Eddie Hearn: Gibraltar stage for Whyte-Povetkin II will be a brilliant experience

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Dillian Whyte’s rematch with Alexander Povetkin has been pushed back to March 27 – and will now take place in Gibraltar.

The Brixton heavyweight was due to go hunting revenge against Povetkin on March 6 in the UK. But Whyte is based in Portugal and travel restrictions would have disrupted his training schedule.

Bermondsey welterweight Chris Kongo is on the undercard as he defends his WBO Global belt.

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that a private jet will fly all the domestic-based fighters and other staff to Gibraltar – with Covid-19 tests tests taking place before and after the flight.

“It is going to be a brilliant experience,” Hearn told iFL TV. “Fans look like they are going to be allowed as well, which is fantastic. Gibraltar has a population of about 35,000. A lot of Brits are there.

“Life is all about thinking outside the box and taking chances – rolling the dice a little bit.

“We were stuck in the position that Dillian Whyte trains in Portugal – it’s a red-list country. And when it went on the red list we had the option for him to come home – but he’d have to isolate for 10 days.

“He said to me: ‘I can’t afford to lose this fight. My camp is out here – everything is perfect’. Then we looked at taking him from Portugal to Spain. He was going to move on last Friday – we were going to rent a villa and I was building a gym in the garden. He said: ‘It’s going to affect my preparation. I can’t go into this fight having jeopardised anything’.

“I spoke to Team Povetkin and they understood – they pulled out previously with covid. They were happy with Gibraltar. The sports minister there and the chief minister are absolutely over the moon.”

The British Boxing Board of Control will still be the commission in control of the event.

“There has never been a boxing event in Gibraltar – so there is a lot they have got to be happy with,” said Hearn. “We’ve got to bring in the right doctors and medical team, make sure everything is set up with local hospitals.

“The board will be across that. That is what they are elected to do. We don’t want to bring in a new commission which has never done a big fight before. It’s British territory as well.

“There is the option of an outdoor stadium.

“We’ve done quite a few events there before – we hold a big pool tournament there and other darts events.”

Whyte was knocked out in the fifth round when he faced Povetkin last summer. The South Londoner was ahead on the scorecards and had put the Russian down twice before being on the receiving end of a brutal left uppercut.

Whyte instantly activated a rematch clause in the contract. They had been due to fight in November but Povetkin contracted Covid-19 and spent time in hospital.

PHOTO: MARK ROBINSON/MATCHROOM BOXING