Wladimir Klitschko and Kubrat Pulev sell out the O2 Arena in Hamburg, Germany

Wladimir Klitschko and Kubrat Pulev sell out the O2 Arena in Hamburg, Germany

There are no more regular seats available for the IBF heavyweight title fight on Sep. 6 at the O2 World Hamburg. Kubrat Pulev said he tried to buy tickets for friends recently and he couldn’t, he contacted K2 promotions and found out he might find separate seats if he used a German IP address and checked regularly for availability. Those seats would be either lowest price that do not offer a good view or highest price (unreasonably expensive). Pulev himself was promised “one or two” free tickets, so he is not getting a lot of compliments from Klitschko and company.

The unbeaten Bulgarian knows he is a mandatory challenger per se, that is Wladimir Klitschko clearly does not want the fight and is only complying with an obligation. This is not a big money event for K2 while for Pulev this would be a career defining fight and his biggest payday. K2 promotions are handling the event and Kubrat Pulev is just a participant, and opponent that brings some intrigue and his 0 into the contest but not too much revenue.

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Pulev wants drug testing down for Wladimir fight

Pulev wants drug testing down for Wladimir fight

Unbeaten challenger Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KO’s) reportedly wants testing done in the run up to his September 6th title challenge against IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 52 KO’s) at the O2 World Arena, in Hamburg, Germany. Pulev, 33, doesn’t say why he wants the testing done, because there already is testing done for the fight. Having extra testing done might seem like overkill and a waste of money.

Pulev said, “I’m checked for doping at least six times a year during training. Should always be available and communicate where I was staying and where I am at any time. Why not apply to Wladimir Klitschko? Thus it would be fair.”

Pulev, as the challenger, is hardly in the position to get his way in terms of extra drug testing. He can ask for it, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

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Pulev: I will get Wladimir’s titles and replace him as World champion

Pulev: I will get Wladimir’s titles and replace him as World champion

Bulgarian heavyweight Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KO’s) believes that he’s got the talent to beat IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 52 KO’s) and take away all of his 4 world titles in their fight on September 6th at the O2 World Arena, Altona, in Hamburg, Germany.

While the 33-year-old Pulev hasn’t fought anyone good enough to give you any kind of indication that he’ll be able to beat Wladimir, he still comes across like someone who is dead certain that he’s going to be victorious over the 38-year-old Ukrainian.

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Hey Floyd, Manny! Remember when Wladimir Klitschko called out David Haye on YouTube?

Hey Floyd, Manny! Remember when Wladimir Klitschko called out David Haye on YouTube?

Remember when heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko called out David Haye in a YouTube video? You remember David Haye, right? He was the polite-sounding, trash-talking, loud-mouth, who was packing a glass toe, and literally talked himself into the heavyweight spotlight without really doing much of anything to actually earn it. Sure, Haye picked up an ABC strap when he squeaked by Nikolai Valuev with an uneventful majority decision victory over the faded aging behemoth. But even before that happened, Haye had already talked himself into title contention by using nothing more than his big loud mouth. It was brilliant! An amazing demonstration of successful self-promotion, the likes of which hasn’t been matched by any other boxer in recent years. And it worked too, even if he did bail out of fights with each Klitschko brother before targeting easier prey in Valuev, for his silly alphabet title trinket that few true fight fans even recognized. It was genius on the part of Haye.

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Wladimir Klitschko: Kubrat Pulev is “too raw and green behind the ears”

Wladimir Klitschko: Kubrat Pulev is “too raw and green behind the ears”

Wladimir Klitschko has his sights set on Bermane Stiverne who emerged as the new WBC champion after he sent Cristobal Arreola home early last Saturday. Klitschko is craving to unify the championship and reclaim the trophy his big brother Vitali relinquished and there may not be anyone to stop him.

There are formalities he needs to deal with before the unification and one of them is Deontay Wilder’s WBC mandatory challenger position. Even Bermane Stiverne would be a huge step up in class for Wilder and the winner would eventually have to fight Wladimir Klitschko. Mandatory status or not, Deontay Wilder might do what is in his best interest – avoid Wlad and hope he hangs them up soon. His initial step aside demand was reportedly unreasonable but he has not ruled this option out. One would expect a confident KO machine to go for the title full throttle and treat any distractions with contempt but the heavyweight circus is on the road again.

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Klitschko eager for fight against Stiverne

IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 52 KO’s) sent out a congratulatory tweet to newly crowned WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KO’s) for his win over Chris Arreola last Saturday night in Los Angeles, California. Wladimir is hoping that Stiverne will now agree to a unification fight with him so that he can capture his Brother Vitali Klitschko’s old WBC title.

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Wladimir Klitschko’s Business and Opponent Approach Compared to Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s

Wladimir Klitschko’s Business and Opponent Approach Compared to Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s

When it comes to making money, it seems like there is simply no parallel to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Whether it’s a guaranteed paycheck, record PPV numbers, or his ability to run Mayweather Promotions, Floyd is a genius when it comes to raking up dozens of millions of dollars thanks to his self promotion and boxing talent.

There have been countless debates about who else compares to Mayweather Jr. in that department. Some have suggested that Manny Pacquiao is a good rival when it comes to cashing in, but after looking at the numbers, this is simply not true. If not Pacquaio, than who?

According to James Ali Bashir, Wladimir Klitschko’s co-trainer, Wladimir and Floyd are very similar in their approach to the financial process of their fights.

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The heavyweight title scene

The heavyweight title scene

There is certainly more than one heavyweight title and there are enough titles to go around for all aspiring champions. There is a shortage of credible champions however and the only one who is widely perceived as ‘the champ” is Wladimir Klitschko. The heavyweight division has turned into the “Klitschko” division and the older brother Vitali has earned even higher esteem and respect than his athletically superior but mentally “younger’ brother. Klitschko’s subscription to the championship is still a long term commitment as the 36 years old champ shows steady improvement and no signs of decline.

“Doctor Steel Hammer” is a formidable physical specimen who also maintains a strict regimen and has been in great condition even when he lost. He has 3 KO losses and his detractors have a point in bringing up his downsides. He has found a way (and proper coaching) to build a style that veils his vulnerability and uses his physical advantages to build a “firewall”of frontal power that has stupefied all opposition in the last decade.

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Before You Complain About Klitschko-Leapai…

Before You Complain About Klitschko-Leapai…

Wladimir Klitschko has triumphed again in commanding fashion, an action which typically raises complaints that the long-time champ fights “bums” rather than “real” challenges.

Of course, this raises an interesting question. Who are the bums and who are the real challenges? If Klitschko avoids a challenge, then name the challenge. And be careful with your answer.

I remember little more than a two years ago when Klitcshko easily KO’d Tony Thompson in six. Critics immediately excoriated him for fighting a geriatric, rather than an unstoppable machine like David Price. Yet Thompson’s name is now mysteriously removed from the retrospective list of “bums” that Klitschko fought and – just as mysteriously – David Price is no longer a “real” challenge.

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Wladimir Klitschko destroys Leapai

Heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko did as was widely expected and stopped overmatched title challenger Alex Leapai tonight in Germany. Dominating the action throughout, Wladimir scored two knockdowns in the 5th-round, the final one ending the fight. The time was 2-minutes and 5-seconds and Klitschko, unbeaten in ten years, is now 62-3(52). Leapai, who gave it his best, falls to 30-5-3(24).

Klitschko boxed his usual fight, dominating behind his punishing left jab with his even more punishing right hand behind it. Credited with a knockdown in the 1st-round – when Leapai appeared to have slipped and was unhurt – Wladimir never lost a single minute of a single round. Showing a stubborn chin that might have surprised some, Leapai ate a ton of left jabs and telephone pole right hands, for which he deserves credit, yet the Samoan was not throwing anywhere near enough leather himself.

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