Klitschko's Manager Says Unfinished Contract Led To 2017 Jump

By Vadim Pushkin

Bernd Boente, manager of Wladimir Klitschko, says his fighter could have still went forward with a planned fight for December 10th - but because there was no finalized opponent, they decided it was best to postpone the fight date to 2017. 

Klitschko was in talks to face IBF champion Anthony Joshua on the December date in Manchester, and he was also in talks to face Lucas Browne on the same date in Germany.

Both deals were held up by the World Boxing Association, who kept postponing their final decision as to which fight they were planning to sanction.

On Monday it was revealed that Klitschko had suffered a minor calf injury, which only required that he stayed off the leg for a few days and then he would have been capable of resuming training.

With the December date getting closer and closer, and no deal in sight with either fighter (or a decision from the WBA), Klitschko felt it was best to fight next spring.

"Wladimir suffered a strained muscle in the calf. It was nothing bad, but he needs to briefly pause [training] for a few days. If we had already finished the fight contract, then he could have boxed in December," Boente said.

"It is now better that Wladimir properly recovers. He has already prepared himself twice in vain to fight Tyson Fury."

Klitschko lost the WBA belt to Fury last November, along with the IBF/WBO/IBO titles. The rematch was canceled twice. Fury withdrew in July with an ankle injury and then withdrew from their October date, with a mental health issue. Fury has since vacated all of his titles and his license was suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control for admittedly abusing recreational drug cocaine.