Deontay Wilder's Time Is Now to Prove He's Ready for Elite Heavyweights

Deontay Wilder eventually took care of his business Saturday night, knocking out a surprisingly game Artur Szpilka with a nuclear right hand in the ninth round to retain his WBC Heavyweight Championship in front of a partisan Polish crowd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Let’s cut right to the chase without wasting too much of your time.

Wilder struggled mightily with Szpilka in the early rounds. He didn’t know what to do with his opponent's southpaw stance, was slow to adjust and (in the eyes of many ringside) needed that eraser right hand to bail out what was—to that point—a lackluster performance on the big stage in the big city.

He has the personality (Wilder is one of boxing's most jovial characters in and out of the ring) and power (that means you count him out against nobody) to be a big star, but he’s starting to get past the training-wheels stage now. It’s time to see if he can be heavyweight champ or is just heavyweight hype.

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The division is a wide-open playground for the first time in near a decade.

Tyson Fury is the sport’s ultimate heel, to steal a turn of phrase from wrestling. He proved that by toppling long-reigning champ Wladimir Klitschko in November and then confronting Wilder face to face in the ring after his win Saturday night.

It was must-see TV—the most entertaining part of the night, which says a lot—and a nice preview of the type of banter that fans can anticipate if the two towering big men tussle in the ring.

That’s the fight most boxing fans will demand to see, but it has to overcome a few hurdles before we can seriously consider it.

Fury needs to dispense with his contractually mandated rematch with Klitschko first.

Rematches are usually more lopsided than the first bout, but if the former champion just had a bad night and channels all the criticism that’s been heaped upon him into motivation and renewed vigor, who the heck knows what happens there?

Wilder, meanwhile, has his own business to handle.

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Alexander Povetkin, a physically strong pressure fighter who has looked much improved in winning four straight since a loss to Klitschko, should be up next, if Wilder wants to keep his WBC belt. Per Vadim Pushkin of Boxing Scene, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman anticipates the fight to happen in May or June.

Keith Idec of Boxing Scene reports that Wilder anticipates that fight next but wouldn’t be willing to fight in Russia. That could present a problem if the two fighters can't reach a deal.

The WBC would then need to order a purse bid, which Povetkin’s fabulously wealthy Russian financier Andrey Ryabinsky would almost certainly win.

Ryabinsky is best known for financing Russian promoter Vladimir Hryunov's stunning bid of $23 million (the next-largest bid was just $7 million) to force then-champ Klitschko to face Povetkin in Russia in 2013. 

His unlimited pockets mean that a Wilder-Povetkin purse bid would likely end up in Russia, unless Al Haymon and Co. can outbid him, something that seems unlikely.

Povetkin will present a level of danger Wilder hasn’t yet seen in his career, but that’s why he’s in the game. If you want to be the best, you need to fight and beat the best. It's a boom-or-bust town, the heavyweight division in 2016.

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So, for Wilder, the equation is simple.

He should fight Povetkin next, and it seems like he will.

That's a fight that nobody should criticize. It's a huge step up and will answer a good many questions about the towering Bronze Bomber's ability and willingness to turn back a top-level opponent.

If a deal can't be reached, or a purse bid is lost, Wilder can drop the big green belt if a shot at the legitimate heavyweight champion surfaces.

There are belts, and then there are champions. They’re not the same thing.

Wilder has a belt.

Fury is a champion.

If Wilder gives up his belt to face the champion, then that’s the right call.

But if he gives up his belt to avoid a tough mandatory, that’s a cop-out.

You’re either a prospect, in which case Eric Molina, Johann Duhaupas and Szpilka are acceptable opponents, or you’re a champion and need to take the leap into the deep end of the pool populated by the Povetkins, Klitschkos and Furys.

Wilder says he’s a champion, but the time to prove it has arrived.