Klitschko vs Sosnowski: Can Sosonowski shock the world?

Klitschko vs SosnowskiBy Neil Dempsey – Recent conventional wisdom tells us that Albert Sosnowski has no chance when he steps in the ring with current heavyweight kingpin and WBC title holder Vitali Klitschko this Saturday at the Veltins arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Any forum or website you read, particularly here on ESB gives Albert no chance, dismissing this as a mismatch and Albert as an unworthy challenger. Some bookmakers have Sosnowski a 10-1 outsider and Klitschko is best priced at 1-50! However does history give Albert and his legions of Polish fans reason to be optimistic?

Boxing and heavyweight boxing in particular has offered up a number of upsets over the years with Buster Douglas dethroning Tyson, Spinks beating Ali and of course British fans will never forget Lewis being knocked out by Hasim Rahman.

Klitschko will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the best heavyweights of all time and even I have written on ESB about the merits of Vitali being a top 10 heavyweight hall of famer. However all good things must come to an end so will Saturday night see Klitschko getting old overnight?

Nearly all of the negative comments regarding Sosnowski on various forums and websites revolve around his defeat to feather punching Zuri Lawrence in Brooklyn in 2008 with sources close to the Sosnowski camp claiming he went into that fight injured and unwell but didn’t want to let his fans down by pulling out at short notice. Only Sosnowski himself will know how he felt that night but it’s safe to say that this night was a very bad day at the office indeed!

For all Sosnowski fans, here are several pointers to suggest an upset may well be possible. Albert, unlike some of Vitali’s most recent opponents comes to fight. He will be in immaculate physical condition and will not stop throwing punches. This is something that Vitali doesn’t have to deal with too often as he is used to dominating the fight with his expert jab and booming right hand. If Albert can get inside and keep Vitali busy and keep him working is it possible that his advancing years will catch up with him? After all Vitali will be 39 on July 19th.

Klitschko has never knowingly underestimated an opponent, I do not expect him to underestimate Sosnowski yet if the challenger can stay away from Vitali’s right hand he may be able to frustrate him enough to go the distance and put on a good show for the thousands of Polish boxing supporters in attendance.

One thing is for sure, Albert Sosnowski has absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for him and one he has to grasp with both hands. Too many recent opponents fighting against some of the best pound for pound boxers have just turned up to survive; Kevin Johnson against Klitschko and Joshua Clottey against Pacquiao readily spring to mind so Albert should adopt a more positive attitude and believe that he can win the fight, that success is not just to make the final bell.

The fans too, can play a big part in this. Every time Klitschko fights in his adopted Germany he is the overwhelming crowd favourite. However on this occasion there is rumoured to be upward of 40,000 Polish travelling to the Veltins arena on Saturday night cheering on the man from Warsaw and who knows what impact this will this have upon Klitschko?

Klitschko’s legacy is at stake and a defeat to Sosnowski would not only cast serious doubts upon this but also scupper any chance of him getting the opportunity to face off against Britain’s David Haye. Therefore the pressure is very much on the champion. Fighting an opponent who has nothing to lose and everything to gain is a dangerous propostion for anyone and while the majority of pundits expect Klitschko to knock him out early in the fight, the longer it goes on the more hope it gives Sosnowski.

I expect Sosnowski to give everything he has but fear that his best may still result in him coming up short, possibly even being stopped late on by the power punching of Klitschko, but Sosnowski may well get the respect he deserves in defeat as Klitschko did in defeat to Lewis.

Maybe just maybe Sosnowski can shock the world.

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