Fresh off a win against Polish Artur Szpilka in New York, Deontay Wilder has to take on mandatory WBC challenger, former heavyweight champion Russian Alexander Povetkin. Wilder, however, has another challenger: WBO and WBA champion Tyson Fury.
His Szpilka match was not an easy win. According to Boxing News, Wilder explained his struggle as a matter of adjusting to Szpilka. "With Szpilka, he was more mobile, he was slicker. I haven't faced a southpaw for three years so it took me a bit more time to adjust than I thought I would," Fury said. "It's been a year that my hand's been sore. But now it's back, it's 100% and I'm still a dangerous fighter."
Apparently undaunted and celebrating his victory, Deontay Wilder is eagerly looking forward to meeting Povetkin in the ring. "I'm super confident for [the Povetkin] fight. I've been waiting for a very long time and I'm looking forward to him," the fighter stated. "I've got a lot of voluntaries out the way and I'm looking forward to my mandatory. I'm glad that he was here to take notes and stuff like that. We all know that styles make fights."
Sky Sports reports, however, that during an interview with Boxing Scene, Povetkin's team was less than impressed by Wilder's win. "In this contest, Wilder did not show anything interesting. At the beginning of the fight, Szpilka was doing quite well. Then he began to behave in a nonsensical manner and was punished for it," Povetkin's promoter Andrei Ryabinski pointed out.
"He showed off, had his left hand really low - and these are things you cannot do. This is not a situation where you show off. This is not a show. He needed to hold his hands up high."
Whether the match takes place on Russian soil or in America is yet to be seen. Wilder is reluctant to fight overseas and thinks Povetkin should think about taking the match Stateside.
Deontay Wilder will, however, take the fight to Manchester to confront Tyson Fury. Wilder is more determined than ever to fight Fury after the latter showed him up in the ring after knocking out Artur Szpilka. The exchange between the boxers went this way:
"There's only one Tyson Fury," challenged Fury. "What have you got to say about that Deontay?"
According to The Mirror, Wilder did not back down. "You can run around like a preacher, but I will baptize you," Wilder responded, saying he will make the fight happen even if it meant going to Manchester. "We all know Fury is just a phony. This is just an act," the American fighter added.
"We'll come to your backyard. This is just an act - you're not a real fighter. I don't play," Wilder continued. "This isn't wrestling. This isn't the WWE. When you do step in that ring with me I promise you I will baptize you."
Wilder later on explained that although he knew of Fury's fondness for entertainment and promotion, something that he appreciates, the challenger caught him at a bad time. "You've got a man on the ground, he's hurt. He might be good right now but we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I just wasn't in the mood," Deontay mused. "Fury's just being Fury. He's unpredictable."
After the words have been said, Deontay Wilder knew he would have to walk the talk. He says that he will walk it without any regret. "I'm going to want to really, really hurt him," Wilder promised.
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