By Luke Furman

Russia's Alexander Povetkin said he is still hoping to secure a fight with the world heavyweight champion of the World Boxing Council [WBC], Deontey Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs).

He was scheduled to challenge Wilder for the world title in May 2016, but it was canceled a few days before the fight after Povetkin came up positive for traces of banned substance meldonium. The substance was legal to take up until January of 2016, with Povetkin camp claiming he was taking it in the fall of 2015 - when it was still legal.

Because there was some doubt over when Povetkin took the meldonium, the WBC did not suspend him and approved a showdown with former world champion Bermane Stiverne for the interim WBC heavyweight title. Stiverne previously held the WBC title losing his first defence to Wilder. The winner would eventually go on to challenge Wilder.

Povetkin is scheduled to fight again next month, in a bout with Christian Hammer in a WBO final eliminator. The winner will get a fight against world champion Joseph Parker.

Despite going the WBO route, Povetkin is still hoping to face Wilder.

"I do not count on it, but I hope that this fight will be held, for this I must probably justify myself to the end. In principle, I want this fight," Povetkin told journalists about the fact that he want Wilder, but does not expect it to happen.

Alexey Titov, the Executive Director of RCC Boxing Promotions and the organizer of the fight between Povetkin with Christian Hammer on December 15, questions the validity of the drug tests with respect to Wilder's fights.

"Wilder in general is a very interesting story. There was no fight with Alexander last year, and (Luis) Ortiz did not fight Wilder this year. Whenever a strong opponent appears, he suddenly has a failed drug test - it just happens like that," Titov said.

Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org.