Dillian Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs) and Alexander Povetkin (36-2-1, 25 KOs) will indeed rematch for the interim WBC heavyweight championship, Matchroom Boxing have announced.
Matchroom's initial autumn schedule was released on Tuesday, with the expected confirmation of Britain's Whyte invoking his rematch against Russia's Povetkin the standout news. The fight is schedule for Nov. 21.
The duo clashed in the very last bout on promoter Eddie Hearn's four-week Fight Camp series, a quartet of behind-closed doors cards on the grounds behind Matchroom's Mascalls HQ in Brentwood, Essex.
Whyte looked likely to draw a middle-rounds stoppage after flooring Povetkin twice in four one-sided rounds. However the 41-year-old connected with a thunderous uppercut in the fifth to secure a huge victory from out of nowhere.
“I’m over the moon to have the rematch,” said Whyte. “As soon as I got out of the ring, I was looking for confirmation that the fight would be on. I can’t wait to get back in the ring and get back what is rightfully mine. I’m looking to do what I said I would the first time and that’s beat Alexander Povetkin."
Povetkin said: “I’ve rested well, spent time with my family, and now that the date of the rematch is known, I will soon return to my training camp and prepare as thoroughly as I did for the first fight. As I said before the first fight and after it too, Dillian Whyte is a good, strong boxer. I will be ready to enter the ring on November 21. I hope it will be another beautiful fight for the fans.”
In announcing the fight, Hearn said: "I’m excited to announce our latest shows as we continue to bring boxing back during these unprecedented times.
"It’s so important to continue the momentum and as we leave behind an epic Fight Camp series, we now hope to see fans return to arenas. As those talks continue with the government, we are committed to running these shows with or without fans."
Also announced was a card set for Oct. 4, which will see unbeaten prospect Joshua Buatsi (12-0, 10 KOs) return to the ring in a main event fight to face undefeated Croatian Marko Calic (11-0, 6 KOs), with Chantelle Cameron (12-0, 7 KOs) facing Brazil’s Adriana Dos Santos Araujo (6-0, 1 KO) for the vacant WBC Super-Lightweight title in her Matchroom debut as chief support.
Lewis Ritson (20-1, 12 KOs) was already announced as defending his WBA Intercontinental super-lightweight title against Mexico’s former world champion Miguel Vazquez (42-9,16 KOs) on Saturday Oct. 17, and more fights have been added to that show.
Savannah Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs) meets Glasgow’s former world champ Hannah Rankin (9-4, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBO middleweight strap, while Joe "Benwell Bomber" Laws (9-0, 5 KOs), 2016 Rio Olympian Qais Ashfaq (8-0, 3 KOs), Glasgow bantamweight Kash Farooq (13-1, 6 KOs) and world title-seeking Thomas Patrick Ward (29-0, 4 KOs) will all be in action against opponents to be confirmed.
Also included in the announcement was the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final between IBF World Champion Yuniel Dorticos (24-1, 22 KOs) and Mairis Briedis (26-1, 19 KOs). The bout will be in Munich, Germany, on Sept. 26.