Gibraltar isn't known for its big sporting events but all eyes are on 'The Rock' this weekend as Dillian Whyte and Alexander Povetkin finally get it on again in their highly-anticipated pay-per-view rematch.
The British overseas territory is famous for its simian population so it seems a fitting place for Whyte's attempt to get the monkey of the stunning knockout loss to Povetkin last summer off his back.
After over 1,000 days as mandatory challenger for the WBC belt, the Brixton man's hopes of an overdue title shot went up in smoke as he was sparked out by a left uppercut in the fifth round that went down as the best punch of 2020. Gervonta Davis may have something to say about that, but his sublime one-shot knockout of Leo Santa Cruz didn't carry the same shock value as that of Povetkin, who had been down twice in the previous round and seemed certain to be on his way out.
Whyte was controlling all aspects of the fight up until that point, using his jab well and coming off best when they exchanged up close, and just as when a career-best win looked imminent, he was rendered unconscious in the blink of an eye. It was a reminder of why the heavyweights are so popular and it leaves us with an even more intriguing rematch, one which we know could end at any second
Despite being stopped last time, Whyte retains strong favouritism at a top price of 3/10 and it is not often you can get 3/1 about the victor repeating the dose in an immediate rematch.
Prior to the first encounter, I believed Povetkin was beginning to really show the signs of a long career (both amateur and professional) and that his once rock-solid chin was beginning to crack. The events in Essex last summer only strengthened that belief, as the shots that put him down twice were hardly the cleanest and there didn't appear to be much left in his legs at the end of that fourth.
That came on the back of his controversial draw with Michael Hunter, who isn't the biggest puncher at heavyweight and rocked the Russian to his boots on several occasions, while the seventh-round knockout at the hands of Anthony Joshua in 2018 may also have weakened Povetkin's durability.
Ted Cheeseman was one of the stars of Fight Camp in August and he bids to regain the British super welterweight title against JAMES METCALF in what should be a lively affair.
After two losses and a draw, 'The Big Cheese' got back to winning ways with a thrilling points victory over Sam Eggington and another victory here would get his career back on track to where he was before that disastrous 2019. Having been very open about his gambling problems out of the ring, he rolls the dice inside it here against the unbeaten Metcalf, who edges favouritism at 8/13.
Son of popular welterweight Shea Neary, the Liverpudlian boasts a perfect 21-fight record and was beginning to deliver on his potential before the pandemic hit. The tough Jason Welborn had fought for world title in America in his fight prior to taking on Metcalf in June 2019 and the latter broke him down for an eighth-round stoppage, a feat made all the more impressive considering he did it with one hand. He has only had 32 seconds of action since that win, but that may not be the negative it first seems, with the 13 months out of the ring giving his troubled right hand the chance to fully heal.
Both men are super fit and throw plenty of leather, so this has all the ingredients to be yet another exciting Cheeseman bout, but it is those wars already under his belt that concern me about the Bermondsey man. As exciting as he is to watch, he has taken plenty of punishment already for a 25-year-old and he has had his limitations exposed on more than one occasion. His more recent activity is in his favour, but that became yet another gruelling night after he dominated early and the manner in which Eggington, who had been badly hurt, came back into the fight in the second half is a worry.
As highlighted by Eggington and Sergio Garcia in 2019, the aggressive Cheeseman can struggle when faced with a good jab and good footwork, and that is exactly what he is up against with Metcalf. The 32-year-old moved very well and constantly pumped out his lead left hand in that career-best victory over Welborn, who was ultimately stopped by a body shot, and Metcalf goes downstairs to good effect.
Cheeseman has mixed in better company and will present the toughest test of Metcalf's career to date, but the favourite looks to have all the tools to pass the assessment with flying colours. He will do well to get rid of the well-conditioned Cheeseman, who has shown a granite chin to date, so it looks likely Metcalf that will have to do it via the scorecards and there is plenty of juice in the 9/5 available about the Scouser landing a DECISION VICTORY.
There could be better luck for the other Bermondsey fighter on the card, as CHRIS KONGO is fancied to get the better of Michael McKinson in their welterweight clash.
This should be an interesting clash of styles as the well-schooled Kongo pits his sound fundamental skills against the unorthodox McKinson, a tricky southpaw counter puncher who does little by the textbook.
Both are unbeaten, but Kongo enters as a 2/5 favourite as he sets the form standard with his ninth-round stoppage of Luther Clay in Fight Camp last time. The former accomplished amateur should be full of confidence following that breakout victory and, making the most of his six-foot frame, he can keep this long to box his way to a 10-ROUND DECISION at 7/5.
Posted at 0945 GMT on 26/03/21
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