The champion returns to Mannheim. IBF-, WBO- and IBO world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko will defend his titles against Russian Alexander Povetkin on December, 13, 2008 in the SAP ARENA in Mannheim, Germany. The 29-year-old Povetkin – known as „The white Lion“– won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He is unbeaten in his 16 professional fights (12 by KO) and the official IBF challenger. „I will get that belt. It is my turn, I am the future“, says Alexander Povetkin..
32-year-old Wladimir Klitschko, who was a gold medalist at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, is facing his 15th world championship fight. Klitschko, WBO-champion in 2000 – 2003, conquered the IBF and IBO belt in the SAP ARENA in Mannheim in 2006. In February 2008, he regained the WBO world championship when he beat Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden in New York, USA. His record is 51 wins (45 KOs) and three losses.
Wladimir Klitschko: „Alexander Povetkin is a very strong opponent. Both of us are Olympic champions. The fans can expect a great fight. I have good memories to the arena where I became world champion for the second time. The fans in the Mannheim area are great.”
Daniel Hopp, CEO of the SAP ARENA, is also looking forward to the return of Wladimir Klitschko to Mannheim. „He is the best heavyweight boxer in the world right now. I am thrilled about another great fight night in the arena”, says Hopp.
In Germany, the fight will be shown live and exclusively on RTL. HBO will broadcast the bout in the U.S.
Tickets for the Klitschko – Povetkin fight on December, 13, will be available from Monday, October, 20, 2008. Box office will be opened from 8 a.m. at the SAP Arena, entrance A and B. On the internet you can purchase tickets at www.saparena.de, via the ticket hotline +49 621 – 1819 0 333, at the ticketshop at the SAP ARENA, at Engelhorn Sport in Mannheim and at all local ticket agencies.