By Alexey Sukachev
In Part One of our exclusive interview with Russian business mogul Andrey Ryabinsky, we touched on a number of topics, including: the economy of prizefighting in Russia; the state of the cruiserweight division (where Ryabinsky’s World of Boxing promotional company represents most of the division’s top talent) and unification bouts versus multiple champions in a weight class.
However, World of Boxing's arguably biggest attraction is located north to the cruiserweight limit. Alexander Povetkin, a former heavyweight champion and Russia's only Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist, remains among the division’s top contenders (ranked #1 by both TBRB and the WBC), seeking to challenge reigning WBC heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33 KOs) in one of the most awaited heavyweight showdowns of the present.
Povetkin (29-1, 21KOs) joined the World of Boxing Family shortly after his Oct. ’13 heavyweight unification bout with World champion Wladimir Klitschko. Ryabinsky played an integral part — by means of a significant financial investment — in bringing the championship event to Russia, and Povetkin officially signed with WoB just four months later.
From there, the World of Boxing has provided the means for the top Russian heavyweight to get back to his very best.
Three big wins have followed — all coming by knockout, including a 91-second destruction of Top 10 heavyweight Mike Perez in his most recent victory this past May. The win confirmed Povetkin’s place as mandatory challenger to the unbeaten Wilder.
Getting the title fight, however, has proven to be a separate challenge.
BoxingScene.com discusses in great detail with Ryabinsky the current situation surrounding the ongoing negotiations and a number of other Povetkin-related topics during the second part of our interview.
POVETKIN
For this bout, are you negotiating with Al Haymon himself or one of his partners?
I am not negotiating directly with Al Haymon. We have representatives overseas, and he has his. Right now, they are attempting to form a joint understanding about this bout. If we do not come to an agreement, or if I will get a feeling that our partnership relationship is not coming together – then I will go to purse bid.
Is it in your interest to go to purse bid? On the other hand, is it better to come to an agreement with Wilder’s team and not go to purse bid?
Yes and no. Each of your options has pros and cons to them. In my understanding if we were doing this together, having come to an agreement, then we would be able to promote a very cool story around the world, since it would have been a truly astonishing, very entertaining and highly anticipated bout.
And if this means going to the US to fight, we are ready to do so.
Should things take a turn for a purse bid then I will attempt to take this bout to Russia. Reason being, that if it would not be possible to do this bout in the US then I want to secure an advantage for Sasha in the form of a home turf and, what is of no less importance, grant the Russian boxing fans with the gift that this fight will be, so that they can enjoy it live.
Cons? We shall lose potential audience in the US, the audience that we want to win over.
If you had a choice, disregarding all the cons and expenses to host Povetkin’s bout in Russia or go overseas – what would you choose?
Specifically for this bout against Wilder, I would have chosen a fight in Russia. I understand that the purse bid is an expensive endeavor. Then it would simply be another situation where would pay a great deal, but bring this bout to Russia and hold it here. I would go for this scenario.
However, it is important to understand that our fighters absolutely must go outside of Russia to train and box. We are involved in many negotiations (and have been for a long time!) about joint tournaments in the US, Great Britain, Germany and other countries – in order to present and promote ourselves there. I am not talking about the World of Boxing – it is lower in the priority list, I am talking about the guys that perform for it. They must be respected abroad since that increases interest towards their bouts and their significance.
What is the obstacle to do this now and what was the obstacle before? Many Russian promoters take their fighters abroad. Ruslan Provodnikov, a fighter of German Titov, boxes overseas, and Vladimir Hrunov has also taken the Chudinov brothers abroad. There are other examples.
An important point. Right now is the right moment to take them outside of Russia and promote them there. Time was required to first form a team and then to promote them in Russia. Moreover, to move them up in the ratings and take championship titles, and so just you know, every second fighter of our team is a world champion. If we are recognizable, have championship belts, have developed a relationship with the mass media then much more interest is shown towards us. Right now is the time to move outside of Russia, and we plan to do so!
Povetkin vs. Klitschko had an unpleasant and long arm political trail to it. Politics was to be avoided in this fight, but that did not work out. Will something similar occur with the Povetkin vs. Wilder bout?
Unfortunately, modern sports have a shade of politics to it, whatever we do. My position is strongly against it, since I believe that sports have to be beyond politics. It must unite rather than separate people. However, right now any bout between a Ukrainian and a Russian will result only in the deterioration of the conflict between our countries and people. Fight between an American and a Russian may have a political implication, although here there is no profound confrontation. However, for some it would be a political event. Unfortunately, there is no way around that for us. It does not happen like that in real life.
You mentioned that in case of a purse bid for a bout with Wilder you might have to overpay. Do you regret that two years ago you paid 23 million for a bout with Povetkin vs. Wladimir Klitschko, thus fueling the market and motivating foreign fighters to request elevated purses?
No, I do not regret it. People in the know understand that we negotiate for reasonable money. Most of the people are reasonable. Of course, there are people, just like Huck, who wrongfully think that since Klitschko received such money it means that they should be entitled to the same. Then people start feeling unjustifiably offended and begin dragging us through the mud. We pay a market price. Sometimes we overpay slightly. But we overpay for the fact that the fighter comes to box here, and it is comfortable and convenient for us and for them it is not.
Take for example Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather, with the hundreds of millions involved – this is an expensive fight. In the Klitschko v. Povetkin bout, we paid a total of USD 23 million for both sides. For two fighters. We have made back almost all the money. We had spot on marketing – now the whole world knows about us. Popularity, gained by doing this fight, is immeasurable in dollar equivalent. I got acquainted with numerous new contacts from around the world, many interesting contracts in Russia, large businessmen, bankers and politicians. We almost recouped all of our expenses. If we were to breakdown the deal – half of the amount I rendered and the other half “Rosneft”. We split the revenue accordingly. Intangible dividends proved to be very high. I obtained numerous very positive connections, in many cases these contacts developed into a beneficial and pleasant cooperation. Now tell me whether that was a good or a bad deal?
What if the fight took place next year or the year after – would Povetkin’s chances be higher?
I am not a fan of peremptory declarations, but I can tell you now that Alexander’s chances would have been much higher. He is stronger although I cannot avoid the fact that Wladimir is an excellent fighter and a champion, always at the peak of his form, with a great strategic mindset and the best heavyweight fighter on our planet. This means Sasha has only one loss – from the best heavyweight of the World. There is nothing to be done about it: Wladimir was stronger that day.
What is your take on Deontay Wilder’s accusations with respect of Povetkin taking prohibited substances? Did the idea of teaching the champion a lesson in court for rash words, ever cross your mind?
It seems we are very different from the current US fighters in terms of temper, modesty and responsibility for things that you say. Sasha Povetkin never, and I say that again – never, resorted to derogatory statements with respect of his opponents. Even towards Wladimir Klitschko, given the hysteria around the fight and around the opposition between Russia and Ukraine. Mind you, Wladimir did not allow himself such things either. That is because they are both strong men of real character.
Wilder of course talks a lot of nonsense. Does he have any grounds or proof to say such things? Sasha has undergone doping testing on numerous occasions in recent times and none came back with any traces of steroids. In my opinion this does not reflect responsible and role model behavior of a man. Responding to this cheap yammer, resembling a quarrel between old women in the market, well, that is below us. We do not stoop so low.
What is your evaluation of Wilder as a fighter?
I have seen many fights with him. He has his shortcomings, but I do not want to focus on them. I would like to point the strengths of the American: he is tall and has long arms, good on his feet, and I believe has good stamina. Has heart. He is stubborn. Of course, he can throw a good punch thus making him not only a constant danger to his opponent but also an entertaining fighter. Sasha has everything in order to show a good fight in a bout against Wilder but the latter is no sense an easy fight. If this fight will take place, it would of course bring a lot of attention.
So you still think that there is a chance that this fight might not take place?
Yes, I do.
What will happen then? You will try to relive Wilder of his belt by other means or will go down a different path, which leads only one way – Klitschko?
This is where we are now: WBC says that Povetkin is the mandatory for the title. Yes, we can talk about interim bouts for both Wilder and Povetkin – although I am not happy about it. Whatever; it is what it is – that is why we selected a large and strong guy for Sasha, Mariusz Wach (31-1, 17 КО), so that he keeps active and in form.
However, Sasha is the mandatory. He MUST box for the title - with Wilder. If Wilder is unable or does not want to defend his title, he must (vacate) and step aside.
I do not see any other alternative. I asked the WBC representatives if Wilder is permitted to have one more voluntary defense (after September), and was told that he cannot.