‘I was bossing it’ – Dillian Whyte responds to devastating knockout loss to Alexander Povetkin

Dillian Whyte has called for an immediate rematch with Alexander Povetkin in December and claims he was “bossing” the fight before being brutally knocked out in the fifth round.

The Russian’s stealth-like left uppercut caught the British heavyweight by surprise, reversing the one-way momentum after Whyte dished out two knockdowns of his own in the fourth round.

The loss means Whyte’s agonising, 1,000-day wait for a world title shot must go on after relinquishing his mandatory status with the WBC.

Whyte’s instinct in the immediate aftermath was to call for the rematch, while maintaining he was in total control of the contest before its abrupt ending.

“Can we get the rematch in December? OK cool,” Whyte said when meeting promoter Eddie Hearn immediately after the fight.

“I’m good, it’s one of those things where he just landed, I was bossing it.

“It is what it is. Rematch, it’s cool. That’s what boxing’s about.”