Live from the Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex, United Kingdom, Matchroom Boxing broadcast a five fight card on DAZN. The main event would be a heavyweight contest between WBC silver belt holder Dillian Whyte and former WBA title holder Alexander Povetkin. The nights co-feature was a rematch between undisputed female lightweight champion Katie Taylor and former WBC champion Delfine Persoon.
The nights main event was certainly a shocker, when Dillian Whyte and Alexander Povetkin entered the ring most observers were sure Whyte was too young and too big for the fading former WBA champion. As the contest started nothing changed their minds as Povetkin who was smaller tried to outwork Whyte yet none of his punches seemed to have an effect. Whenever Whyte landed a punch Povetkin was driven back and appeared shaken up.
It was a slow pace and as rounds went by Povetkin looked even older than his 40 years of age, in the fourth round he was dropped twice from single blows by Whyte neither appearing overly hard. As the fifth began it seemed as though Whyte only needed to land one more clean punch to end the night. As Whyte walked in on Povetkin looking to land that punch, Povetkin let loose an uppercut that landed and put Whyte on his back out cold.
With the upset win, Alexander Povetkin improved to 36-2-1 (25) while Dillian Whyte drops to 27-3(18). Having claimed the WBC silver and vacant WBC Diamond championships, Alexander Povetkin is now in line to face the winner of Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder after their third meeting sometime this fall.
The nights co-feature was a rematch between undisputed female lightweight champion Katie Taylor and former WBC champion Delfine Persoon. This bout was a little bit of unfinished business from their 2019 bout in which Taylor lifted Persoon’s WBC title via a disputed majority decision en-route to becoming the undisputed champion at 135 pounds.
The two fighters started right where they left off, Persoon pushing the pace and Taylor using her superior boxing ability. It was a rugged pace set by Persoon, she would end up with a swollen cheek and bloody nose early but it never slowed her tempo. In the middle rounds Taylor looked a little fatigued but she weathered the storm using her jab and footwork. There would not no time for either fighter to rest as Persoon only had one mode but her accuracy suffered for her volume of work. When the contest was over judges favoring Taylor’s boxing ability and footwork over Persoon’s volume, official scores read 98-93 and 96-94 twice in favor of Katie Taylor who improved to 16-0 (6). This would only be the second loss of Persoon’s career she now stands at 44-3(18).
Welterweights Luther Clay and Chris Kongo faced off for the WBO global title, early on Clay pushed the pace and attacked Kongo but would be slowed down by Kongo’s jabs. As the rounds wore on Clay found himself outside the end of Kongo’s jabs and absorbing body shots that slowed him considerably.
Once Kongo was in control he broke Clay down and dropped him in the ninth round before referee Victor Loughlin stopped the bout at request of Clay’s corner.
With the win Chris Kongo now the WBO global welterweight champion improved to 13-2(5) while Luther Clay drops to 13-2(5).
In other bouts
Super Middleweights Jack Cullen 18-2-1(9) and Zak Chelli 7-1-1 (3) fought to an eight round split draw.
Heavyweight- Alen Babic 4-0(4) def. Shawndell Terell Winters 13-4(12) via TKO 2.
