By Allan Fox: IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 52 KO’s) can forget about a unification fight against WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne, because the International Boxing Federation has ordered a purse bid on June 17th between Wladimir and the Sauerland Events promoted #1 IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KO’s), according to Germany news publication Bild.de.
Wladimir had been hoping to face Stiverne in order to try and capture his older brother Vitali Klitschko’s old WBC heavyweight belt. This is the only remaining title that is not in the possession of Wladimir, and he was hoping to take on the much smaller 6’2” Stiverne to pick up the strap. With the IBF ordering the purse bids between Wladimir and Pulev’s management, it complicates things for Wladimir, because he now has to take on the formidable 6’4 ½” Pulev next in a fight that is tentatively scheduled for September 6th at the O2 World Arena, Altona, Hamburg, Germany.
If Wladimir can win that fight, he might have to face the dangerous 6’7” Deontay Wilder (31-0, 31 KO’s) if he’s able to defeat Stiverne to capture his WBC title. Deontay is Stiverne’s WBC mandatory challenger, and with Wladimir forced to defend his title against Pulev next, it means that Stiverne and his promoter Don King won’t be able to make the argument to the IBF that they should be allowed to bypass the Deontay Wilder fight in order to take a unification fight against Wladimir. The sanctioning bodies frequently let fighters take unification bouts over mandatory defenses. But in this case, Wladimir’s hands are tied now that the IBF has ordered a purse bid between him and Pulev on June 17th.
Pulev has really improved in the past year with his punching power. He’s still not a powerful puncher when throwing head shots, but he’s developed power when throwing to the body now. He’s been hurting his opponents lately with hard body shots, and looking really good.
This could prove to be a very difficult fight for Wladimir to win, because Pulev has a jab every bit as good as Wladimir’s, and he’s almost as big as Wladimir. Pulev has the jab, size and punching power to give Wladimir a lot of difficulty.
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