In breaking news from Dan Rafael of ESPN.com it seems the WBC heavyweight title fight between champ Deontay Wilder and challenger Alexander Povetkin could be called off as Povetkin has reportedly tested positive for Meldonium.
“Status of the #WilderPovetkin fight is unclear at the moment after Povetkin’s test,” Rafael Tweeted earlier today.
Rafael later wrote:
The night of Saturday May 21st shapes up as being one cracking night of heavyweight action. No less than eight heavyweight punchers, ranging from the up-and-coming variety, to big, and very big names, will be battling it out. The fights will take place in London, Moscow and Manukau City in New Zealand. Fans of the heavyweights are in for what promises to be an exciting night; the only problem might be being able to catch all the action.
Alexander Povetkin might be fighting at home in Russia when he challenges WBC heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilder on May 21st, but the former Olympian who captured gold will likely be the underdog in the eyes of many fans – maybe by a margin of something like 60/40 or 70/30, with the edge going to Wilder. The biggest reason Povetkin will not be favoured to win is his height, or lack of. Wilder is 6’7” and Povetkin stands a little under 6’1.” That’s quite a disadvantage for the Russian.
NORTHPORT, ALA. (April 21, 2016) -Undefeated WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder hosted a media workout Tuesday at the Skyy Gym in Northport, Ala. as he prepares to become the first reigning American heavyweight champion to travel to Russia to defend his title.
In exactly one month, on Saturday, May 21, Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., will put his world title on the line against mandatory challenger and native Russian, Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs), in Moscow.
BoxNation will broadcast exclusively live in the UK Deontay Wilder’s WBC World Heavyweight title defence against Alexander Povetkin from Moscow, Russia, on Saturday 21st May.
The undefeated American superstar puts his title on the line for the fourth time against the Russian mandatory challenger and former WBA World Champion at the Khodynka Ice Palace.
The upcoming Deontay Wilder-Alexander Povetkin WBC heavyweight title fight will take place at Megasport Arena in Moscow – Povetkin’s promoter, Andrey Ryabinsky has confirmed. Ryabisnky won the purse bidding battle for the fight with a big $7.15 million bid and Wilder, 36-0 (35) will have his sixth pro fight outside of America as a result. A great night is expected in May, with the main event expected to prove both interesting and exciting – with a good under-card of further potential knockouts thrown in.
WBC heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilder is having fun ahead of his imminent mandatory title defence against Alexander Povetkin. Far from coming across as a fighter who is worried or concerned about the fight – set to take place in Russia against a Russian superstar – Wilder is giving plenty of interviews and he has said in some of them how he feels he will KO Povetkin (becoming the first fighter to do so) and will make it look easy.
Not too long ago, heavyweight champion Tyson Fury posted his “wish-list” on Twitter, with the big fights he wants, in order, revealed. Well, WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder – the fighter who, in the opinion of many, is the third best big man in the sport after Fury and Wladimir Klitschko – has listed the big fights he would like next.
Speaking with Sky Sports, “The Bronze Bomber” said he would like to fight Tyson Fury after his upcoming defence in Russia against Alexander Povetkin (a fight Wilder says he is not “foolish enough” to look past) and then after that, he wants the winner of the upcoming Charles Martin-Anthony Joshua bout.
A Russian promotional company World of Boxing had recently won the bidding war for the Alexander Povetkin (30-1-0) vs. Deontay Wilder (36-0-0) bout, which will now be taking place somewhere in Russia, with the Moscow Olympic Stadium probably being the likely venue.
Wilder will be guaranteed $4.5 million, and Povetkin a much slimmer number of $1.9 million.
Earlier today in Miami, the respective sides of Deontay Wilder and Alexander Povetkin engaged in purse bids for the mandated WBC heavyweight title defence by Wilder. As reported by ESPN.com, Povetkin’s people won the bid with a big $7.15 million bid. Lou DiBella, representing Wilder, bid a little over $5 million and 100,000.
Fans are now wondering where the fight will take place, if at all? Will Wilder opt to vacate the WBC belt, perhaps to concentrate on trying to land a huge money fight with Tyson Fury should Fury repeat his win over Wladimir Klitschko? Wilder did recently say how he has no plans of giving up the green belt he won just over a year ago and has successfully defended three times. But will “The Bronze Bomber” travel over to Russia if Povetkin’s people decide to stage the fight there?