By James Slater: Unbeaten Russian heavyweight star Alexander Povetkin has told website RT that he is definitely willing to face Wladimir Klitschko in the ring and that the only reason he never fought him when the fight was first set was because he was injured.
Annoyed at the talk that he is avoiding a fight with the Ring Magazine, WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO ruler, the WBA “regular” champ says the fight will happen “sooner or later.”
“Sometimes the Klitschko brothers claim I don’t want this fight,” Povetkin said. “Meanwhile, some people tell me that the Klitschko’s don’t want this fight. It doesn’t make any sense. Let it just be fair and square, it was only serious injuries that stopped me from fighting Wladimir, and all those who are close to me know that’s true. I hope we see each other in the ring sooner or later and settle our scores in the best way we can – by boxing.”
Interesting indeed. Most fans thought trainer Teddy Atlas prevented the fight with Wladimir from happening, by pulling his man out because he felt he simply wasn’t ready yet. Povetkin sure sounds as though he is ready now!
However, as fans may have read, it looks like it will be World Boxing Organization (WBO) cruiserweight boss Marco Huck next for Povetkin, with the 200-pounder currently bulking up for the fight. Povetkin told RT that he would prefer to see Huck fight interim WBA cruiser champ Denis Lebedev in a rematch next (a fight many fans also want to see, due to the close and debatable points win Huck picked up over Lebedev a while back) – but that he will fight Huck if he has to.
Povetkin is looking forward to facing Klitschko one day soon though, even briefly talking tactics for the fight:
“It’s hard to make predictions for this fight,” he said. “Of course, I will train hard to avoid his jab. It’s no secret I will have to break his defence and get inside. But it’s just words for now. Let’s wait for the fight and see the talk made real.”
Povetkin will be attempting a mighty task in trying to get inside Klitschko’s awesome left jab. No fighter of recent years has been able to do this – not fast guys like David Haye, slicksters like Eddie Chambers or power punchers like Sam Peter. Is Povetkin either big enough or fast enough to manage it?
Currently, Povetkin is arguably the most interesting opponent out there for “Dr. Steel Hammer,” even if he would enter the ring as a considerable underdog.