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Vitali Klitschko Will "Spoil" Kevin Johnson's Christmas

Colin Linneweber
Dec 10, 2009

Ukrainian WBC heavyweight champion Vitali โ€œDr. Iron Fistโ€ Klitschko will defend his crown against undefeated challenger Kevin โ€œKingpinโ€ Johnson this Saturday at the PostFinance-Arena in Bern, Switzerland.

Klitschko (38-2, 37 KOs), the owner of the highest knockout percentage (92.5%) of any heavyweight boxing champion ever, badly bludgeoned Chris Arreola (28-1, 24 KOs) this past September in Los Angeles before the product of Riversideโ€™s corner stopped the fight after the conclusion of the 10th round.

When the active Klitschko, 38, scraps Johnson (22-0-1, 9 KOs) this weekend, it will be the third time he has fought in this calendar year alone.

โ€œI feel top fit, had super preparations in Los Angeles and really enjoyed the fight against Arreola,โ€ said Klitschko, the first professional boxing world champion to hold a PH. D.

โ€œI can barely wait to climb into the ring again. Kevin Johnson is very dangerous. He has already had 23 professional fights, is undefeated and has significantly better technique than my last opponent.โ€

Johnson, 30, who was raised in the gritty streets of Asbury Park, N.J., is a tactician in the ring who is known to employ a dominant jab that famed trainer Emmanuel Steward said is โ€œthe fastest since Larry Holmes.โ€

Unfortunately for Johnson, his jab is somewhat neutralized because he lacks knockout power in either of his fists.

โ€œIโ€™ve worked long and hard for this chance and Iโ€™m going to take it,โ€ said Johnson, who went 14-2 as an amateur pugilist and captured the New Jersey Golden Gloves title.

โ€œIโ€™m sorry for Klitschko that I have to spoil his Christmas.โ€

Johnsonโ€™s legitimate jab should allow him to stay competitive with Klitschko in the matchupโ€™s initial rounds.

However, it is extremely unlikely that any of Johnsonโ€™s feathery punches will seriously hurt Klitschko.

As the fight progresses, Klitschkoโ€™s brutish power and thunderous blows will inevitably fatigue Johnson, and the โ€œKingpinโ€™sโ€ offensive tactics will ultimately be rendered useless after the middle rounds.

โ€œI will not underestimate Johnson and as always will prepare myself meticulously for my opponent,โ€ Klitschko said.

Expect โ€œDr. Steel Hammerโ€ to provide Johnson with a Ukrainian version of โ€œGreetings from Asbury Park.โ€

But, in this instance, the โ€œKingpinโ€ wonโ€™t appreciate Klitschkoโ€™s violent welcoming and he will be rendered senseless by the ninth round.

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