By Luke Furman
IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (63-3, 53KOs), 38-years-old, looked as destructive as ever in demolishing previously undefeated IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev (20-1, 11KOs).
Bernd Boente, manager of Klitschko, discussed the possible options for Wladimir's next fight.
At the moment, the return is tentatively being targeted for a date in March or April.
One of the possible options include the Deontay Wilder vs. Bermane Stiverne winner, who battle for Stiverne's WBC title. Also in the running is undefeated Bryant Jennings, the winner of next Saturday's rematch between Dereck Chisora and Tyson Fury - but one fighter who is not under consideration is Shannon Briggs.
"The candidates who are possible opponents of Wladimir - [include] Bryant Jennings and the winner of the fight between WBC champion Bermane Stiverne of Canada and Deontay Wilder of the United States. This is our primary goal - to return the WBC belt to the Klitschko family. However, so far no one knows when exactly Stiverne and Wilder will fight. It is tentatively [targeted] for January and February. However, we can not be bound by that date, and the next fight of Wladimir can take place in March or April. But not in the United States, [but] in Germany," Boente told Sportbox.
"We already have chosen the venue. But we have yet to find an opponent and align his candidacy with television. We can not exclude a fight with the winner of the fight between Tyson Fury and Derek Chisora. It could take place in Germany or England. In favor of this possibility is that Chisora and Fury are boxing at the end of this month. At the moment, we are not considering the possibility of a fight with Shannon Briggs, although in the future I can not completely eliminate him."
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org