
“But I want the world title!”
Whyte grabbed a stool for rival Povetkin straight after the bout and may have to sit on the sidelines himself while Joshua and Fury battle twice later in 2021 as expected.
If that is the case, the 32-year-old could look to face another journeyman or get his chance in America against one of Wilder or potentially Andy Ruiz Jr, while Oleksandr Usyk and Joe Joyce may also prove eventual opponents.
