PRESS RELEASE: Alexander Povetkin (11-0, 9 KOs) is determined to further enhance his reputation as one of the hottest heavyweight prospects with a special boxing doubleheader. The former world amateur champion, who also won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics, will take on Patrice L´Heureux (20-3, 12 KOs) in Bamberg on May 26 before coming face-to-face with Monte Barrett (31-5, 17 KOs) just one month later. The former opponent of Nikolai Valuev has been lined up for a fight in Moscow in June which will spell Povetkin´s biggest test to date. Undefeated in 11 fights (9 KOs), the 27-year-old has set the bar high. "After winning everything as an amateur, I am eager to be successful as a professional fighter, too," he stated. "I am keen to be a world champion one day."

Before battling it out with Barrett, Povetkin has to put aside Canada´s Patrice L´Heureux  on the undercard of King Arthur Abraham´s ring return. The IBF middleweight champion will be in action for the first time since breaking his jaw in a points victory over Edison Miranda last September. Povetkin is eager to take care of business against L´Heureux. "Heureux means happy but there will be no reason for him to be happy after our fight," he vowed. "Much on the contrary." Povetkin last destroyed David Bostice inside two rounds.

The up-and-coming heavyweight has been training together with his coach Valery Belov and brother Vladimir, who celebrated a successful pro debut two months ago, in his hometown of Tschechow (near Moscow) - the same city where world famous Russian author Alexander Pushkin lived and worked. It is not all that seldom that the 27-year-old pays the local Pushkin museum a visit. Ironically, Pushkin died after a duel. "He would have been better leaving the fighting to me," Povetkin said. "He was such a great author - and I will be a great boxer. But I will not suffer the same fate as him. I will never lose a duel."

Not that Povetkin was not working hard in practice before, but April 14 has given him another boost. "I was so disappointed to see Nikolai Valuev losing his WBA belt to Ruslan Chagaev. I will avenge his defeat and restore Russian pride." Funnily enough, there´s an Uzbek restaurant just around the corner from his gym. "You cannot start your preparation for Chagaev early enough," he smiled.