Huck Challenges WBA Heavyweight King Povetkin In Germany

WBO cruiserweight titlist Marco Huck takes a long rumored step up in weight this evening as “Kapt’n Hook” challenges WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin at Porsche Arena in Stuttgart.

This move is a big ask of Huck but at least it’s not a fight against one of the heavy punching Klitschko brothers, who happen to hold every belt of note at the weight except one.

And that strap is the WBA “regular” title, currently worn by Russia’s Povetkin, who goes into tonight’s clash as the definite favorite.

Huck, 34-1 (25), will bring more world title bout experience, in the form of nine victorious WBO title fights and one failed bid to win the IBF crown versus the two WBA title bouts that Povetkin, 23-0 (16), has on his resume.

But that edge in big contest experience will likely be erased by the the very big advantage in boxing ability that Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic Gold Medallist, will bring to the table.

The 32 year old resident of Chekhov has used this solid skill set to turn back the ambitions of a raft of notables including former world champions Chris Byrd and Ruslan Chagev along with experienced veterans such as Eddie Chambers, Larry Donald, Jason Estrada and most recently Cedric Boswell, who was knocked out in eight rounds in December.

In contrast, Huck has defeated largely unspectacular competition aside from Denis Lebedev, whom Huck squeaked past by split decision in 2010 while the one world class opponent met, IBF cruiser champ Steve Cunningham, humbled the German in 2007 before putting an end to the show in the 12th round.

Not exactly a good omen for Huck and things just get worse for the Berliner when Huck’s entire career has been waged below 200 pounds while Povetkin generally fights at 225-230 pounds.

To recap, Huck will be fighting someone who is bigger, stronger, faster, more skilled and has faced a better quality of opposition; It will be a genuine miracle if Huck can unseat Povetkin.

The undercard in Stuttgart features a clash for the vacant European Union middleweight title between undefeated German starlet Dominik Britsch, 26-0 (9), and Spanish veteran Roberto Santos, 17-6-1 (9).

Britsch has been put in with a long list of the usual suspects thus far in his career but had difficulty in his most recent appearance against ex-IBF title challenger Billy Lyell, pulling out a majority decision against the seasoned American this past October.

Santos is a former Spanish and WBO European super middle strapholder but was upset in his last outing by the far less experienced southpaw Luis Crespo in December.

Look for Britsch, who isn’t a concussive puncher, to post a points verdict over the durable Iberian.