FORMER WBO HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO ROUNDTABLE QUOTES

18/09/2004

FORMER WBO HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO ROUNDTABLE QUOTES

Wladimir Klitschko makes his SHOWTIME debut when he faces NABF Heavyweight Champion DaVarryl Williamson in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader on Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. In a pair of world championship fights Oct. 2 on SHOWTIME, IBF Junior Middleweight Champion Verno Phillips will make his initial title defense in a rematch against IBF No. 1 contender Kassim Ouma and IBF No. 1 contender Syd Vanderpool will take on IBF No. 4 contender Jeff Lacy for the vacant IBF super middleweight belt.
 
WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

"I am really excited to be fighting at Caesars Palace.  There is a rich history of boxing (here), and there were many great fighters who performed in the Coliseum.  When you talk about Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler and others, and being attached to that is something special.  This is the first time I will have fought outdoors."

"I am expecting to give my best performance two weeks from now.  I feel good.  I am in the best shape and I am sure DaVarryl will be in great shape.  It should make for a very exciting evening.  I am sure the weather will be good.  It never rains in Vegas.  I do not want it to be too chilly or to be too hot."

"Unfortunately, my opponent is not here today.  It shows that he is really preparing for this fight and he wants to win.  I know he has a tremendous punch and he is really fast.  This is not so easy for me.  It will be a struggle to survive, but I am ready."

"There are a lot of questions on what happened in the last fight.  I cannot understand why I was so tired after the second round.  I was fighting myself, not Lamon Brewster.  It was a disaster.  I am not saying he did not deserve the belt and the win.  I just think it was important to find out what happened.  It was like a dream (nightmare).  I do not know what happened.  I think my next fight will be the best answer for a lot of questions that came up in the fight in April.  I am moving forward and I will get the answers myself in the next fight."

"I have not changed anything in my preparations for my first fight on SHOWTIME.  Emanuel Steward is my trainer.  He believes in me even though I have lost the last two fights.    It is not so easy to stay with an athlete.  But Emanuel believes in me."

"Mike Tyson is one of the biggest names in boxing.  It is the wish of every boxer in the world to fight Mike Tyson.  If it makes sense for him or me, we can do it." 

"There are some new guys coming up.  You never know where they are coming from.  I have a lot of respect for the fighters of the 70’s and 80’s." 

"Before the Corrie Sanders fight, I had the opportunity to defend my title against Danny Williams, but the fight did not happen.  He did not fight me.  His fight with my brother is a very interesting one.  This is the guy who beat Tyson.  He is a hot name.  He is better than anybody else.  He knows how to fight Vitali, and he will be motivated.  Everything will be on the line for both of them."