Dillian Whyte staying in a Winnebago to avoid confrontation with Alexander Povetkin at ‘surreal’ Matchroom Fight Camp
Dillian Whyte has been staying in a Winnebago outside of the hotel at Matchroom Fight Camp to avoid running into Alexander Povetkin, according to Spencer Oliver.
Whyte is due to face Povetkin in the back garden at Matchroom HQ on Saturday evening for the WBC heavyweight diamond belt.
Dillian Whyte is fighting Alexander Povetkin for the WBC Diamond Belt
The fight was originally scheduled to take place in May at the Manchester Arena but the coronavirus pandemic caused it to be postponed.
Eddie Hearn has managed to put on fights in the garden of his childhood home in Essex.
Everyone attending Fight Camp must pass a COVID test before being allowed outside their room.
Fighters are staying in the same hotel, with a real chance of running into your opponent ahead of a bout.
Whyte made sure he took extra precautions and boxing pundit Oliver explained why.
Dillian Whyte arrived at Matchroom Fight Camp earlier this week
He told talkSPORT: “This bubble we are in is so unusual. It’s one wing of a hotel. You can imagine there’s a courtyard, I’m sitting in there now, it’s 20ft long by 20ft wide.
“Dillian has got a Winnebago that’s just outside because he didn’t want to stay in the hotel with Povetkin.
“Povetkin sits at a table that’s right opposite Dillian’s Winnebago, about 10ft away. Surreal times.
“I think Dillian Whyte said ‘listen the situation we’re in, I don’t want to be up close and personal with my opponent’.
“I’m sitting here now and Katie Taylor just walked past. Delfine Persoon, who she’s fighting, has just walked past as well.
Dillian Whyte is staying in a Winnebago to avoid his opponent
Eddie Hearn is putting on fights in the back garden of Matchroom HQ
“They are literally sitting at the same table. It’s a really strange environment. In all the years I’ve been involved in boxing I’ve never seen anything like it.
“Everything has gone really well. Everything has been cool since he’s been locked away in that little Winnebago.”
Spencer Oliver predicted a win for Whyte but expected it to be an exciting fight and gave the British boxer credit for agreeing to the bout.
He added: “Dillian Whyte, this is what’s on the line. He didn’t have to do this. Dillian could sit it out because he’s mandatory contender. He’s WBC interim champion. They put the WBC diamond belt on the line.
Eddie Hearn tells talkSPORT that Tyson Fury could face Dillian Whyte instead of Deontay Wilder – but confirms Anthony Joshua fight will happen
“He’s taking on Alexander Povetkin who has had good wins of late. He beat Hughie Fury not so long ago. He fought Michael Hunter out in Saudi last time out.
“He’s still got a lot left in the tank. Imagine if you are Alexander Povetkin and you get a phone call saying, ‘do you want to box Dillian Whyte at this fight camp?’ He’s thinking ‘well if I win that then I’m stealing the pot of gold. I become interim champion and mandatory so I get a shot at Tyson Fury’.
“Dillian Whyte didn’t have to do it and Povetkin is a live wire. He looks in incredible shape. I expect Dillian to win but expect fireworks.”
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