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During the December 10th pre-fight conference of Wlad K vs Chisora, Dr. Wladimir Klitschko has made a closing remark that: "I will show Chisora the way home on Saturday..."
Perhaps spoken by any other boxer, this statement will not make one think of a pastor tending his misguided flock, or a stern father guiding the prodigal son back home, but given the background of the two men who will face each other in the ring on Saturday, these are the only images that have been conjured up in my mind. Let me explain.
First, Wladimir Klitschko posses a PhD, speak 4 languages, and is perhaps the nicest boxer to ever wear the crown of HW King. He is never angry, always professional, never curses, and has never been involved in any sort of unsavory or tawdry dealings outside the ring (unlike many boxers who have come before him). He and his brother run a charitable organization, which has partnered with UNESCO, to help disadvantaged children all over the world (including Chisora's native Zimbabwe).
Derrick "Del Boy" Chisora, the man facing him in the opposite corner on Saturday night, is the anti-thesis of Wladimir. He has been found guilty of assault on British constables, has bitten a boxer during a fight, kissed another fighter during a pre-fight stare down, and has been convicted of assault on his ex-girlfriend after finding texts on her cell phone from another man.
During the lead up to the fight on Saturday, there has been no shortage of words from both fighters. Naturally, the Zimbabwean-born Brit, started it all with disparaging statements regarding Wladimir's long-time girlfriend, Hayden Panitiere, including insinuations that he will make her his woman after Saturday night. Wladimir was not to keen on these statements and in response to Chisora's "Which do you love more, your belts, or your girlfriend?", Wlad responded; "I would love to paint your face with my fists."
But it seems now that Wladimir has increased the scope of his mission for December 11th. It seems that Wladimir has pre-ordained himself not only to teach "Del-Boy" a lesson in humility and to avenge his girlfriend's honor, but to fundamentally change Chisora as a person. Wladimir has stated: "I do not think he had the right upbringing... As a fighter, he is very talented, but as a person, he is garbage....He is a disgrace, no man should hit a woman, especially a pro-boxer.... I will teach him some things...I tell him now, please do not miss the post-fight press conference, because I will tell him things that need to be said to him."
He finally closed with the prophetic "I will show Chisora the way home on Saturday..." I don't know about many of you, but I never thought of Wladimir as a particularly religious man, perhaps because of his upbringing in the Soviet Union, where religion was discouraged, to put it mildly. But it seems that Wladimir is ready to take on a new title in addition to "Dr. Steelhammer", it seems like he is ready to be anointed as "Rev. Dr. Wladimir Klitschko".
Perhaps spoken by any other boxer, this statement will not make one think of a pastor tending his misguided flock, or a stern father guiding the prodigal son back home, but given the background of the two men who will face each other in the ring on Saturday, these are the only images that have been conjured up in my mind. Let me explain.
First, Wladimir Klitschko posses a PhD, speak 4 languages, and is perhaps the nicest boxer to ever wear the crown of HW King. He is never angry, always professional, never curses, and has never been involved in any sort of unsavory or tawdry dealings outside the ring (unlike many boxers who have come before him). He and his brother run a charitable organization, which has partnered with UNESCO, to help disadvantaged children all over the world (including Chisora's native Zimbabwe).
Derrick "Del Boy" Chisora, the man facing him in the opposite corner on Saturday night, is the anti-thesis of Wladimir. He has been found guilty of assault on British constables, has bitten a boxer during a fight, kissed another fighter during a pre-fight stare down, and has been convicted of assault on his ex-girlfriend after finding texts on her cell phone from another man.
During the lead up to the fight on Saturday, there has been no shortage of words from both fighters. Naturally, the Zimbabwean-born Brit, started it all with disparaging statements regarding Wladimir's long-time girlfriend, Hayden Panitiere, including insinuations that he will make her his woman after Saturday night. Wladimir was not to keen on these statements and in response to Chisora's "Which do you love more, your belts, or your girlfriend?", Wlad responded; "I would love to paint your face with my fists."
But it seems now that Wladimir has increased the scope of his mission for December 11th. It seems that Wladimir has pre-ordained himself not only to teach "Del-Boy" a lesson in humility and to avenge his girlfriend's honor, but to fundamentally change Chisora as a person. Wladimir has stated: "I do not think he had the right upbringing... As a fighter, he is very talented, but as a person, he is garbage....He is a disgrace, no man should hit a woman, especially a pro-boxer.... I will teach him some things...I tell him now, please do not miss the post-fight press conference, because I will tell him things that need to be said to him."
He finally closed with the prophetic "I will show Chisora the way home on Saturday..." I don't know about many of you, but I never thought of Wladimir as a particularly religious man, perhaps because of his upbringing in the Soviet Union, where religion was discouraged, to put it mildly. But it seems that Wladimir is ready to take on a new title in addition to "Dr. Steelhammer", it seems like he is ready to be anointed as "Rev. Dr. Wladimir Klitschko".
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