WBC Heavyweight title holder Deontay Wilder (35-0, 34 KOs) scored another knockout victory this past Saturday on Premier Boxing Champions‘ NBC primetime showcase.
After a tougher-than-expected fight against unheralded Frenchman, Johann Duhaupas, the talk turned to who would be next for the undefeated American.
It looks as though the World Boxing Council president, Mauricio Sulaiman, may be ready to answer that question. Accoring to Sulaiman (per BoxingScene.com), Wilder will not be allowed to make another voluntary defense–which he has done twice since winning the title over Bermane Stiverne in January of this year.
Instead, Wilder will have to defend his title against mandatory challenger, Alexander Povetkin (29-1, 21 KOs).
Povetkin was last seen burning a hole through respectable contender, Mike Perez, knocking the Cuban-born fighter out in eye-catching fashion in just one round.
He is scheduled to take on Mariusz Wach on November 4 for the WBC Silver heavyweight title.
Povetkin, like Wach, only has one blemish on his ledger. Both men lost one-sided decisions to the legitimate Heavyweight kingpin, Wladimir Klitschko.
Wilder silenced many of his critics by convincingly beating Stiverne, but since then he has fought two questionable opponents and shown signs of vulnerability in both bouts.
Fans and pundits alike seem ready for a heavy-hitting clash between Wilder and Povetkin and should Povetkin get passed Wach in his next bout, we could see the fight come to fruition.
Who wins Wilder vs. Povetkin?
