Wladimir Klitschko chases the 17th defense of his world heavyweight crowns against unbeaten Kubrat Pulev tonight with the legendary Joe Louis’ record of 25 defenses in the division getting closer.
The 38-year-old Klitschko has held at least the IBF and IBO heavyweight titles since 2006, adding the WBO title in 2008 by beating Sultan Ibragimov, before a unanimous decision against Britain’s David Haye in 2011 gave him the WBA crown.
It says as much for Klitschko’s longevity as the lack of genuine contenders that the giant Ukrainian has had few peers in the division.
Klitschko takes on Pulev in his home town Hamburg’s O2 World, near the Imtech Arena, where he beat Haye more than three years ago.
The Bulgarian has earned his first world title fight by becoming the IBF’s mandatory challenger.
The 33-year-old has 11 knockouts in 20 victories on his unblemished record, but sparked animosity when he boycotted Monday’s pre-fight press conference, having been left fuming after members of his promotional team were denied access.
The Ukrainian champion pulled out of the original fight in September due to a bicep injury and was unimpressed by the challenger’s pre-fight behavior.
“I cannot believe it. He is ill-advised and it looks like brainwashing,” said a bemused Klitschko, who has an impressive record of 52 knock-outs in 62 wins with the last of his three defeats now more than a decade ago. “Somebody from his entourage is pulling his strings.”
Pulev enjoyed knockout wins over Alexander Ustinov and Alexander Dimitrenko in 2012 and his unanimous win over Tony Thompson in August last year earned him the right to fight Klitschko.
He kept busy last year by forcing both Joey Abell of the US and Croatia’s Ivica Perkovic into retiring in the early rounds of their bouts.
“I am going to be dangerous, pressing the action early on Saturday. Wladimir will have to move a lot inside the ring,” Pulev said. “This is going to be the most important fight of my career to date.”
However, Klitschko has seen it all before.
The champion brushed off the latest extreme efforts by US boxer Shannon Briggs on Wednesday to earn a shot at the Ukrainian’s belts.
Briggs, 42, gate-crashed Klitschko’s opening training session in Hamburg before being ejected from the building by security guards.
“The people don’t want Klitschko anymore. I’m the real champ. The world wants to see the Klitschko-Briggs fight,” the American bellowed.
He also disrupted the press conference before Klitschko’s last fight against Australia’s Alex Leapai in April, and a scuffle broke out when Briggs approached Klitschko while he was eating in an Italian restaurant in Miami.
He even taunted Klitschko, the WBO, IBF, IBO and WBA champion, from a speedboat while the Ukrainian was stand-up paddle surfing in Florida.
“I really couldn’t care less what he does,” Klitschko said after Briggs’ latest stunt. “I will just concentrate on the fight.”
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