Dillian Whyte says that he expects Alexander Povetkin to remain as dangerous as ever at 40 years of age when they square off at Matchroom’s Fight Camp series finale on Saturday evening in Brentwood.
The winner of Saturday’s heavyweight showdown will fall in line for a shot at WBC king Tyson Fury, and Whyte says that he is not taking the threat of Russia’s Povetkin lightly with so much at stake for both men.
“He is a very experienced guy, top of the tree for 15 years, a former Olympic gold medallist and world champion,” Whyte said to Sky Sports. “For me? I’m straight maximum violence. I respect him and that’s why I trained so hard.
“I take him seriously. He is very dangerous and he knows that, if he beats me, his whole life and career is rejuvenated. I’m coming to cause chaos and violence in the ring.
“I expect a sharp, focused Povetkin to come into the ring. He looks good, focused. He looks young. In his last fight he showed that he is still motivated because he had a bad start but finished strong. We know he has a good chin.
“We know he has only lost to reigning world champions, Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko. One good thing I have? I learn and adapt as the fight goes on. I make adjustments that I need to make. Sometimes I box, sometimes I haven’t looked the greatest but I find a way to get the job done. That’s one of my secret weapons – I am very good at adapting to the situation.
“I’m still learning. I don’t pretend to be the best heavyweight. But I know what I have, I know what I can do, I know what I’m capable of. Experience is something you can’t buy and I’m inexperienced, still learning. Povetkin has probably fought 20 or 30 guys with the same style and stature as me, just in the amateurs alone. He has seen a lot of guys like me. I haven’t seen a lot of guys like him.”