WBO Heavyweight Eliminator: Krasniqi vs. Whitaker.

The career dream of European heavyweight champion Luan Krasniqi is within reach. On April 16 the 33-year-old German is fighting the one year younger American Lance Whitaker in an official WBO heavyweight title eliminator. “That’s great news for me,” Krasniqi said, who last defended his European belt on 4th December 2004 with a draw against Timo Hoffmann in Berlin. “I am close to reach the biggest dream of my career. If I beat Whitaker I will be the first German after Max Schmeling to become heavyweight world champion.” The fight on April 16 will be the 30th professional contest for the WBO 5th ranked Krasniqi, 27-1-1 (13), who celebrated several great victories at the selected site, the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle of Stuttgart.

As an amateur the highly skilful Krasniqi became European champion and vize world champion and captured a bronze medal at the Olympic Games of Atlanta 1996.

However, Krasniqi’s fight against the 260-pound Whitaker won’t be an easy task. The 6-foot-8 man from California, nicknamed “Mount”, is ranked WBO #1 and has an impressive record of 29-2-1 (24). Whitaker beat among others Al Cole, Oleg Maskaev and Monte Barrett, and captured several Continental American titles.