By Alexey Sukachev

On May 21, WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) will test the deepest waters of his ten-year boxing career when he risks his title against powerful #1 contender Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) in the challenger’s backyard in Moscow, Russia.

Former WBC cruiserweight champion Grigory Drozd, who is now the WBC champion “in recess”, is the teammate of Russia’s only super heavyweight Olympic gold medalist, and he will be watching the upcoming showdown with a lot of interest.

“What is my prediction on the upcoming match-up? I do think that Alexander Povetkin will come out as a winner of this showdown," wrote Drozd on his Facebook account.

“And I'm not saying because we are friends, but just because Povetkin has a very solid chance to get the job done. First, he has vastly improved since his loss to Wladimir Klitschko. With his new coach he has undergone an awesome transformation by becoming a better fighter”.

“Second, I think that Wilder’s style is tailor-made for the Russian. I see it as 60/40 for Povetkin. I can really see it even 70/30 in his favour but I respect Wilder not to make such odds, he is a very strong person indeed, and Alexander is just a contender”.

“By taking into account his rich career, his superior level of opposition, I see that Povetkin is better equipped for winning the title. He is technically better than the American is, and his experience is superior to that of Wilder. He has been here before. Even his loss to Klitschko was a learning experience. Povetkin will undeniably be a favorite in this fight”.