Wilder's next opponent ...

I'm not talking mandatory in January. I'm talking about it happening later in the year. Glaz would have to wait. Unification trumps mandatory. Why would Glazkov have to wait when Klitschko already owes his IBF mandatory, he's fighting Tyson Fury (WBO/WBA mandatory) at the end of the month, and a Wilder unification fight, were it to happen as soon as possible, wouldn't be a viable option until Apr/May 2016 or later (at Wilder's current pace, having fought in Jan/Jun/Sep/Jan 2016, he's basically being built to fight every 3-4 months, barring any cuts/injury)? I don't see anyone in the WBC/WBA/IBF triumvirate screwing over both of their long-standing mandatory challengers to fast-track a fight that may not even be ready yet

They would like Arreola but Chris looks totally shot. There is no way he can fight Wilder.. I completely agree with you. On paper, he has a name and is a recognizable opponent for Wilder, but he keeps screwing up these showcase opportunities he has. If he doesn't get it back together, one of these guys will beat him.

Glazkov is totally possible actually. Duva is only protective of Kovalev since he's got the HBO deal.... but Glazkov stands to make more money from Wlad as the mando and will probably hold out on the IBF ordering it to fight Klitbro. IMO... possible candidates are: 1) Cunningham 2) Wawzyrk 3) Fujimoto Only one is currently in the top 15 (Fujimoto #15) but come on.... it's the WBC. Wawzyrk has been out for like a year plus and instantly ranked when his exhibition was changed last minute to a sanctioned fight

Glazkov -- the size of Povetkin and the skill of Valuev Definitely a winnable fight for Wilder

I think this would be a very thought fight for Wilder so doubt it hell do it, and for Glazkov I think he would rather fight Wlad in front of 70,000 in Ukraine.

The WBC, WBA, and IBF are all working together, to streamline the process in working mandatory defenses. Klitschko-Fury is due for November; it's highly unlikely that Wladimir would then be able to be ready for a mid-January date, the date that Team Wilder seem to have a TV date penciled in for. With the title unification opportunity put off until April/May, Klitschko would likely have to settle his mandatory or be stripped of the belt. I'm not talking mandatory in January. I'm talking about it happening later in the year. Glaz would have to wait. Unification trumps mandatory.

The math is pretty simple: Wlad is fighting Fury. If he wins, he can step around Glazkov and unify against Wilder (or Povetkin or whoever has the WBC strap at that time). Unification fights trump mandatories. Hence, Glaz might be waiting a year or more for Wlad ... who might retire by then anyway, and there wouldn't be nearly as much money in fighting for a vacant title as there would be for an established guy like Wlad. Or ... He gets his mandatory sometime next year. And as the mandatory challenger, he gets 30 percent of the purse bid. If he takes the Wilder fight, he probably gets a decent payday, a better shot at winning a title and if he does then he gets 50 percent of a much bigger purse to unify against Wlad (or Fury, whatever). It all adds up. The WBC, WBA, and IBF are all working together, to streamline the process in working mandatory defenses. Klitschko-Fury is due for November; it's highly unlikely that Wladimir would then be able to be ready for a mid-January date, the date that Team Wilder seem to have a TV date penciled in for. With the title unification opportunity put off until April/May, Klitschko would likely have to settle his mandatory or be stripped of the belt.

The math is pretty simple: Wlad is fighting Fury. If he wins, he can step around Glazkov and unify against Wilder (or Povetkin or whoever has the WBC strap at that time). Unification fights trump mandatories. Hence, Glaz might be waiting a year or more for Wlad ... who might retire by then anyway, and there wouldn't be nearly as much money in fighting for a vacant title as there would be for an established guy like Wlad. Or ... He gets his mandatory sometime next year. And as the mandatory challenger, he gets 30 percent of the purse bid. If he takes the Wilder fight, he probably gets a decent payday, a better shot at winning a title and if he does then he gets 50 percent of a much bigger purse to unify against Wlad (or Fury, whatever). It all adds up. Czar is never ever going to fight for Wlad's belts I think he realizes that now. Best bet is to fight Wilder..

I actually agree and I think they were TRYING to get Arreola a shot, but he could never put together a really nice win. He's looked horrible for the last two years now and I expect him to beat Travis Kauffman, but if he loses it won't be a giant upset. They would like Arreola but Chris looks totally shot. There is no way he can fight Wilder..

I'll probably be pushing my live boxing budget as it is to see Quillin/Jacobs, so I probably won't see this fight in person. Hopefully he picks an actual live body.

... Czar Glazkov is, i believe, IBF mandatory challenger to Wladimir Klitschko The math is pretty simple: Wlad is fighting Fury. If he wins, he can step around Glazkov and unify against Wilder (or Povetkin or whoever has the WBC strap at that time). Unification fights trump mandatories. Hence, Glaz might be waiting a year or more for Wlad ... who might retire by then anyway, and there wouldn't be nearly as much money in fighting for a vacant title as there would be for an established guy like Wlad. Or ... He gets his mandatory sometime next year. And as the mandatory challenger, he gets 30 percent of the purse bid. If he takes the Wilder fight, he probably gets a decent payday, a better shot at winning a title and if he does then he gets 50 percent of a much bigger purse to unify against Wlad (or Fury, whatever). It all adds up.

lol that article: "Wilder, the 30-year-old World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, hopes to fight in New York in mid-January against a WBC top 15-ranked opponent, and if that happens it would mark his fourth heavyweight championship fight in a year’s span. If he wins, it will be the first time a heavyweight champion has won four title fights in the span of a year since Lennox Lewis in 1999-2000." as if his last 2 fights really qualify as "title fights" The Bronze Bomber, breaking faces and breaking records, one bum at a time.

I'm sure Glazkov's team would favour his chances against Wilder more than Klitschko if they had their choice.

... Czar Glazkov is, i believe, IBF mandatory challenger to Wladimir Klitschko

Are you saying Frans Botha and Michael Grant are about the same level of opposition as = I literally have to google this hold on "Eric Molina and Johann Duhaupas"? Molina, probably not, but most every champion takes an easy first title defense. Duhaupas was coming off a win over Charr (an opponent often cited as one of the big wins for Povetkin) and a very competitive, toe-to-toe, close loss to Teper. He's as legit as Botha and WAY more durable than Grant, who crumbled whenever any decent fighter looked at him hard. If Wilder fights four heavyweight title fights in 12 months, that's a good thing. And if two of those are Stiverne and Glazkov, that's a pretty decent year by any standard.

Two of Lewis' defenses in that 1999-2000 period were Frans Botha and Michael Grant. Waiting for their Hall of Fame inductions. Are you saying Frans Botha and Michael Grant are about the same level of opposition as = I literally have to google this hold on "Eric Molina and Johann Duhaupas"?

If that's true what Wilder's team claims, that Povetkin opted to wait, then this is not a bad in the meantime type of opponent. To be honest though, I'd rather see him fight an Arreola type of fighter in the meantime, someone with a name that would look better on his resume that creates some sort of hype / buzz about the fight. I actually agree and I think they were TRYING to get Arreola a shot, but he could never put together a really nice win. He's looked horrible for the last two years now and I expect him to beat Travis Kauffman, but if he loses it won't be a giant upset.

lol that article: "Wilder, the 30-year-old World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, hopes to fight in New York in mid-January against a WBC top 15-ranked opponent, and if that happens it would mark his fourth heavyweight championship fight in a year’s span. If he wins, it will be the first time a heavyweight champion has won four title fights in the span of a year since Lennox Lewis in 1999-2000." as if his last 2 fights really qualify as "title fights" Two of Lewis' defenses in that 1999-2000 period were Frans Botha and Michael Grant. Waiting for their Hall of Fame inductions.

If that's true what Wilder's team claims, that Povetkin opted to wait, then this is not a bad in the meantime type of opponent. To be honest though, I'd rather see him fight an Arreola type of fighter in the meantime, someone with a name that would look better on his resume that creates some sort of hype / buzz about the fight. It's the WBC that "claims" that. It's on their website. Povetkin's team sent someone to the WBC convention in China to inform them he wouldn't be ready in January and asked for an extension to April/May. Seeing as how Povetkin's manager and promoter haven't come out to say the WBC is lying, one would have to assume it's true. They could have said in the ring after the fight, "We are ready to fight Wilder in January, the WBC is making this up," and they didn't. Not a peep since. It's fact.

lol that article: "Wilder, the 30-year-old World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, hopes to fight in New York in mid-January against a WBC top 15-ranked opponent, and if that happens it would mark his fourth heavyweight championship fight in a year’s span. If he wins, it will be the first time a heavyweight champion has won four title fights in the span of a year since Lennox Lewis in 1999-2000." as if his last 2 fights really qualify as "title fights" Well there you have it, the best champ since Lewis!