Comments Thread For: Wilder Moves On From Povetkin, Plans Midsummer Ring Return

[IronDanHamza]

What a real shame. The HW division was fit to iron out well.

Out of the options I think Wilder-Pulev makes sense.

[vitali1999]

he'll probably fight the guy Briggs just beat or the guy that was begging you for money on the street couple weeks ago

[Cinci Champ]

He has already beat 5 of the top 15. Chisora, jennings & takam are coming off losses. Chagaev is busy with oquendo, haye will only fight him in england where the money would be way bigger, parker has joshua next so that leaves pulev, washington & andy ruiz. Stiverne is next in line but it's not a mandatory or they will fight. I suspect it will be washington or ruiz. Pulev is most deserving but he is an unknown outside hardcores & he ain't american & that will make the difference... My call is Ruiz or Washington

isnt ruiz with top rank tho? all though they did just settle

[MrRolltide91]

Blame Povetkin

[mabulkhair]

I was really looking forward to Povetkin/Wilder but if you cheat you lose!!! I would like to see Wilder/Pulev maybe Wilder/Mansour.

[Gordon_Gekko]

Looks like it will be Gerald Washington, but wouldn't surprise me if they go for Jennings

[Jsmooth9876]

Povetkin should just be tested round the clock until then and they can fight...if he's clean for the next 2 months why not fight for that huge payday...

It's not like he was on testosterone or HGH. Who knows what the lasting effects of the stuff he took is? It may be something you need to be taking consistently for it to have any effect.

And I'm not condoning what he did, I just want to see them fight.

[Clegg]

Still so frustrating we missed out on this fight. It's like thinking you're getting grade A pussy on a saturday night but then she cancels and you end up watching a joke Haye fight and a coma-inducing Lara fight instead.

Wilder is right to move on. Guys who fail drugs tests should be banned not simply tested again and again until they manage to pass. If Povetkin's punishment is left up to the Russian commission they will let him back instantly but at least make him earn his mandatory shot again to see if he can do it without his precious meldonium.

I haven't been impressed by the guys Wilder has been fighting and no doubt his next opponent isn't going to impress (especially as all the top guys are already busy). We'll probably have to wait until 2017 to see him against the kind of opponents that will challenge him. I don't rate Ruiz or Washington at all. It seems like HBO want Fury/Ortiz and Showtime want Joshua/Wilder, but Fury/Joshua is probably the biggest money fight in the division so be interesting to see how things shape up.

[saintpat]

ovetkin (Russia)
2 .- Bermane Stiverne (Haiti/Canada)
3 .- Kubrat Pulev (Bulgaria) EBU
4 .- Johann Duhaupas (France) SILVER
5 .- Carlos Takam (Cameroon)
6 .- Joseph Parker (New Zealand) OPBF
7 .- Andy Ruiz (Mexico) NABF
8 .- David Haye (GB)
9 .- Bryant Jennings (US)
10 .- Malik Scott (US)
11 .- Artur Szpilka (Poland)
12 .- Eric Molina (US)
13 .- Dereck Chisora (GB)
14 .- Ruslan Chagaev (Uzbekistan/Germany)
15 .- Gerald Washington (

Realistically from this list, not a lot of choices:

1. Povetkin is out due
2. Stiverne is a decent option, but Wilder dominated the first fight
3. Kubrat is available, presumably, but has no name recognition whatsoever; still could be made
4. Duhaupas he already stopped
5. Takam just lost
6. Parker beat Takam, would be a good choice but seems to be gunning for Joshua
7. Ruiz would look godawful on TV, fights for Arum (but relations with Top Rank seem to have thawed) -- I just think casuals would hammer Wilder if he fought a tub of lard like this
8. Haye seems to be going the bum-and-then-big-Brit-payday route, but would be a god choice if he's game
9. Bryant Jennings, would be viable if he at least beat a gatekeeper to get a win
10. Scott, already KO'd by Wilder in 1, no thanks
11. Molina, already knocked him out
12. Szpilka, damned near decapitated him last time out
13. Chisora, I like the fight but doesn't he had some can't-leave-the-UK visa restrictions or something? Not sure.
14. Chag coming off KO loss
15. Washington, not an exciting option but qualified

Maybe a new name or two will elevate into the rankings, but not a lot of options there.

[saintpat]

Povetkin should just be tested round the clock until then and they can fight...if he's clean for the next 2 months why not fight for that huge payday...

It's not like he was on testosterone or HGH. Who knows what the lasting effects of the stuff he took is? It may be something you need to be taking consistently for it to have any effect.

And I'm not condoning what he did, I just want to see them fight.

And what if it takes him 6 months before he tests clean? Then a 3-month training camp? Wilder should basically take off the rest of the year while a drug cheat gets clean? No way. He did nothing wrong, he should be able to earn a living and the title shouldn't be held up because a challenger tested positive for a banned substance.

If GGG and Canelo signed and a week before the fight Canelo tested positive, would the world say, "Well GGG should just wait until he's clean, however long that takes"??? If he has to sit for 9 months or longer, so be it???

Nope. I hope they suspend Povetkin for this, let him sit out and go to the back of the line and vacate the mandatory.

I expect Wilder to fight a voluntary and the WBC to order a Stiverne-Pulev eliminator. In the meantime, Wilder may look to unify with one of the other champs after a summer defense.