Klitschko vs. Thompson: Bold Predictions for Heavyweight Showdown

Wladimir Klitschko is set to defend his world titles on Saturday in Switzerland, with 40-year-old challenger Tony Thompson looking for some payback.

Thompson (36-2, 24 KO) suffered an 11th-round KO at the hands of Klitschko in their first bout in July 2008. Since then, Thompson's got older, but he still owns five knockout victories in his last five fights.

Klitschko (57-3, 50 KO), on the other hand, is going for his 16th straight victory and seventh straight win since disposing of Thompson.

Many are calling this an inevitable thrashing, but it may not be as one-sided as some think.

Here are some bold predictions for the fight on Saturday.

Thompson Will Surprise Klitschko Before the Clinch

If Thompson has any shot in this bout, he's going to have to surprise Klitschko with some punches, particularly when Klitschko goes in for the clinch.

Klitschko has been known to go in for the clinch often throughout the years. If Thompson can time it right, he could land a big punch. I expect him to be ready for Klitschko's style after their first bout.

Thompson Will Out-punch Klitschko

This isn't as bold as it might seem.

According to NeutralCornerOnline.com, Thompson landed more punches than Klitschko in their first fight (150-121) and landed 37 percent of his punches to Klitschko's 29 percent.

Of course, in the end, the ultimate factor was Klitschko's power. However, if Thompson out-punches him, he likely will at least drag the fight into the later rounds.

Thompson Will Battle Klitschko Until the Late Rounds

Thompson lost via 11th round KO last time around. He knows he can at least make it to the later rounds.

Yes, he's older. Yes, Klitschko is even better. However, Thompson does have the ability to withstand punishment and make it a longer fight. What's more, despite being 40 years old, he still has some power of his own, with five knockout victories in his last five fights.

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