Who Should Deontay Wilder Fight Next After Alexander Povetkin's Failed PED Test?
On May 21, Deontay Wilder was supposed to defend his WBC heavyweight title against Alexander Povetkin in Moscow. It was one of the biggest potential fights that could have been made in the division. Fans have been waiting a long time to see Wilder face down an opponent with a resume like Povetkin's.
They will have to wait a little bit longer. On Saturday, ESPN.com's Dan Rafael reported Povetkin had failed a pre-fight drug test. On Sunday, the bout was indefinitely postponed.
It's unclear at this time what the Bronze Bomber's next step will be. He's got a full training camp behind him now and hasn't fought since January, so a fill-in opponent might not be a bad idea.
But it should be more than a mere stay-busy fight. Expectations were high for this fight. Wilder should at least give the fans a credible contender.
8. Jarrell Miller
1 of 8It might still be a stretch to call Jarrell Miller a "credible heavyweight contender." Although he is 16-0-1 with 14 KOs, the best win on his resume would probably be Donovan Dennis.
Still, Miller is ranked in the top 15 by the WBO, IBF and WBA. Under the circumstances, the WBC would probably accept him as a replacement, so long as it was able to collect its sanctioning fee.
Miller has a fight scheduled for May 27, but I suspect he'd be willing to cancel it for a shot at the WBC crown. At 6'4" and about 270 pounds, he's got the size to go toe-to-toe with Wilder.
The champ would get minimal respect for winning this fight. But Miller is a brash, larger-than-life personality. Fans would definitely tune in to watch this one.
7. Shannon Briggs
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Like Jarrell Miller, Shannon Briggs is a questionable contender at this point. But as a replacement opponent for Deontay Wilder, he would generate more interest than the majority of heavyweights in the top 10.
Nearly a decade ago, Briggs reigned as the WBO champion. After taking a brutal, 12-round beating from Vitali Klitschko in 2010, Briggs retired for four years.
Now 44, he's spent the past two years knocking out non-entities and confronting top heavyweights like Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye in person, for the sake of generating Youtube videos.
I'm not sure Briggs really deserves a title shot, although the WBA has him in its top 10. But boxing is part show business, and Briggs would help make at least the buildup a very good show.
6. Alexander Ustinov
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If Wilder wants to maintain a high level of interest in Povetkin's native Russia, Alexander Ustinov would be a good replacement for Povetkin. Ustinov is arguably the top Russian heavyweight boxer after Povetkin.
He'd also present an interesting physical matchup for Wilder. Ustinov is as tall as Wilder, but he consistently weighs in at about 50 pounds heavier.
Ustinov certainly can't be regarded as an elite big man, but he's lost just once—to Kubrat Pulev—in 34 fights. He's knocked out 23.
Wilder vs. Ustinov is hardly a dream matchup. But it would be an interesting bout for heavyweight fans.
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5. Andy Ruiz
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Undefeated Andy Ruiz is currently ranked No. 7 by the WBC so there shouldn't be any problem with getting the sanctioning body to sign off on him as a replacement for Povetkin.
Ruiz has no major wins on his resume, but he's defeated some decent fighters. He has victories over veteran journeymen like Raphael Love and Manuel Quezada, as well as faded, former WBO belt-holder Siarhei Liakhovich. He knocked out fellow unbeaten Joe Hanks and made Tor Hammer quit on his stool.
At a rotund 6'2" and approximately 250 pounds, Ruiz isn't going to win any beautiful-body contests. His physique would be a sharp contrast to Wilder's lean, athletic frame.
But Ruiz has very solid technical skills and respectable punching power. I think he'd be an interesting style matchup for Wilder.
4. Bermane Stiverne
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Bermane Stiverne claimed the vacant WBC heavyweight title in May 2014, with an exciting Round 6 TKO of Chris Arreola. But he was lackluster in his first defense, dropping the belt to Wilder via unanimous decision.
Stiverne remains the best name on Wilder's resume, by far, and he's also the only opponent to last the distance with the Bronze Bomber. The WBC still has Stiverne ranked No. 2, behind Povetkin.
If Wilder wants a replacement for Povetkin, he could do worse than giving Stiverne a rematch. The pairing wouldn't be met with huge enthusiasm, but under the circumstances, it would be a respectable choice.
3. David Haye
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David Haye was one of the most dominant cruiserweight champions of this century and held the WBA heavyweight belt from 2009 until 2011, when he dropped it to Wladimir Klitschko. He retired for three-and-a-half years, from July 2012 until this past January. But if he's truly back and healthy, he has to be viewed as among the division's most dangerous fighters.
The WBC has him ranked at No. 8, so he would make a good replacement for Povetkin. He'd be giving up length and height to Wilder, but he has the speed and power to be a serious threat.
Haye has undefeated Arnold Gjergjaj scheduled this weekend in London. But under the circumstances, Gjergjaj would probably take step-aside money in order to wait for a future title shot.
2. Luis Ortiz
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Luis Ortiz fought in March, stopping Tony Thompson in six rounds. That was not a particularly difficult night of work for the undefeated Cuban, and I suspect he has stayed in something close to fighting shape. So I expect he would jump at a chance to fight Wilder on short notice.
I have my doubts about Wilder's people signing off on Ortiz, though, without a huge outcry from the public demanding it. Ortiz would be an extremely dangerous opponent for the WBC champion.
Personally, I'd pick Ortiz against any heavyweight on the planet right now. He's a big heavyweight with very good athleticism and throws jolting punches with both hands, from a variety of angles.
I was pretty excited for Wilder vs. Povetkin. But if Wilder opted to replace Povetkin with "The Real King Kong," it would be an even more intriguing matchup.
1. Wait for Alexander Povetkin
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At this point, the best choice for Deontay Wilder might be to simply wait and see if his bout with Alexander Povetkin can be salvaged. It's important to note the fight has only been postponed at this point.
In his ESPN.com story, Dan Rafael quoted WBC president Maurico Sulaiman as saying he would release a final statement on the issue in the "coming days."
This fight was going to be by far the biggest test of Wilder's career. Having it pulled off the schedule less than a week out has to have been emotionally taxing.
Waiting for a short delay to finally fight Povetkin could be the best choice. Wilder would possibly go into the eventual bout even more motivated than before.
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