IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO and „The Ring Magazine“ World Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko will defend his titles against Mariusz Wach (Poland) at o2 World Hamburg, Germany, on November 10.
Mariusz „The Viking“ Wach, born in Krakow, Poland, lives and trains out of New Jersey (USA). The undefeated heavyweight is 32 years old and 6’ 7½’’ tall. Wach will be the first opponent in Klitschko’s career who is taller than the champion. Wach had a strong amateur career, he was a two time Polish champion and won the silver medal at the European Championships. He is ranked # 4 in the WBC and holds the WBC International Heavyweight as well as the WBC Baltic Heavyweight titles. Wach turned pro in 2005 and has a fight record of 27-0 wins with 15 KOs.
Mariusz Wach: „My fellow countrymen Adamek and Sosnowski did not have what it takes to beat a Klitschko. I am not a former cruiserweight but a real heavyweight. Klitschko will take a lot of hard punches before I knock him out. I will be the first Polish world heavyweight champion!”
For 36-year-old Wladimir Klitschko it is his third appearance in the boxing ring in 2012 after his fourth round KO against Jean-Marc Mormeck in Düsseldorf, Germany in March and his sixth round KO against Tony Thompson in Berne, Switzerland in July. The professional record of the 1996 Olympic Gold medalist is 58 wins (51 KOs) with only 3 losses. It will be Klitschko’s 22nd World Championship fight.
Wladimir Klitschko: „The big challenge for me is Wach’s height. It is the first time that I am facing an opponent who is taller than me and has a better reach. He is unbeaten, a big puncher and has an irrepressible will. To fight in Hamburg once again is very special to me: I started my professional career here and last year Vitali’s and my dream to unify all heavyweight titles in the Klitschko family became true.”
Bernd Bönte, Managing Director of Klitschko Management Group (KMG): „For KMG, it is the fourth event in Hamburg where the company is based. The spectators can expect an unforgettable fight night with a champion in his best form and a top-class entertainment program.”
Tom Loeffler, Managing Director of K2 Promotions: “This fight will be the fifth heavyweight championship fight that we have promoted in 2012. It will be a very entertaining fight between two heavyweight giants.”
Ticket sales start on August 28 on www.eventim.de and via telephone under +49-1805-12 13 14. Prices range from 50 and 80 Euro (upper level), 100 Euro and 150 Euro (lower level) to 250, 400 and 650 Euro for exclusive VIP tickets with a seat in the inner field.
In Germany, Klitschko vs. Wach will be broadcasted on RTL.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
