Fans of Alexander Povetkin's capacity to produce stunning knockouts could be encouraged by the weigh-in for his rematch with Dillian Whyte, with the powerful Russian heavyweight adding a few pounds to help land another brutal KO.
While Whyte has caught the eye by looking unusually ripped ahead of the second instalment in Gibraltar on Saturday, Povetkin has put on four-and-a-half pounds from his concussive surprise victory in the first fight in the UK in August, when he ended the evening with a knockout of the year contender.
That could be good news for anyone fearing that the seasoned veteran, who turned 41 a few weeks after that spectacular victory, is still suffering from the worrying bout of Covid-19 that hospitalized him at the end of last year and put paid to more immediate rematch plans.
Whyte, who farcically accused Povetkin of faking his illness at the time, weighed in more than five pounds lighter than his opponent for a fight he is desperate to win to salvage his career, registering at slightly more than 247lbs, making him almost 20lbs heavier than his rival.
The weigh-in was a respectful affair in the sunshine, which Povetkin has admitted he has been enjoying compared to the cold of his homeland, although he still wore tracksuit trousers on the scales and has been donning a Russian-branded tracksuit top for his media interviews this week.
Povetkin and Whyte held their stares in the head-to-head before 'Sasha' offered 'The Body Snatcher' his hand, resulting in the Londoner responding with a fist-bump invitation that Povetkin accepted.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, who is in Whyte's camp and stood behind the pair as they faced off, also shared a fist-bump with Povetkin before slapping Whyte encouragingly on the back.
Some critics have rather fancifully suggested that Povetkin's shuddering fifth-round knockout of Whyte was a 'lucky punch' – but he has said he will be more focused on removing the mistakes that saw him knocked down twice in the fourth round, rather than targeting another early finish.
"I'm very happy to be in this unusual place," he said of the makeshift setting for the fight under the restrictions of the pandemic, which will allow around 500 fans to attend.
"I'm relaxed and confident – the only thing I'm thinking about now is to box well. I forget the first fight because it's a done story and I think Dillian will be better in the second fight.
"At the same time, I will be more careful to pay attention to my defense. I'm not focused on the knockout, I just need to follow my plan."
The pair have almost certainly had a memorable week before they have even stepped into the ring. According to reports, the hard-hitting duo have been staying on a five-star 'super-yacht' on the Spanish coast, worth almost $200 million.
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