By Vadim Pushkin

According to World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman, the fight between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35KOs) and mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22KOs) will likely take place on a date in May or June.

Povetkin and his promoter traveled to the United States last week to sit ringside on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where they watched Wilder retain his title with a ninth round knockout of Artur Szpilka.

Povetkin became a mandatory challenger last year after knocking out Mike Perez in a single round. He then came back in November to stop Polish giant Mariusz Wach in the twelfth round.

Sulaiman says the two sides are now in the 30 day negotiations period. If they are unable to reach a deal in 30 days, the WBC will ordered a purse bid.

"The next fight will absolutely see Wilder against the mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin. Right now there is a negotiating process in which the parties have 30 days [to reach a deal]. I think the fight will take place in May or June," Sulaiman said.

The biggest hurdle for the sides to overcome is not the money, but the location of the contest. Wilder and his team want the fight in the United States. Povetkin and his promoter want the contest in Russia. The challenger is open to the idea of fighting in the United States - under the right circumstances. At the moment both sides confirm the negotiations are going well and without any immediate issues.