Bernd Boente: Wladimir will not be forced into a fight with Povetkin!

Bernd Boente (left) with Wladimir (right).

Unified heavyweight world champion Wladimir Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente claims that his fighter will not be forced into a bout with the WBC "super" champion Alexander Povetkin.

Povetkin fought last Saturday against Hasim Rahman in a completely one-sided bout that Povetkin ended up winning by second round KO. The Russian's promoter, Sauerland Event, spoke after the bout and claimed that Wladimir had been given to the end of February 2013 to face Povetkin or he will be stripped of his WBA title. "Dr Steelhammer's" next defence comes against Maruisz Wach on November 10th in Hamburg.

Team Klitschko have denied the WBA's mandate and claims Wladimir has up until the end of the July and even then he will only take the best fight possible.

This is what Bernd Boente had to say: "The WBA gave us a period of two years from the time of the David Haye fight [July 2011] to make a mandatory defence. In other words, up to July 2013. Povetkin's not a true champion, he's the same, a normal contender. We will not allow anyone to force us to do anything."

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.

Kell Brook rejects fight with Timothy Bradley... Hoping for Ricky Hatton!

Brook after beating Ricky Hatton's younger brother Matthew.

British welterweight No.1 Kell Brook has revealed that he was very close to taking a bout with WBO welterweight champion and pound-for-pound contender Timothy Bradley but turned it down in order to finish his quest in becoming the mandatory challenger for the IBF title.

'The Special One' takes on Hector Saldivia on October 20th at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield. The winner of this bout will earn the right to challenge for the IBF world title in the near future.

Brook and his promoter Eddie Hearn believe the mandatory route is the right way to go for the 25-year old and could potentially lead to super showdown with Ricky Hatton sometime next year.

"The Bradley fight was put in front of me but I believe the mandatory position in the IBF is the right move," said Brook. "Eddie (Hearn) has worked hard to get me into the position and providing I beat Saldivia, I'll be fighting for a world title at the start of 2013."

"I would love that to be in Sheffield too and I know Eddie would do his best to get it here as it would be an amazing event. I will also be watching Ricky Hatton's comeback with great interest as a fight against him next year would be an absolute blockbuster for British boxing."

"When I fought his brother Matthew you could see that the Hatton name still means a lot in boxing and we would fill a big stadium fighting for a world title."

Hearn also explained why they made the decision to turn down the fight.

"Top Rank contacted me in August and made us an offer for the Bradley fight. It was a nice ego boost for Kell to be offered a fight of such magnitude but we begun this journey with a goal of becoming a mandatory challenger and now we are just one win away."

For me, this is important for two reasons. Firstly, it looks clear that Brook is not one of those fighters that just wants to rush into big fights that could potentially back-track his career and he and Eddie Hearn are being very careful when it comes to planning his career and picking fights. It also proves that some of the top welterweight fighters are taking Ricky Hatton's comeback very seriously. The fact that Kell Brook is planning a potential "super" fight with him next year shows us that most of his fighters are expecting him to become serious competition for them.

 

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.