By Keith Idec
NEW YORK – Deontay Wilder expects to make a mandatory defense against Alexander Povetkin in his next fight.
The WBC heavyweight champion from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has no intention, though, of traveling to Russia to oppose Povetkin.
“I’ve done been to Russia,” Wilder said Sunday morning, following his ninth-round knockout of Artur Szpilka at Barclays Center. “It’s time to welcome him to the United States of America. I don’t think he’s fought here in America yet. And we all know to have that big name, you must get the American fans on your side. I’m looking forward to get him out of his zone and to come to America. It’s too cold in Russia.”
Except for one fight in Finland, Russia’s Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) has fought exclusively in Germany and Russia since making his pro debut in June 2005. The former WBA champion’s past six fights have taken place in Russia.
Andrey Ryabinsky, Povetkin’s wealthy Russian promoter, is open to bringing his fighter to the United States for the Wilder fight. If negotiations don’t result in a deal, however, Ryabinsky clearly could win a purse bid and bring the bout to Russia.
That’s what Ryabinsky did when he bid more than $23 million to bring the Povetkin-Wladimir Klitschko heavyweight championship unification fight to Moscow in October 2013.
Whenever and wherever Wilder-Povetkin takes place, the 30-year-old Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) is confident he’ll beat an experienced, powerful opponent who has knocked out each of his four opponents since Klitschko out-pointed him in their dull 12-rounder two years ago.
“I’m super-confident in that fight,” Wilder said. “I’ve been waiting for Povetkin for a very long time. … I’m glad he was here to take notes and stuff like that. We all know styles make fights and I’m looking forward to it. I’m very confident with him or anybody that I’m going to get in the ring with. My goal is to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, man. That’s my mission.”
When asked what Povetkin probably thought as he watched Wilder knock Szpilka (20-2, 15 KOs) unconscious with a crushing counter right hand from his ringside seat Saturday night, Wilder quipped, “Oh sh*t!”
Keith Idec covers boxing for The Record and Herald News, of Woodland Park, N.J., and krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.