Corrie Sanders set to test big, bad Wlad

By Clinton Mollett

06.03 - WBO heavyweight titlist and dear I say, heir to the heavyweight throne - Wladimir Klitschko will be defending his title against Corrie Sanders on March 8th in an optional mandatory defense. The 240lb Ukrainian will continue his onward march to the ultimate in prizefighting glory by testing himself against the dangerous, heavy-handed Corrie Sanders of South Africa (not to be confused with the American Corey 'T-Rex' Sanders). The general opinion among fight fans is that Wladimir should be fighting someone of better caliber instead of a 36 year old who is not a ranked contender, nor a big name in the States, but I can't help but support his decision to fight Sanders.

I think Wladimir, who turns twenty seven on March 25th has made a good choice in opponents by opting to meet the South African Corrie Sanders. Sanders is a dangerous fighter with enough 'pop' to get any heavyweights attention, he may be past his prime but if he starts landing that left hand Wladimir might get more than he bargained for. Sanders has a formidable 38-2 (28KO's) record, losing only to former heavyweight contender Nate Tubbs and former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman with his best win coming over 2 time world champion Bobby Czyz. Sanders will be the hardest puncher Wladimir has ever faced in the ring and I don't think Wladimir wants to find out just how hard Corrie actually hits.

Ross Puritty, who was employed as Sanders chief sparring partner in the run up to the fight believes that the South Africans hand speed will give him the edge. "He (Sanders) looks fantastic, and has the speed, power and skill to whip Klitschko. Although victory won't come easy. Corrie will have to keep moving and give the giant Ukrainian plenty of angles while firing bullets from that southpaw stance. If he can do that he will win the title on March 8th", said Puritty. Sanders Promoter, Rodney Berman agrees, "Klitschko is an awesome proposition, but he's slow and Corrie's among the fastest heavies in the world and he must use his speed to out-box Klitschko". Puritty, who defeated Wladimir back in 1998 and still remains the only man to do so believes Klitschko's chin is his biggest weakness. "When I hit him, he didn't seem to take it that well". But landing a knockout blow is easier said than done, Klitschko, the 1996 Olympic Super-Heavyweight Champion, masks this weakness by making himself difficult to hit and if Sanders is going to have any chance of upsetting the next best thing to Lennox Lewis, then he's going to have to fight the fight of his career because after Wladimir's cautious performance against Jameel McCline three months ago, the better half of the Klitschko tag team might feel that he needs to pick up the pace a bit, and that could spell doom for the 36 year old Sanders who's both losses were inside the distance.

Corrie Sanders, to his credit however, is doing everything under the sun to prepare for this fight and plans on doing something in the ring that Jameel McCline didn't try doing in his fight with Klitschko...he's going to try and win and he now has the mentality do so. Sanders is oozing a confidence that has is long been missing. This time, when he says he will win, he means it, "I used to lack the confidence in myself, belief in myself. In the back of my mind I would wonder 'Can I do it? Can't I do it? Now I know I can. The sports psychologist I have been working with has given me that confidence and know I'm looking forward to it", says Sanders. If there is a doubt hanging over Sanders, it's that he is breathing hard only after a few rounds of heavy sparring, suggesting he lacks the stamina to go the distance at a pace. Sanders trainer Harold Volbrecht, however, points out that Klitschko does not throw a lot of punches each round, relying mostly on his jab. "Corrie must give him angles . Klitschko's jab is so heavy that if we can make him miss, he will tire in the later rounds, "says Volbrecht. I guess Wladimir can rule out an easy fight because Corrie Sanders is not planning to be his whipping boy, instead he plans to lay a whippin on Wlad, and the guy's serious...things could get a bit hairy in that ring come fight night, so lets sit back and see what happens.

This fight will take place in Hanover, Germany on March 8th.

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