Wladimir Klitschko
ON HIS PATH TO REDEMPTION

Author: Fabian Weber

(Hamburg, 8 February 1999) Nothing is harder to bear for a young and determined boxer than losing a fight in front of his home crowd. This is what the 22 year old Wladimir Klitschko, a Gold Medal winner of the 1996 Olympic Games in the super heavyweight division, now has to deal with.

In December of last year the Ukrainian suffered his first professional loss fighting against American Ross Puritty in his hometown of Kiew. Winning every round against the tough Puritty easily and giving the American a high amount of punishment the unexperienced and overexcited Klitschko overpasted himself and had to be taken out by his trainer in the eleventh round.

"I was unable to control my emotions in front of my countrymen in Kiew", Wladimir Klitschko (foto) explains in decent German. "Usually I am able to stay cool inside the ring. In that night I wasn't. I didn't stick to my game
plan. I wasted my energy and I wasted my punches. The loss hurt me like a deep scar. But I also gained a lot of experience. I feel matured by 10 years."

His loss was not only a personal humiliation for the Ukrainian. It also cost him his high ranking at the WBC, where he dropped from number 5 to number 14. In Europe Wladimir Klitschko is ranked number 2.

On his path to redemption Wladimir Klitschko, 24-1 (22 KO´s), will make his first fight since that event, when he takes on the undefeated Serbian Zoran Vujecic, 13-0 (5 KO´s), on 13 February 1999 in Stuttgart. Vujecic is ranked number 15 by the European Boxing Union and twice defeated his countryman Lajos Eros, who later gave European title holder Zeljko Mavrovic a solid challenge.

But Wladimir Klitschko's eyes are already set on a fight that is much more important to him. "I want to get a rematch against Ross Puritty as soon as possible. I want to fight him again in Kiew. I owe this to my countrymen", the proud Ukrainian states.

In the second main event 1996 Olympic Silver medallist Oktay "Cassius" Urkal will make the second defense of his WBC-International super lightweight title. The undefeated Urkal, 19-0 (7 KO´s), was born in Berlin 29 years ago as a son of Turkish parents and owns the Turkish as well as the German citizenship. His opponent will be the French champion Frederick Tripp, 13-3 (3 KO´s).

Also on the card will be German heavyweight contender Willi Fischer, 22-2-1 (18 KO´s), who takes on the seasoned American Everett Martin, 20-27-1 (9 KO´s), as well as the undefeated Swedish middleweight Armand Krajnc, 16-0 (10 KO´s).


Fabian Weber
International Press Spokesman
Universum Box-Promotion GmbH
Am Stadtrand 27
22047 Hamburg
Germany
Tel: +49 40 696559-0
Fax:+49 40 696559-50

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