By John F. McKenna (McJack): The camp of Russian (regular) World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (22-0, 15 KO’s) is accusing British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (16-0, 11 KO’s) of ducking the new champion. Kalle Sauerland, Povetkin’s promoter, claims that Fury had the opportunity to contend for Povetkin’s crown on December 3 but turned down the offer.
Povetkin will fight 42 year old American Cedric Boswell (31-1, 24 KO’s) instead. Fury opted to take on Canadian heavyweight champion Neven Pajkic (16-0, 5 KO’s) on November 12. Sauerland said that the offer for Povetkin to take on Fury remains on the table for the spring.
Sauerland was quoted in the Daily Mirror saying:
“We would love to make that fight and I had offered him the December date, but they didn’t seem to fancy it too much. Perhaps we can now discuss next spring. First Alexander needs to take care of a very tough challenger in Cedric Boswell on December 3.”
Povetkin taunted Fury over his claims that he could take the new champion out. In response to the taunts, Alexander had this to say:
“I’m ready to defend my belt against every challenger out there. But I must admit I’m not overly scared by comments from someone whose biggest hit to date has been a Youtube video where he punches himself in the face. Right now all my focus is on Cedric Boswell.”
Povetkin of course is referring to the Youtube video which shows Fury punching himself during the follow through after landing a right uppercut.
It is interesting that Povetkin’s German based promoter Sauerland would make the accusation that Tyson Fury is ducking him. Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (56-3, 49 KO’s) has been hurling the same accusation at Alexander for the past couple of years. In 2009 Povetkin was slated to fight Klitschko but failed to appear at a scheduled press conference to hype the fight. It was later revealed by Povetkin’s American trainer Teddy Atlas that Alexander pulled out of the fight because Atlas felt that he needed more seasoning before talking on Vladimir.
Evidently the Povetkin camp after two years time has elapsed, still feels that Alexander is not ready for Klitschko. After Wladimir’s one sided win over David Haye in July he was elevated to the status of “Super” WBA champion.
Klitschko’s “regular” WBA title was declared vacant by the World Boxing Association governing body. The stage was then set for a heavyweight title fight for the vacant “regular” WBA crown. Povetkin won the “regular” WBA title in August when he defeated Ruslan Chagaev.
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