By Mark Vester

In order to adapt to the quicker hands of WBO heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov, IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko is using undefeated middleweight Andy Lee (14-0, 11KOs) for sparring purposes in his Florida-based training camp. Klitschko will be using Lee for a three-week period. They are no strangers to each other, both Klitschko and Lee are under the tutelage of trainer Emanuel Steward.

Klitschko will unify the heavyweight titles with Ibragimov at New York's Madison Square Garden on February 23. Lee is getting in some world class sparring before making the trip to Limerick for a scheduled fight on February 2.

"Where else would you get that kind of sparring with the heavyweight champion of the world," said Lee to independent.ie. "He outweighs me by several stone but it's no problem. It's all great experience."

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