"The loss to Anthony Joshua done something to me. This has done something else to me again"
Thursday 27 August 2020 08:18, UK
Dillian Whyte has "never been this excited" about the Alexander Povetkin rematch – and vowed to return with even more ferocity than after the Anthony Joshua fight.
The Brixton heavyweight intends to enforce an immediate rematch with the Russian after his shock defeat last weekend and has already flown back to Portugal, in preparation for another intense training camp.
Whyte remains confident he can put his world title plans firmly back on track, starting with a second showdown against Povektin before the end of the year
"I'm good and secondly I just want to say thanks to everyone, all the fans and all the support. It's been amazing," Whyte told Sky Sports' Toe 2 Toe podcast.
"I've never been this excited for a fight before in my life.
"I was excited for the first fight. Now, it's like turning pro all over again. I'm buzzing. I want to go to training now. I'm forcing myself to take the two weeks' rest.
"It's all good. I learn quick. I just can't wait to get back in there. I want to go now.
"I have been hounding Eddie every day to hear what they are saying about this rematch."
It's crazy, I feel young and youthful. I feel good.
The 32-year-old produced a stunning revival following his first professional setback to Joshua in 2015, overcoming a career-threatening shoulder injury to rack up 11 successive victories.
Former WBO champion Joseph Parker and ex-WBA title holder Lucas Browne were among his impressive wins - and Whyte is more fired up than ever to defeat his heavyweight rivals.
"There's certain moments in your career that does something to you," he said. "The loss to Anthony Joshua done something to me. This time, this has done something else to me again.
"It's crazy, I feel young and youthful. I feel good. It's [Povetkin rematch] probably going to be the end of November, early December, so let's see."
Whyte intends to sharpen his technical skills before another battle with Povetkin, but insists he will not abandon the all-action style that has brought him to the brink of a world title fight.
"People forget, I'm still improving," said Whyte. "I never proclaimed to be the complete article. My style of fighting is also different from the traditional boxing style of fighting, because of my background, where I come from, and what happened to me in life.
"I need to approach it in a way where I take everything on board that has been said, and all the advice I'm getting, and mix it into a way that works for me, into my style.
"I'm not all of a sudden going to become a Klitschko and fight Povetkin like a Klitschko. I'm not going to become a Joshua, or whatever. I have to do what I do, how I do it, and make adjustments and that's the key word, adjustments."
