By Scott Gilfoid: #1 WBC mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) is going to need to put a sock in it for a while and wait his turn for an eventual title shot against the talented and athletic WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (35-0, 34 KOs).
Earlier on Wednesday, the World Boxing Council approved Wilder for a voluntary defense of his WBC title for January 16th 2016. Wilder doesn’t have an opponent yet, but it’ll be one of the WBC’s top 15 contenders. #7 WBC Artur Szpilka and #12 WBC Chris Arreola are two of the names that have been mentioned as possibilities for Wilder.
By Tim Fletcher: With his 11th round technical knockout victory over #11 WBC contender Johann Duhaupas (32-3, 20 KOs) last Saturday night on Premier Boxing Champions on NBC, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (35-0, 34 KOs) has run out of voluntary defenses to take, and he now has to defend against his dangerous #1 WBC mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin (29-1, 21 KOs) in his next fight. 
By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten heavyweight contender Lucas Browne (22-0, 19 KOs) thinks WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33 KOs) will be getting knocked out next year when he defends his title against his #1 WBC mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin. 
(Photo credit: Sumio Yamada) By Scott Gilfoid: WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (34-0, 33 KOs) isn’t too worried about fighting his No.1 WBC challenger Alexander Povetkin (29-1, 21 KOs) in the near future. Wilder says that Povetkin is like another Bermane Stiverne, a 6’2” fighter that Wilder defeated by a one-sided 12 round unanimous decision earlier this year in January. 
By Gav Duthie: He didn’t need to prove anything to me but hopefully Alexander Povetkin 29-1 (21) has shown he is at present the second best heavyweight on the planet. The Russian took just 91 seconds to dispatch the normally durable Cuban Mike Perez. I had Povetkin as one of my top 5 boxers of 2014 and he has started 2015 just as brightly.