British Boxing: David Haye Prepared For Klitschko’s Weighting Game

By Boxing Press July 31st, 2008 All Press Releases

Former cruiserweight king David ‘The Hayemaker’ Haye has once again reiterated that he’ll be big enough and hit hard enough to shatter the jaw and reign of heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko – despite the Ukrainian’s concerns that the Bermondsey man needed to "grow a bit". More...

Boxing In Russia: Alexander Povetkin Wins In Chekhov

By Danny Wilson July 20th, 2008 All Boxing Results

Top heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin, 16-0 (12), stayed busy in preparation to his likely challenge of World Champion Wladimir Klitschko later this year by overcoming America's Taurus Sykes, 25-5-1 (7), at 0:48 of the second round last night at Olimpyskiy Sports Palace in the Moscow suburb of Chekhov, Russia.

28 year old Moscow based Povetkin has impressed as a professional after capping off a sterling amateur career by winning the Gold Medal for Russia at super heavyweight during the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Since joining the punch for pay rat race in 2005, Povetkin has gone through opposition at an alarming rate, participating in four or five bouts a year and in addition to Sykes, has defeated Eddie Chambers, Chris Byrd and Larry Donald over the last 13 months.

Against Sykes, Povetkin looked like the world-beater who swept through the amateur ranks in the earlier part of this decade, mixing up his punches in a fluid, combination style that had the American looking for answers from the off.

A ten year pro, Sykes has faced good to decent competition in the form of Samuel Peter, Hasim Rahman, Owen Beck, Imamu Mayfield, Sherman Williams, Derek Bryant and Friday Ahunanya but was clearly out-boxed by the Russian gunner, hitting the floor in both the second and third frames, and after taking many flush punches was stopped at 0:48 of the fourth round. More...

Boxing Perspective: Wladimir Klitschko

By Gerald Rice July 19th, 2008 All Boxing Articles

I'm amazed. After Wladimir Klitschko’s KO victory over Tony Thompson in Hamburg, Germany, a week ago, he should have risen in the esteem of boxing fans.

Thompson was a credible threat whose only other loss occurred eight years ago. In a bout where Klitschko showed his ability to control an opponent, dictate a pace and reaffirm his punching power against said threat, he seems to have even eroded even further down the pound-for-pound list.

Perhaps fans are overly critical of him because of the “state” the division is in. Heavyweights aren’t as exciting as they’ve been in the past and compare weakly with their welterweight or super middleweight counterparts. But how much of that is fair?

Two years ago, no one was talking about the super middleweights, just the thimbleful of names who were in it. With fighters like Jermain Taylor moving up, Mikkel Kessler becoming known in the US and Kelly Pavlik straddling the fence between the super middleweight and middleweight divisions, it has spelled instant excitement whenever there is mention of anything at 168 pounds.

The welterweight division has always kept a rotating stable of elite fighters and quite frankly, is a lot deeper than heavyweight, and logic follows reason that it would have more elite fighters because it has more fighters.

But what are people not seeing when they see Klitschko fight? He has an 83% KO percentage, an amazing ratio at any weight when the fighter has over fifty fights. If you just consider his last ten fights, the percentage drops to 60.

Lennox Lewis only had a 72% KO percentage, Evander Holyfield 50%, Mike Tyson 75% and George Foreman 83%. And a weak division is a poor excuse. Mike Tyson didn’t fight the really elite fighters until the decline of his career. During his original reign as champion, there were no fighters like Lennox Lewis or Evander Holyfield on his résumé. The 90's were only marginally better than the 80's and if Holyfield had remained at cruiserweight, there would have been no wars with Bowe, Lewis or Tyson. More...

Boxing Result: Wladimir Klitschko KO’s Tony Thompson Round 11 In Hamburg

By Hermann Helmut July 13th, 2008 All Boxing Results

The Cinderella story of Tony Thompson's world title dreams came crashing to the canvas in the 11th round last night at a packed Color Line Arena in Hamburg, Germany, courtesy of one too many right hands from IBF/WBO/IBO Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Thompson began the bout with plenty of gusto, successfully taking the fight to the champion in the initial frame, but was prevented from gaining too much momentum as Klitschko clinched and slowed the action down.

Klitschko was wary of Thompson, even more so after they were both cut from a clash of heads in the early going, but managed to regain control of the bout behind the jab and occasional sharp right cross.

Thompson tried to shake up the proceedings behind a body attack in the middle rounds, and although he enjoyed some success, the American couldn't dictate the pace of the fight as Klitschko found range just often enough to stay in the driver's seat. More...

Boxing Preview Analysis: Wladimir Klitschko vs. Tony Thompson

By Lee Bellfield July 12th, 2008 All Boxing Previews

Tonight in Hamburg, Germany, Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko defends his WBO and IBF Heavyweight titles against Tony Thompson.

In this one, Klitschko, for a change, will be facing an opponent almost equal to him in height. The American challenger from Washington DC stands 6 foot 5 inches tall and has a respectable record of 31 fights with only 1 defeat. He hold wins over divisional contenders Dominick Guinn, Timor Ibragimov and Luan Krasniqi.

Klitschko, the champion, now holds a record of 50 wins with only 3 defeats and for me, is still the best of the bunch at heavyweight currently. Although in an era where marquee heavyweight opponents are sadly lacking, Klitschko is doing the right thing by keeping himself busy and attempting to build a legacy that way.

While Thompson is a respected challenger, I feel his style will play straight into the champion's hands. The southpaw delivery of Thompson could be tricky for most opponents, but this time it could be the American's undoing as he will be vulnerable to the Ukranian's booming right hands when throwing his own left.

The Klitschko of 2008 is a more cautious fighter, but I feel after starting the bout behind his jab, he will begin to connect with his right hand to end the fight on a TKO around the midway mark.

European Boxing News: Klitschko, Thompson, Baysangurov, Drews, Branco, Larsen, Erdei

By Boxing Press July 12th, 2008 All Press Releases

By Per Ake Persson

IBF, WBO and IBO Heavy Champ Wladimir Klitschko weighed in 109.3 kg / 241 lb at yesterday's chaotic weigh-in at a major shopping center in Hamburg, Germany that took place at noon.

Challenger Tony Thomnpson came in at 247.5 lb / 112.3 kg. Thompson didn´t take of his shirt, which led to some speculation that he had something to hide - but I was told that yesterday evening at 10 PM, he worked out hard and impressively in the gym at the Maritim Hotel. More...

Arena Boxing: Juan Carlos Gomez Kicked Out Of Wladimir Klitschko’s Public Workout

By Boxing Press July 10th, 2008 All Press Releases

“The Black Panther” returned to Hamburg yesterday and is already kicking up a fuss again. At yesterday's so called “public” workout for Wladimir Klitschko’s title defence against Tony Thompson on Saturday, Juan Carlos Gomez has been kicked out by Klitschko’s security. More...

European Boxing News: Asloum, Zbik, Sturm, Klitschko, Baysangurov, Chagaev

By Boxing Press July 1st, 2008 All Press Releases

By Per Ake Persson

French TV network Canal+ paid light flyweight Brahim Asloum 750,000 Euros when he challenged then WBA champ Juan Carlos Reveco, plus a bonus of 150,000 Euros in case of victory.

Asloum won and was all set to defend the title July 26 against Giovanni Segura. However, Canal+ will now pay the champ 500,000 Euros and a 100,000 Euro extra as bonus should he retain the title. More...

Tony Thompson’s Boxing Diary: Training Camp Notes

By Boxing Press June 28th, 2008 All Press Releases

"The Tiger" Prepares For Showdown With Heavyweight Champ Wladimir Klitschko On July 12

My funny bone is slowing going, and thinking more on breaking bones! But first. lets talk about what’s going on in camp.

The last installment left off with me taking an iniquitous ass whooping from my fellow fighters (I don’t do sparring partners because you can't get better that way). They really came to work, which was not all that fun for me, but great for what we are trying to accomplish. More...

Boxing In Germany: Wladimir Klitschko Vs Tony Thompson In July

By Boxing Press April 11th, 2008 All Press Releases

The IBF has granted heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko an exception to fight Tony Thompson, 31-1 (19), the WBO mandatory challenger. The fight is expected to take place during July in Germany, on a date and site to be determined, it was announced today by K2 Promotions’ Tom Loeffler, and Klitschko Management Group’s managing director Bernd Boente.

Klitschko holds three belts – the IBF, IBO and WBO titles – on the strength of his unanimous 12 round decision over Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden last February 23. More...