By Allan Fox: IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (59-3, 50 KO’s) has an easy optional title defense coming up on May 4th against #9 WBO, #12 WBA Francesco Pianeta (28-0-1, 15 KO’s) in Mannheim, Germany.
Wladimir will be looking for his 60th win and 51st knockout of his career, and he has the perfect opponent for him to accomplish it in the feather-fisted 6’5” Pianeta.
Klitschko had the option of facing either Bryant Jennings or Pianeta, and he chose the path of least resistance by facing the unbeaten but incredibly untested Pianeta. At first glance it looks like a good fight when you look at how Pianeta has an unbeaten record, but when you look at the guys that Pianeta beat to build up his record, you come to the conclusion that he’s just someone that has been matched against weak opponents by design.
Pianeta has not looked good even against the weak opponents he’s faced. Pianeta has wins over Oliver McCall, Frans Botha and a number of other B level heavyweights. However, he’s not shined in any of the fights.
Wladimir received permission from the World Boxing Association to sidestep WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin specifically just to take this fight. Why needed to do that is anyone’s guess.
Why go through the trouble to dodge a better fight to face an obscure weak opponent like Pianeta? It just looks like Wladimir isn’t looking for the best fights because he should have taken the Porvektin fight or at least faced someone higher ranked and with better talent.
Pianeta has the size to be competitive with Wladimir, but he doesn’t have the power, speed or experience. He’s just a tall guy that plods around the ring, throwing shots without any power. I can understand why Pianeta’s promoters haven’t been in a hurry to put him in with anyone good because he’d have surely lost if they put him in with anyone with a semblance of skills.
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