Deontay Wilder happy WBC allowing him to take voluntary defense

By Boxing News - 05/26/2016 - Comments

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By Jeff Aranow: WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) has been given permission by the World Boxing Council to take a voluntary defense while they decide what to do with the 36-year-old Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs), who was popped on a latest drug test by VADA on April 27.

Povetkin tested positive for the banned substance Meldonium, and the WBC took it seriously enough to postpone but not cancel the Wilder vs. Povetkin mandatory defense. On Wednesday, the WBC announced that Wilder can take a voluntary defense. However, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said that they’re still investigating the Povetkin case.

Wilder is pretty clear about what he wants done. He wants Povetkin to be suspended and he’s not happy that the WBC still hasn’t done it.

“I’m glad the WBC has allowed me to move forward and let me do what I love to do, which is to perform for the fans,” said Wilder to ESPN.com. “When it comes to somebody taking something, whether by mouth or in his veins by syringe, that’s unacceptable. There should be no tolerance. They were well aware of what they were doing.”

If Povetkin is able to get out from being suspended by the WBC, it will be due to the drug Meldonium just recently being banned at the start of 2016. If Povetkin can convince the WBC that the drug was still in his system from last year, then he’ll be able to escape being punished by the WBC and he’ll be able to go forward with the fight.

Wilder needs to step it up for his next voluntary defense because he’s starting to get a rep for taking on softer opponent. Since winning the WBC title last year over Bermane Stiverne, Wilder has fought the following heavyweights: Eric Molina, Johann Duhaupas, and Artur Szpilka. Those are not dangerous heavyweights, but they appeared that way against Wilder. He did not look good against any of them.

While Anthony Joshua is looking good after winning the IBF title, Wilder hasn’t shined in a fight in a long time. The name that was mentioned recently by Team Wilder as a potential opponent for his voluntary defense is the recently knocked out Bryant Jennings (19-2, 10 KOs). He’s lost his last two fights and is coming off a 7th round knockout loss to interim WBA heavyweight champion Luis Ortiz last December.

Jennings is technically still a top 10 contender, as the WBA has him ranked #9 with their organization, but he would be a very poor choice for Wilder to be fighting in his next fight. If Jennings fought Wilder and lost, he will have lost his last three fights. Where is the accomplishment for Wilder in fighting a contender with two straight defeats? Wilder needs to step it up and show that he’s not a paper champion, because there are many who feel that he is. If he can’t beat the likes of Kubrat Pulev, David Haye or Povetkin, then he shouldn’t be a world champion. With the way that Wilder labored to beat Szpilka in his last fight, it’s questionable whether he could beat any of those fighters.