By Alexey Sukachev

Several days after K2 has won a purse bid to promote an IBF mandatory between unified WBO/IBF/IBO champion Wladimir Klitschko (54-3, 48 KOs) and his long-time IBF/WBO #1 and WBC #3 persecutor Alexander Povetkin (19-0, 14 KOs) this reporter contacted Alexander’s manager Vladimir Hryunov to know more about his protégé’s immediate plans.

“Sasha is doing fine. We are now in New Jersey, making initial preparations for an upcoming fight. Alexander will stay overseas, in America, till the end of July, and then we shall relocate to Europe to continue our preparations for an upcoming match-up in the Old World. Our masterful coach Teddy Atlas will also head to Europe to help Sasha to come into Wladimir’s fight at his best”.

About sparring sessions, “We are starting on Monday, July 5. We shall have a variety of sparring partners, but – sorry Alexey – I cannot reveal them to you right now. There will be at least two former world champions and we shall invite about ten classy boxers to help Povetkin prepare for the younger Klitschko”.

About tests on illegal substances, “I hope that Wladimir will agree on WADA standards for doping tests. We are now waiting for our formal contracts from Team Klitschko. As far as I know, Wladimir, as a world-class sportsman who he surely is, has already expressed his positive attitude to our initiative in one of his interviews. So, I’m looking forward to see this point in our final agreements”.

About an entire camp, “Everything is just as planned. We are doing fine and nothing bothers us. Come fight time and you will surely see Alexander at his best”.