Down twice, Alexander Povetkin knocks out Dillian Whyte

Number one contender Dillian Whyte had things going his way Saturday night at Matchroom Fight Club in Essex, England. Until suddenly, he didn’t.

Alexander Povetkin dipped and ripped an uppercut that knocked Whyte out in round five.

The time was 30 seconds into the stanza.

The fight began slowly. Respect was evident. Not seek and destroy, but seek and understand. Both big men jabbed. And went to the body. Povetkin (36-2-1, 25 KOs) was a little busier. Whyte (27-2, 18 KOs) fired more shots in round two. A right knocked Povetkin’s head back. Povetkin dug downstairs. Whyte’s jab was effective.

Whyte knocked Povetkin on his heels with a right in his round three. Povetkin fought back with his own right. The 40-year-old worked his left. Whyte ripped some shots to the body. A counter left by Whyte floored Povetkin in round four. Povetkin got up quickly. Whyte took his time. His jab was on point. Povetkin kept working the body. Near the end of the round, an uppercut put Povetkin down for the second time.

In round five, Whyte was searching for a knockout. It appeared imminent. It was, but Povetkin flipped the script, putting everything behind a left uppercut that knocked Whyte into tomorrow land. The referee took one look at the prone Whyte and waved off the fight.

"I didn’t feel I’d finish the fight like this,” said Povetkin. “I wasn’t really hurt in round four. One of my best shots.”