Povetkin Talks Oruh, Briggs' Chance To Beat Klitschko
By Ruslan Chikov
On Saturday in Russia, 2004 Olympic gold medal winner Alexander Povetkin will return to the ring against Nigerian boxer Teke Oruh. Povetkin tells Andrew Bazdrevu that he won't overlook the chances of his opponent. He doesn't give Shannon Briggs much of a chance to upset WBC champion Vitali Klitschko. Their fight also takes place on Saturday, but in Hamburg, Germany.
"I saw one fight with Oruh. He was a fighter with the character of someone who enters the ring to win. At least before he was like that. What he's developed into now, we will see on October 16. So I will not make any statement about the plan of attack, you will see for yourself," Povetkin said.
"Of course, from watching his fights, we have learned that he is an awkward, sprawling, skillfully tying the hands. He will attack, so I'll work with my counter-attacks. He likes to move back, so I'll have to move forward."
Do you perceive this as extremely serious?
"I honestly do not underestimate anybody and always take this seriously. I only relax a bit - that's all. Remember when Lennox Lewis fought the Croatian Mavrovich. Yes Lennox won but that wasn't his best fight."
For the older Klitschko's fight, with Shannon Briggs, which also happens on October 16th - what do you expect?
"It is unlikely that he will exhibit anything interesting. I don't expect anything from that fight. I only recently learned that he was even fighting on the 16th. Wladimir Klitschko's last fight, I also caught it by chance, somewhere around the sixth round. I watched a few rounds and that was it. I love boxing and I try to watch all of the fights, especially with our [Eastern European] boxers."
