By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder (29-0, 29 KO’s) says he’s being positioned by his promoters at Golden Boy Promotions to go after WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko’s title in 2014.
The thought here is that Vitali will either retire or vacate his strap or he’ll have taken away from him by the World Boxing Council for failing to defend the title in a timely fashion.
It’s been a year since Vitali last defended his title, and at some point the WBC is going to have to strip Vitali of his belt if he’s not going to defend the title on a regular basis.
Deontay, #3 WBC, #5 WBO, #6 WBA, #12 IBF, was recently pushed up the WBC’s ranked to the #3 spot behind Chris Arreola, #2 WBC, and Bermane Stiverne, #1 WBC. Tyson Fury and David Haye are ranked below Deontay at #6 and #7 by the WBC.
Deontay told RingTV “I definitely want to be one of the guys who fights for that spot [WBC]. I think that they’re trying to position me into being in that sport right there. It’s looking more likely that I would get a shot at that vacant belt. So we’re aiming for a shot at the title some time during the early part of the next year.”
Since Stiverne just finished beating Arreola, I can see Stiverne facing Deontay for the vacant WBC title once Vitali retires or haves the title stripped from him for failing to defend the title.
I’m hoping that Vitali doesn’t defend the title against another fringe contender and then go into another year off where he’d not defending it again. Vitali has already had two consecutive optional title defenses against Dereck Chisora and Manuel Charr.
It’s time that Vitali faces Stiverne or gives up the title so that Deontay can fight Stiverne for the belt. That would be an easy fight for Deontay due to Stiverne’s lack of height and reach.
Deontay will be fighting next month on the Bernard Hopkins vs. Karo Murat card on October 26th at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, Jersey. They haven’t said yet who Deontay will be facing, it’s supposed to be a big name.
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