Eddie Hearn reveals plan for Dillian Whyte’s next fight after Alexander Povetkin knockout

The Briton is now back in contention to secure a world title shot after victory in Gibraltar

Whyte knocks out Povetkin in the fourth round (Matchroom)

Eddie Hearn has revealed he plans to take Dillian Whyte to the United States for his next fight after the Briton secured revenge in a knockout victory over Alexander Povetkin.

Now in possession of the interim WBC world heavyweight title, Whyte is primed to challenge the winner of Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury, or compete for the vacant belt if it becomes vacant following their undisputed fight later this year.

But both Whyte and promoter Hearn are reluctant to wait until that fight unfolds, with the Matchroom boss eager to take Whyte to the United States for his next bout.

“There was a lot of pressure. He carried on where he left off before the knockout,” Hearn told Sky Sports Box Office after the fourth-round victory in Gibraltar. “It was wild here tonight. With the fans.

“He wanted the energy, his world championship dreams were on the line tonight.

“Let’s go over to the States and have a fight there. We’ve called for the Wilder fight for a long time. He DM’d you and said he’d never give you the fight. But he got knocked out [by Fury] and now he wants it, that’s a stadium fight now.

“The ultimate game is for him to challenge for the heavyweight world title.

“Coming back wasn’t easy. He wasn’t going to be denied, he manhandled Povetkin, he battered him from pillar to post.”

While Whyte was both disappointed and thrilled by his performance, which culminated, he claims, in the “best knockout of his career”.

“I’m sad it didn’t finish in the first round. I could’ve finished him early,” Whyte said.

“I’m willing to run it back again, if he wants the rematch? I’m annoyed, I shouldn’t have lost the first time.

“All I had to do was be a bit smarter. I believe I can beat anybody. It was a bit of an annoying camp, due to the reschedule. I changed up my nutrition. He had to pay tonight, man.”