Can Klitschko-Chagaev Bring Back Light To The Heavyweight Division?

victor by Correspondent Written on June 20, 2009
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Ukrainian Vladimir Klitschko, with a record of 52W-46KO-3L, is currently the title holder of IBF, WBO and IBO Titles in the Heavyweight Division.

At a towering 6'7" stature and with an 88.5 percent knockout ratio, he is called "Dr. Steel Hammer" for clinically handing out knockouts.

Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev (25W-17KO-1D) on the other hand is currently holding the WBA Heavyweight Title, which he shares with Nikolai Valuev when he was declared "champion in recess" for failing to defend his crown for sustaining injury during training.

Though still at halfway compared to Klitschko's record, "White Tyson" Chagaev has faced tough opposition in the past and had been in the most intense punch fests in the heavyweight division.

Klitschko and Chagaev are set to face each other in a unification bout on Saturday, which includes the claim to the vacant Ring Magazine Heavyweight Title.

The Klitschko-Chagaev fight was made possible after the second failure of the fight between Chagaev and Valuev which should have determined the sole claimant to the WBA title.

Chagaev failed to pass a Finnish medical test as a pre-requisite to his fight against Valuev. It was noted that he contracted Hepatitis B in 2007 which led to the cancellation of what could have been the first unification bout since 1997 with Sultan Ibragimov.

Despite having lack of charisma in the heavyweight division, Klitschko is expected to bring in his experience along with his wide array of skills against Chagaev, promising an action-filled heavyweight bout.

Klitschko has fought five times since 2007, winning four, with one bout against Lamon Brewster that led to a sixth round stoppage.

Chagaev fought only once in 2007 and once in 2008, as well. His latest fight was last February against then unbeaten Carl Drumond.

Though it was a spectacular come back fight for Chagaev, the fight was stopped halfway through the bout due to accidental clash of heads, and Chagaev's endurance, which many speculated was a bit on the rusty side was not tested much.

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  • vladimir klitschko
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written on June 20, 2009 Preview/Prediction

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