Trainer Freddie Roach will be taking over the reins to train WBA “regular” heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (26-0, 18 KO’s) for his October 5th fight against IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (60-3, 51 KO’s), according to Steve Kim.
Klitschko and Povetkin will be fighting in the 33-year-old Povetkin’s home country of Russia in Moscow at the Olimpiyskiy. Whether that’ll be any kind of an advantage for Povetkin remains to be seen. Having Roach as his trainer could help Povetkin, because Roach knows about many of Wladimir’s weaknesses in having watched him fight many times in the past.
Povetkin will likely be a huge underdog in this fight no matter who trains him. If nothing else, Roach should be able to give Povetkin enough training advice so that he’ll be competitive.