By Allan Fox: If #1 WBO Denis Boytsov (33-0, 26 KO’s) can get past his opponent next month Alex Leapai (29-4-3, 24 KO’s) on November 23rd in Bamberg, Germany, Boytsov will be getting a title shot against IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. Boytsov, 27, has yet to face a top tier opponent during his 9-year pro career and he still won’t even after the Leapai fight. It doesn’t matter. Boytsov will be Wladimir’s WBO mandatory challenger, and that’ll give him the the title shot.
Wladimir is going to have a busy year in 2014 because he has a an IBF mandatory due against Kubrat Pulev, and then he has the WBO mandatory against Boytsov. It’s difficult to say which is the tougher fighter for him because both Boytsov and Pulev are far below Wladimir in the talent department and don’t have his speed, power, athleticism or experience.
In Boytsov’s last three fights, he’s beaten Oleksandr Nesterenko, Samir Kurtagic and Dominick Guinn. He doesn’t look as good or as youthful as he did three years ago when they first started talking about having him fight Wladimir. Boytsov is now fleshy, slower and he he doesn’t throw as many combinations as he did in his early 20s. For him, it’s a bad time for him to be facing Wladimir because he’s too small at 6’2″ 225 lbs. to be able to compete against the tall 6’6″ Wladimir. Boytsov is more like another version of Alexander Povetkin, but without the same ability to throw combinations that Povetkin has going for him.
Leapai, 34, captured the vacant WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title last year with a victory over Akmal Aslanov, and he’s won his last four fights after getting getting stopped in the 9th round by Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson last year in April. None of Leapai’s recent wins have come against recognizable opposition. Leapai’s biggest wins have come against journeyman Travis Walker, Darnell Wilson an Owen Beck. He’s never beaten a top contender before.
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