By Mark Vester
Former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) appears to be taking a tuneup bout before facing the winner of the upcoming title bout between WBC champ Oleg Maskaev and Samuel Peter.
Klitschko has been inactive since December 2004, when he stopped Danny Williams in eighth rounds. Due to continuous injuries, he announced his retirement in November 2005 and vacated his WBC title. He officially announced that he was unretiring in January 2007.
It was reported by Dan Rafael that heavyweight contender Jameel McCline (38-7-3, 23 KOs) is at the top of the list of potential opponents. Shelly Finkel, who is Klitschko's adviser, told Rafael that McCline is one of the few guys available to take the fight, which is said to be taking place in Germany. The date has not been locked down, but September is their target.
"He's the leading available guy we're thinking of. We're working on it," Finkel said.
McCline was knocked out in ten rounds by the younger Klitschko, Wladimir, back in December of 2002. He made a decent account of himself in his last fight in January against then WBA heavyweight champ Nikolai Valuev. McCline would injure his left knee in the third round and was unable to continue. He had surgery on the left knee and told Rafael that it was fully healed.
"I think the fight is going to happen," McCline said. "I am very excited about getting the opportunity, especially the way things went in my last fight. I will be ready for the fight. My knee feels great."
Should McCline fall through, the report notes that DaVarryl Williamson and Roman Greenburg were other names being discussed.
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