Russian-American boxer Roy Jones Jr. says Alexander Povetkin’s knockout of the year contender against Dillian Whyte showed “the strength of the Russian spirit” and made him “happy” to to be part of the country’s culture.
Povetkin flattened Whyte with a perfectly timed uppercut in the fifth round of their August 22 fight in England, despite having been twice heavily knocked down in the fourth by Whyte at Matchroom Fight Camp.
Former undisputed light-heavyweight champion Jones Jr., who received a Russian passport from president Vladimir Putin in 2015, says the shot made him feel proud to be part of the Russian culture.
“I saw the Povetkin-Whyte fight, it was an unbelievable comeback,” the 51-year-old Jones Jr. told TASS.“Povetkin demonstrated the power of the Russian spirit, to come back into the fight and win. I’m really glad to be a part of this culture.”
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On Tuesday it was announced a rematch ill take place on November 21 between former WBA champ and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Povetkin and Whyte, for the interim WBC title the British boxer lost first time around.
That fight comes just one week before former four-weight world champ Jones Jr.’s exhibition match against former ‘baddest man on the planet’ and heavyweight legend Mike Tyson, which jones Jr. is currently undergoing training.
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Self-described as Russian-American, due to his new citizenship and number of fights in the country, Jones Jr. told RT Sport last August that he “feels very Russian”.
