Can Povetkin go the distance?

[hfahrenheit]

I've only seen Povetkin fight once, and he looked pretty good, but as I recall, I think his typical fight weight is around 220lbs, whereas Klitschko I think fights at around 240lbs.

How's this fight going to look? Will this be another terrible Sultan Ibragimov style fight where Klitschko, despite his size advantage will be super defensive and go for a points win?

Part of me really wants the kid to beat him-- just so something exciting happens in that division.

[Trainer Monkey]

Just depends on whether the kids ready for it, but it would be a big mistake for Klitsch to try for the decision

[RozzySean]

Povetkin will get KTFO by round 8. No way he goes the distance.

[kingfrnk]

he could go the distance but i would rather have a ko from waldimir just so i can see him fight haye

[Rantcatrat]

You may have a point. At 6'2, both Povetkin and Ibragimov are smaller heavyweights. Both are boxers, not brawlers. Povetkin may have more technical skill, but I think he is slightly slower. Povetkin has yet to face a quality tall heavyweight who has longer reach. Klitschko is 6'7 with an 81" reach! Klitschko will fight on the outside menacing Povetkin with his jab. I don't see Povetkin winning. This is the wrong fight for him. I think he possibly would beat Ruslan Chagaev and at least fair better against Sam Peter.

[Kev]

I guess it depends on the fight he fights. Sultan was never in any trouble with Wlad, but then he never tried anything offensive against Wlad either, just happy to still be there at the end.

Povetkin looks like he has ambitions and will make Wlad work which should make for an entertaining fight.

He certainly doesn't have the power to hurt Wlad early imo but he could be a factor late if he's still there.

I think a tougher challenge will see Wlad raise his game however and I can see him doing serious damage to Povetkins face with that jab in the second half of the fight.

I've got a feeling Povetkin will give a decent account of himself, and will display a decent chin, but I also feel Wlad will cut him up fairly badly and that the referee might be stopping this one, around the 10th round, waving it off as Povetkin's face gets bloodied up.

It should be a decent matchup at least, Povetkin with back to back wins over Byrd and Chambers has shown he deserves the shot imo. Probably not big enough, and doesn't have the experience to win, but really there is nobody else more deserving of a shot right now so good luck to him.

[Tam Seddon]

If Povetkin comes to fight it will intice Wlad to get more invovled and either he will get lucky and knock out Wlad or get knocked out himself.

If hes like all the other boring heavyweights it will be simply Wlad winning a UD.

My prediciton, Wlad KO

[Wayne]

No. Povetkin was gassed out on Chambers' pitty-pat punches. He showed a lot of heart but against Klitschko that may get him hurt. I say Wlad by ko in 7.

[Pugilistic]

If he can gain speed of light reflexes and top notch defense he can but if not he is getting stopped.

[El Kabong]

Wlad SHOULD KO him easily, Povetkin much like Berto is untested vs top competition and has only been competitive with much lower competition...he hasn't dazzled by any stretch of the immagination...he beat a very faded Chris Byrd, he hasn't shown big power, he's small, and Eddie Chambers...EDDIE CHAMBERS swole his eye up to the point where I was thinking the fight could have been stopped had Chambers kept punching.


Wlad should demolish him with the jab alone the right cross SHOULD mean lights out for "Sasha"....fighting an orthodox fighter (for a change) should really let Wlad look like his old self....he should come out swinging and go for the KO right away!

[CutMeMick]

If Povetkin get's his rythim going and used the ENTIRE ring I'm certain he can go the distance.

Wlad needs to be smart enough to cut off the ring and over power the smaller Povetkin. But Wlad needs to let his hands go and he needs to establish himself 1st.
Start early and make Povetkin go back.

My prediction a late TKO in favor of Wlad.

[TigerFan]

Wladimir knocks him out in the middle rounds.

[hfahrenheit]

So, for all of you that think he'd going to get KO'd, is the general assumption that Sultan Ibragimov is the better fighter? (personally, I think Ibragimov v Povetkin would have been a good litmus test)...

What credibility do you give him that you don't give to Povetkin? Aren't they both mediocre, undersized guys (undersized relative to Klitschko)?

Klitschko couldn't even put Sultan on the mat, and I don't think he's going to do any different to Povetkin. In this fight, Klitschko will capitalize on the size difference and be uber defensive, and his best punch will be his straight right that he won't throw enough of (just like before).

BUT--

if you think this fight will be different, let's hear some tactics and strategies you think he'll employ... abandon the guard? expose his chin?

[mike_tha_man]

i think that i hav had too much to drink today but i m going to sayy that Povkin wins this.
Good Luck Povekin!!

[Wayne]

Ibragimov was able to survive 12 rounds because he was faster and hung back waiting for Klitschko to make a mistake he could capitalize on. But he didn't have the power to take Klitschko out with anything not a long bomb and so he cruised to a loss. Povetkin probably has more power, but he's slower, doesn't have Ibragimov's defense and has some stamina issues. Like Lyle said, Chambers swelled his eye shut. And somewhere in the middle rounds he was fighting on heart alone as he had gassed out. That fight was Eddie's to take and he just got the deer-in-the-headlights look and stopped throwing punches. If these weaknesses in Povetkin have not been addressed he is going to lose by KO. If he has addressed these weaknesses he is going to lose by UD.