Lennox Lewis Tips Povetkin: Wilder Has Too Many Weaknesses

By Vadim Pushkin

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has tipped Olympic gold medal winner and former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin to capture the WBC heavyweight championship from Deontay Wilder.

The Russian fighter's promoter, Andrei Ryabinsky, is planning to stage the fight on May 21 in Moscow, Russia. Ryabinsky secured the promotional rights by winning last month's WBC purse bid with a submitted amount of $7.1 million.

Lewis, who is a gold medal winner like Povetkin, feels the Russian fighter is a more polished product. Povetkin's only defeat came to Wladimir Klitschko, by decision, in 2013.

Wilder has made three successful defenses of the title since winning it last January with a twelve round decision over Bermane Stiverne. This past January at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Wilder knocked out Artur Szpilka in nine rounds. Povetkin and Ryabinsky traveled over to sit ringside and watch Wilder live.

Lewis has also had the opportunity to get a close look at Wilder's level or work and says that there are too many flaws in his game. Because of his dangerous power, Lewis doesn't rule out the possibility of Wilder winning or rallying from behind to get a kncokout victory. 

"[I give] the advantage to Povetkin. [He is] much more experienced and [there are] too many weaknesses in Deontay's game [that] worry me. [Wilder's] power can bail him out though," Lewis stated on social media.

Wilder has an unbeaten record of 36 wins (35 by KO), and Povetkin has 30 wins (22 by KO) and one defeat.