By Jason Kim: This Saturday night IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (58-3, 50 KO’s) steps inside the ring to face one of the bigger punchers in his career against the huge 6’7 1/2″ Mariusz Wach (27-0, 15 KO’s) at the O2 World Arena, in Hamburg, Germany. Wladimir, 36, cannot afford to overlook Wach because this guy has major world level power in his right hand and is capable of knocking anyone out in the division if he can land his big money punch.
Wach is still the unfinished product because he lacks defensive skills, a jab, left hand and the ability to move quickly. For that reason few boxing fans are seeing him as having a chance of winning this fight. However, he’s got the chance of winning because of that right hand of his that can be a game changer.
Wladimir hasn’t been shielded from big punchers during his career, but he certainly hasn’t been looking to fight any of them lately since his win over the much smaller 6’2,” 210 lb David Haye a year ago. Wladimir has taken it easy since then in beating Jean Marco Mormeck and Tony Thompson, neither of which can punch at all. But on Saturday night Wladimir will be facing a guy that can not only punch but who also will have the height and reach to tough Wladimir with his power shots without having to take shots to get in range.
Wladimir won’t be able to dominate Wach with his jab like he’s done against shorter guys because Wach has the reach to answer Wladimir’s jabs with big right hands. If Wladimir does anything in this fight he does it at his own peril because Wach can finish him off if Wladimir leaves an opening while throwing a shot.
Wach has a two year knockout string going and is looking to extend that on Saturday night against the weak-chinned Klitschko. Wach will be looking to find Wladimir to take him quickly in order to keep from getting pounded by his big power shots.
One thing about Wach that you have to like in this fight is his willingness to mix it up when he’s hit hard. Wach doesn’t doesn’t hesitate to go after his opponents when he’s hit hard and you can expect him to do that with Wladimir on Saturday.
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