Klitschko Anticipates Demand For Wilder PPV Clash

By Bill "Two Scoops" Emes

IBF/IBO/WBO/WBA heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko is anticipating that a unification encounter with newly crowned WBC champion Deontay Wilder will reach the level of a pay-per-view fight.

"I think you're right. That can happen. I don't know who he's going to fight next but he need to win impressively. I think it is something that is going to be in demand as a pay-per-view," Klitschko said.

Wilder (33-0, 32KOs) captured the title last month with a twelve round decision victory over Bermane Stiverne at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Klitschko would have preferred for Wilder to win by knockout. At the same time, he saw the outcome as being very positive because it displayed Wilder's ability to go a full twelve rounds. Prior to that fight, none of Wilder's opponents lasted more than four rounds.

"I was hoping that Wilder would win this fight and eventually he did. The upsetting part is not having a champion who won all of his fights by knockout and also [winning] that championship fight [by knockout]. That didn't happen. The other side of it, the good and positive side of it - is that he showed that he can fight twelve rounds," Klitschko said.