Alexander Povetkin vs. Taurus Sykes on July 19th

povetkin333535351.jpgBy Erik Schmidt: In a stay busy fight, IBF #1 heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin (15-0, 11 KOs) fights Taurus Sykes (25-4-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round bout on July 19th at the Olimpyskiy Sports Palace, in Chekhov, Russia. This is a fight that isn’t expected to be a competitive one, nor is it planned on being one for that matter, as Povetkin, 28, is waiting around for a fight with IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, which if everything goes alright (Wladimir doesn’t lose to Thompson this Saturday), then we should be seeing Wladimir take on Povetkin sometime later on this year.

Sykes, 33, is mostly known for his losses to Samuel Peter (a 2nd round TKO), Derek Bryant (4th round TKO loss), and a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Hasim Rahman in his last fight in June 2007. He’s got overall skills, but doesn’t have the power or the size, at 6’2″ 238 lbs, to compete with the better heavyweights in the division. In terms of size, Sykes is roughly the same size as Povetkin, yet he doesn’t have nearly the same excellent work rate or the heavy hands that Povetkin possess.

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Alexander Povetkin Reminds Wladimir Klitschko That He Still Owes Him a Fight

povetkin435453.jpgBy Erik Schmidt: Yesterday in Hamburg, Germany, at IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s press conference for this Saturday’s bout with Tony Thompson, a large double-decker bus rolled up to the meeting, filled with Russian models, and a large sign outside of the bus saying “Klitschko – I want you,” along with a recorded message from Klitschko’s IBF # 1 contender Alexander Povetkin, telling Klitschko not to lose on Saturday to Thompson, because Klitschko still owes him a fight. The idea of the bus and the models was done on behalf of Povetkin, who has been waiting for a title shot against Klitschko since defeating American heavyweight Eddie Chambers in a 12-round unanimous decision on January 26th, in the IBF Heavyweight Title Eliminator bout in Berlin, Germany.

In the tournament, which Povetkin won, he defeated former IBF heavyweight champion Chris Byrd, as well, stopping him in the 11th round in October 2007. However, instead of Wladimir immediately giving Povetkin the fight that he had rightfully earned by virtue of having won the IBF tournament eliminator, Wladimir instead opted to take on Tony Thompson, the WBO mandatory challenger, and the fighter that many boxing fans and experts feel is the lesser fighter than Povetkin.

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Povetkin vs. Sykes On July 19th

By Jason Kim: In a stay busy fight, number #1 ranked IBF challenger undefeated Alexander Povetkin (15-0, 11 KOs) will face journeyman fighter Taurus Sykes (25-4-1, 7 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round bout on July 19th at the Olimpyskiy Sports Palace, in Chekhov, Russia. Povetkin, 28, has been forced to wait on IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, who instead of defending his IBF heavyweight title against the well deserving Povetkin, he’s opted instead to take on what many boxing fans and experts feel is the easier fight against heavyweight Tony Thompson, Wladimir’s #1 ranked contender for his WBO heavyweight title.

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IBF Gives Klitschko The Exception To Fight Thompson

wladimir464641.jpgBy Eric Thomas: In a move that comes to no surprise to me, the IBF has decided to give IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (50-3, 44 KOs) an exception to bypass his IBF mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin (15-0, 11 KOs), in which case Klitschko will now be able to go ahead with his plans to defend his WBO title against the number # 1 mandatory challenger, Tony Thompson (31-1, 19 KOs), about which will likely take place in July.

Wladimir Klitschko, 32, is reportedly ecstatic with the news of the decision, though it’s unclear why it would make much difference to him since he’ll have to defend against Povetkin sooner or later, and gives the appearance that Wladimir is for some reason avoiding having to fight him until he absolutely has to. According to Wladimir, he wants to fight Thompson first because he’s been waiting longer than Povetkin. Thompson, just to be clear, has been waiting for his title shot for a year, while Povetkin has only been waiting since January 26th, since defeating Eddie Chambers to win the IBF tournament to decide on who Klitschko’s mandatory challenger would be.

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Klitschko Turns Down Offer From Povetkin

povetkin45343.jpgBy Dan Ambrose: In the latest boxing news, IBF heavyweight champion Wladmir Klitschko (50-3, 44 KOs) has reportedly turned down an offer of five million Euro to fight his #1 challenger for his IBF title Alexander Povetkin, according to Bild Zeitung, a German paper. If the story is indeed true, then it means Wladimir has turned down $7 million in U.S dollars to face Povetkin. Klitschko instead is aiming at fighting American Tony Thompson (31-1, 19 KOs), Wladimir’s number #1 challenger for his newly won WBO heavyweight title. Thompson, 36, appears to be the easier option than having to face Povetkin, which perhaps is why Klitschko may be holding off on facing him for the time being.

Klitschko has no option in the future if he wants to continue to hold onto the IBF title due to Povetkin being the mandatory for the title. However, it looks as if Wladimir wants to knock out one more easy fight before having to face the prospects of fighting Povetkin, who would no doubt doubt be a very tough opponent for the 32 year-old Klitschko. It’s doubtful that Wladimir will get anything close to seven million for fighting Thompson, but then again he doesn’t present the same kind of danger that Povetkin does, meaning that Wladimir could get a decent payday against him before taking the Povetkin fight which will considerably more.

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Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tony Thompson: What About Povetkin?

wladimir575744.jpgBy Nate Anderson: With yesterday’s news of IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (50-3, 44 KOs) to fight his #1 mandatory for his WBO crown, Tony Thompson (31-1, 19 KOs) next, where does that leave Klitschko’s number one mandatory for his IBF title, Alexander Povetkin? It seems to me that Povetkin just finished winning the right to fight Klitschko next, after Alexander won the IBF tournament to decide who the mandatory challenger would be for Klitschko’s title. Povetkin went through hell to defeat both Chris Byrd and Eddie Chambers, with the assumption that he’d be Wladimir’s next opponent.

However, instead of facing Povetkin, Klitschko is making him cool his heals a little longer while Klitschko goes out and fights the 36 year-old Thompson – his mandatory for his newly won WBO title. I don’t know about you people, but that strikes me as being unfair to Povetkin, for he worked hard winning those fights thinking that he’d get a shot at Klitschko’s title, only to find out he has to take a back seat while Klitschko defends against the mandatory for a new title.

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Should Klitschko Face Peter-Maskaev Winner Rather Than Povetkin?

wladimir33322.jpgBy John Dower: After watching the new International Boxing Federation mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin (15-0, 11 KOs) struggle against American Eddie Chambers (30-1, 16 KOs) last Saturday night in Berlin, Germany, I’m starting to re-think the wisdom of IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (49-3, 44 KOs) of facing Povetkin when/if Wladimir defeats WBO heavyweight title holder Sultan Ibragimov next month on February 23rd. I’ve come to the conclusion that Povekin, 28, would be a mistake for Wladimir to fight, since Povetkin is clearly not ready for him, showing mostly average skills in struggling to beat Chambers, but worst of all, the fight will do nothing to enhance Klitschko’s reputation.

I see this fight going much like Wladimir’s 3rd round TKO destruction of an over-matched Ray Austin in March 2007. In fact, I think Austin might have the skills and size to beat Povetkin if they were to ever meet. A far better opponent than Povetkin, I think, would be for Klitschko to face the winner of WBC heavyweight champions Oleg Maskaev vs. Samuel Peter, a fight which takes place on March 8th. Most people safely assume that the winner of that bout with be Nigerian knockout artist Samuel Peter (29-1, 22 KOs), who Klitschko already defeated by an exciting 12-round unanimous decision in September 2005.

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Does Povetkin Have A Chance Against Klitschko?

Last night, Alexander Povetkin (15-0, 11 KOs) earned the right to be the mandatory for the International Boxing Federation title with his victory over Eddie Chambers. However, it’s still too early to tell whether it will be Wladimir Klitschko, the current IBF heavyweight champion, or Sultan Ibragimov, who Wladimir will be fighting on February 23rd at Madison Square Garden. Most people safely assume that it will be Klitschko, 31, who will be the winner of the fight, for he has all the factors in the fight in his favor – height, reach, power, skill and boxing ability.

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Povetkin Decisions Chambers, Earns Shot At Klitschko

povetkin33222.jpgBy Eric Schmidt: In an outcome that came to no surprise, Alexander Povetkin (15-0, 11 KOs) outworked Eddie Chambers (30-1, 16 KOs) through course of their 12-round bout, beating him by a unanimous decision tonight in Berlin, Germany. After a good start in the first three round, in which he landed some good shots to the head of Povetkin, Chambers, 25, only showed brief glimpses of offense the rest of the way. The final judges’ scores were 117-111, 119-109, 116-112.

It seemed that after the fourth round, Chambers was for all practical purposes finished for the fight, doing little the against Povekin for the remainder of the bout. Povetkin, of course, did what he always does, namely, throw tons of punches. In each round, he walk come right at Chambers, showing little fear from him, and throwing numerous punches. Povetkin moves forward with this win to a future showdown with International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

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Chambers-Povetkin: Power vs. Speed

povetkin-chambers33.jpgBy Chris Thomas: undefeated heavyweights Eddie Chambers (30-0, 16 KOs) and Alexander Povetkin (14-0, 11 KOs) mix it up on Saturday night in the International Boxing Federation eliminator bout at the Tempodrom, Kreuzberg, in Berlin, Germany. The winner of the bout has the pleasure of facing the victor of next months bout between IBF heavyweight title holder Wladimir Klitschko and WBO champion Sultan Ibragimov. It’s not likely to be Ibragimov that will emerge the winner of that bout, considering that Klitschko is the larger, faster, powerful and by far the more accomplished fighter of the two. Chambers, 25, ranked #1 in the IBF, seems hardly ready, should he defeat Povetkin on Saturday, for a bout with Klitschko.

However, the heavyweight division is so bad right now that Chambers and Povetkin are about the best their is. Unfortunately, there seems to be a wide gulf between them and Wladimir, with the winner of the IBF tournament seeming to be nothing more than cannon fodder for Wladimir. At this stage, it appears likely that it will be Povetkin, since he’s the bigger fighter, more powerful, and has a busier style than Chambers.

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