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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Sport
Lance Pugmire

Recovering Deontay Wilder vents about WBC's delay of Alexander Povetkin doping decision

Deontay Wilder is aware of the finger-wagging by Olympic swimmers scolding their peers linked to doping.

The world heavyweight champion wants to take it a step further with his potential next opponent, Alexander Povetkin, and punch him in the face.

"There you go. Now we're talking," Wilder said Thursday as he continues to recover and rehabilitate from a broken right hand and torn right biceps suffered in his July stoppage of Riverside's Chris Arreola.

World Boxing Council champion Wilder (37-0, 36 knockouts) expressed irritation that the WBC is taking so long to resolve its position on Povetkin.

The Russian's scheduled May fight in Moscow was postponed after the Las Vegas-based Voluntary Anti-Doping Association said he tested positive for the banned energy-boosting substance meldonium.

"I'm amazed it's taking so long to happen when they said they'd make a judgment in June. Here it is in August," Wilder said. "There's so much evidence on (Povetkin). It's obvious they cheated. They're cheaters.

"Even in the Olympics, the Russians are getting booed. No one should tolerate a cheater. We have zero tolerance for it. (The WBC) has a Clean Boxing Program, but what does a Clean Boxing Program mean if there's no consequences behind the actions?"

Wilder said he's still willing to fight Povetkin next, despite opposing lawsuits that have been filed over the scrapping of the bout.

"Once I heal up, I'm coming back in full force," Wilder said. "I'm coming to win all the belts. My goal is to be the unified champion. I don't need no tune-ups, no warm-ups. I'm going straight back to where I'm at."

The other belts belong to unbeaten Brit Anthony Joshua and countryman Tyson Fury, who has a fall rematch with Wladimir Klitschko.

"The healing is going very well. They say I'm moving on pretty fast because I'm an elite athlete," Wilder said. "The hand should heal in six weeks. The biceps is three to six months, but maybe three-four months to be healed completely."

Wilder said he intends to heal properly first, "to punch and throw the punches like I want to," and aims to return around March.

"I would love to fight Povetkin. It would light my fuse even more," Wilder said. "They knew I was a big threat coming to their country, that I wasn't going to be an easy test, so they did what powers do _ to use illegal, banned substance to give him an extra boost because they knew he was going to need it.

"I'm mobile, hostile, I throw more punches. ... He will get a real beatdown. Right now, I'm going to rest and recover and let God have the last say-so."

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