Povetkin vs Wawrzyk results: Alexander Povetkin retains in three

It was easier than expected work today in Moscow for Alexander Povetkin, and the work wasn't exactly expected to be difficult. The 33-year-old WBA "regular' heavyweight titleholder retained his belt in three rounds, dropping Poland's Andrzej Wawrzyk a trio of times to earn the mercy stoppage.

Povetkin (26-0, 18 KO) found a tentative opponent in the opening round, and Wawzyk (27-1, 13 KO) simply looked well outclassed from the opening bell. The Pole didn't commit to anything he threw, and threw little. In the second round, Povetkin turned up the heat, flooring Wawrzyk on a big right hand that came over the top of a lazy, almost skittish jab attempt.

The knockdown was hard enough that there was a quick feeling referee Russell Mora would stop the fight there, but it continued, and Wawrzyk managed to make it out of the round. That, however, would be the last success he had in the fight.

In the third, Povetkin unleashed a flurry that busted Wawrzyk's nose, bloodying his overwhelmed face and making even more clear the level of total mismatch that was on display. Moments after that knockdown, Wawrzyk was down again, and Mora made the easy and very correct decision to end the nonsense.

Povetkin may now step up to the plate against Wladimir Klitschko in September, as there is a huge money purse bid down from Povetkin's manager Vladimir Hryunov. If that $23 million comes through, then that fight should certainly happen, given it would be a career payday for both men, if I am not mistaken. (I may be mistaken on Wladimir Klitschko's side, but I'm not sure.) That's really the only fight out there right now in the entire division that I think stirs up any new interest -- Povetkin, of course, will (or would) be the underdog, and few would expect him to win or pose a serious threat, but he's the last guy left who is in his prime, is as ready as he's going to get, and hasn't already been trampled by a Klitschko brother.