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Klitschko "not interested" in giant Valuev
from secondsout.com
By Ant Evans: Newly crowned IBO/IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has immediately set himself the goal of re-unifying the sport's fragmented flagship division, hoping unity will create some genuine interest in the big man scene.
However, according to business manager Bernd Boente, a fight with WBA champion Nicolay Valuev - another Eastern Block fighter who is a huge draw in Germany - is not high on Dr Steel Hammer agenda. The sheer spectacle of the 6ft 6inch, 245lbs, Klitschko colliding in the ring with the 7ft 2inch, 325lbs 'Beast from the East' would be enough to make the unification fight as big at the box office as it would be in terms of the sheer size of the combatants.
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But Russian born Valuev, who fights Owen Beck in what is expected to be an easy first defense in Hannover, Germany, in June, is not at Klitschko's level, according to Team Wlad.
Boente told SecondsOut: "I really don't know if that (fight with Valuev) is such a big fight outside of Germany. Valuev is lucky his fights haven't been shown in the US because he hasn't really been winning them. If he fought in America or on HBO the way he fought against John Ruiz or Larry Donald (his last two fights) he would be booed and booed from the second round. He is not exciting or interesting to watch.
"The fans around the world would not accept that sort of a fight, I don't think."
Klitschko became the man in the division last weekend, when he crushed Chris Byrd in seven brutal rounds. More than any other heavyweight since the retirement of his big brother, Vitali, Klitschko had made a statement that there was a fighter amongst the big men who could not only hold on to his title (which Byrd had done) but also excite the interest of the wider public.
Much of the sport - and especially HBO - are hoping that Klitschko can now finally become the heavyweight champion he's always threatened to become ever since he took Olympic gold in Atlanta a decade ago.
Some are even daring to whisper that Klitschko, aided by Manny Steward, could become as good as Lennox Lewis was.
But Boente said: "These are big words to live up to. Lennox Lewis was a great, great champion who achieved a great deal in boxing over many years. Wladimir is just taking his career one step at a time. We are confident Wladimir is the best heavyweight in the world but he has to prove it one fight at a time."
from secondsout.com
By Ant Evans: Newly crowned IBO/IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has immediately set himself the goal of re-unifying the sport's fragmented flagship division, hoping unity will create some genuine interest in the big man scene.
However, according to business manager Bernd Boente, a fight with WBA champion Nicolay Valuev - another Eastern Block fighter who is a huge draw in Germany - is not high on Dr Steel Hammer agenda. The sheer spectacle of the 6ft 6inch, 245lbs, Klitschko colliding in the ring with the 7ft 2inch, 325lbs 'Beast from the East' would be enough to make the unification fight as big at the box office as it would be in terms of the sheer size of the combatants.
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But Russian born Valuev, who fights Owen Beck in what is expected to be an easy first defense in Hannover, Germany, in June, is not at Klitschko's level, according to Team Wlad.
Boente told SecondsOut: "I really don't know if that (fight with Valuev) is such a big fight outside of Germany. Valuev is lucky his fights haven't been shown in the US because he hasn't really been winning them. If he fought in America or on HBO the way he fought against John Ruiz or Larry Donald (his last two fights) he would be booed and booed from the second round. He is not exciting or interesting to watch.
"The fans around the world would not accept that sort of a fight, I don't think."
Klitschko became the man in the division last weekend, when he crushed Chris Byrd in seven brutal rounds. More than any other heavyweight since the retirement of his big brother, Vitali, Klitschko had made a statement that there was a fighter amongst the big men who could not only hold on to his title (which Byrd had done) but also excite the interest of the wider public.
Much of the sport - and especially HBO - are hoping that Klitschko can now finally become the heavyweight champion he's always threatened to become ever since he took Olympic gold in Atlanta a decade ago.
Some are even daring to whisper that Klitschko, aided by Manny Steward, could become as good as Lennox Lewis was.
But Boente said: "These are big words to live up to. Lennox Lewis was a great, great champion who achieved a great deal in boxing over many years. Wladimir is just taking his career one step at a time. We are confident Wladimir is the best heavyweight in the world but he has to prove it one fight at a time."
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