By Dan Ambrose: IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (59-3, 50 KO’s) is rumored to be facing #5 WBA, #12 WBC, Fres Oquendo (35-7, 23 KO’s) on April 6th in Hanover, Germany in an optional title defense for Wladimir. He was ordered by the World Boxing Association to defend his title against WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin, but Wladimir asked and was given permission by the WBA to squeeze in an optional title defense before the Povetkin fight.
If Wladimir faces Oquendo rather than a younger, arguably more talented heavyweight, it will give some boxing fans the impression that Wladimir is just milking his titles at this point in his career. Wladimir has had it really easy since his unification fight against David Haye two years ago. Since that fight, Wladimir has beaten 39-year-old Jean Marc Mormeck, 40-year-old Tony Thompson and Mariusz Wach.
All of the fights were considered terrible mismatches going in, and fans wondered why Wladimir was choosing to face weak opposition instead of higher ranked fighters like Kubrat Pulev.
Oquendo is 39-years-old and it’s been quite a while since he beat a heavyweight with a name. The last arguably decent heavyweight Oquendo beat was 10 years ago when he defeated a young Maurice Harris. Oquendo’s other big wins during his career was against Clifford Ettiene and David Izon back in 2001. That’s an awful long time ago, and he’s not done a lot since then aside from beating 2nd tier opposition. Oquendo has lost two out of his last five fights.
Oquendo previously fought for world titles against Chris Byrd and John Ruiz in back to back fights in 2003 and 2004, losing to both of them.
If Wladimir does face Oquendo on April 6th, it’s really unclear what he would hope to gain from the fight. You would think that someone like Odlanier Solis, Denis Boytsov, Alexander Dimitrenko or Tyson Fury would be a much more entertaining fight for the German boxing fans.
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