Heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder will be allowed to take an optional title defense because his mandatory defense against Alexander Povetkin was called off, the WBC ruled on Wednesday.
Wilder was supposed to fight Povetkin in a highly anticipated bout on May 21 at the Khodynka Ice Palace in Moscow. However, a week before the fight was scheduled to take place, it was called off when Povetkin, 36, tested positive for the banned substance meldonium in a random urine test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
"In relation to challenger Povetkin's test result, the WBC is conducting an in-depth investigation and evaluation of the situation. Further WBC rulings will be forthcoming," WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said in a statement. "In the meantime, the WBC hereby rules that in light of the fact that the bout with challenger Povetkin did not take place as scheduled, WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder has the right to make a voluntary defense of his title as reasonably soon as possible."
Wilder, 30, had put in a full training camp and was ready to fight, so he does not want that camp to go to waste, nor did he want to sit out for an extended period while the WBC figures out what to do about a mandatory challenger.
Wilder was pleased by the WBC's ruling.
"I'm excited to get back in the ring, that's for sure so everything we worked hard for in the Povetkin camp wasn't in vain," Wilder told ESPN.com. "I still have the urge to fight. I didn't do all that for nothing. Somebody has to pay for it and it's going to be my next opponent."
Promoter Lou DiBella told ESPN.com that he and Wilder adviser Al Haymon will immediately turn their attention to lining up a fight for Wilder.
"Deontay went through a whole camp. He wants to get into the ring, so we are going to try to figure something out but I think it's a fair assumption to say he would fight this summer," DiBella said. "Obviously, you're not going to do a fight without television, so we need to see about that. We're turning our attention to it now that the ruling has been made.
"The WBC did the right thing. I'm pleased and gratified that they did the right thing. I think the WBC is stepping up with their clean boxing program. The WBC has to review everything, but they did the right thing not to handcuff their champion. Deontay wants to fight as often as possible. He has always said he wanted to be an active champion, so it was not an option for him to sit out a long time when this fight fell through. So we want to get something done as soon as possible."
Wilder said his hope is that his team can set up a fight for him as soon as possible, ideally before August.
"I'm always in shape. I'm always ready," Wilder said. "I had a hell of a camp for this fight (against Povetkin) and I still feel in shape. So I want to fight as soon as possible. I'll let my team handle that and picking an opponent as well. I want to give the fans something so I definitely want a top opponent.
"Hopefully we can get a great date and a great opponent. We understand it's short notice but some heavyweight out there is going to get the call, so if you're in the top 10 be ready."
Meldonium is the same drug tennis star Maria Sharapova and many other athletes recently tested positive for. It is used to increase blood flow and carry more oxygen to muscles and, therefore, is said to enhance stamina, a trait boxers would want in a long fight.
Povetkin said he last used meldonium in September, which is when it was approved to be added to the banned substance list by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The ban went into effect on Jan. 1. Povetkin's admission to using the drug in September does not line up with his test results. He was randomly tested by VADA on April 7, April 8 and April 11, and each of those tests came back negative for any banned substances. But his test on April 27 was positive for meldonium.
Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs), a 2008 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was supposed to make his fourth title defense against Russia's Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs), a 2004 Olympic gold medalist. Povetkin loomed as Wilder's most significant opponent, and the fight is one of the most significant that could be made in the heavyweight division.