By Ruslan Chikov

Former WBO heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich recently discussed his preparation for the upcoming battle with undefeated rising prospect Robert Helenius. Helenius and Liakhovich will take to the ring on August 27 in Erfurt, Germany in a doubleheader with Russia's Alexander Povetkin and Uzbekistan's Ruslan Chagaev fighting for the WBA's "regular" title.

Liakhovich says Helenius is difficult and his style is tricky but he is a beatable fighter who may be getting more press than he actually deserves from the media. He says Helenius is defeating some good top veterans but they are well past their best. At 15-0 with 10KOs, Helenius has already defeated two former heavyweight champions in Lamon Brewster and Samuel Peter. Both ex-champs were knocked out before ten.

"In preparing for the battle with Helenius, I'm being assisted by two sparring partners. However, getting ready for this fight is a little different than my others, as [Helenius] is a different type of fighter than my other opponents. Some of the things he does are different. He is a good fighter, but I have a large enough arsenal to beat this guy. In addition, I am guided not by what he is does well but what he does wrong," Liakhovich said to Alexander Pavlov.

"When he fought Brewster, he fought him after I did,  but it was a completely different Brewster from the one that I fought.  I think that in this case, experience is more important than youth. I'm not fixated on a knockout. When you look for it, it usually does not work out that way. I'm tuned in for twelve hard rounds. And I'll do what I need to do. Let's see how he copes with what I suggested. "