Moscow to stage first Klitschko World Heavyweight Championship in Russia
Vitali Klitschko defends WBC title against Manuel Charr on September 8
Two-time WBC World Heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko will defend his title against German Manuel Charr at the SC Olimpiyski sports arena in Moscow, Russia on September 8. For fight night, more than 30,000 spectators are expected to come to one of the largest European indoor arenas.
Manuel „Diamond Boy“ Charr was born in Beirut (Lebanon), is unbeaten in his professional career and # 7 ranked in the WBC. 2011, the 27-year-old heavyweight won the WBC International Silver Heavyweight title through an 8th round stoppage of Marcelo Luiz Nascimento. 6′ 3½″ tall Charr has a fight record of 21 wins with 11 KOs.
Manuel Charr: “Vitali will see in my eyes that he cannot win the fight. Many think I will come to lose but I am coming to win. I will shock Vitali and the boxing world and get his title!”
Vitali Klitschko is 40 years old with a professional record of 44-2 with 40 KOs. His two defeats came only as a result of injuries and he never lost his title in the ring. Klitschko has the highest knock out percentage ever of any reigning world heavyweight champions with 91 percent. He is only the fourth boxer along with Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis to win a heavyweight championship belt for the third time. In his last fight, Klitschko defeated British contender Dereck Chisora by unanimous decision although having suffered a shoulder injury early in the fight. It will be Klitschko’s 17th World Heavyweight Championship fight in Moscow.
Vitali Klitschko: „Charr is young, hungry and undefeated. He is afraid of nobody, always marching forward. I know that he will be extremely motivated against me and that is why I will definitely not make the mistake to underestimate him. I will give my answer to all his trash talking inside the ring on September 8. It is great that the fight takes place in Moscow, one of the most fascinating cities in Europe. I am sure it will be an unforgettable show.”
Bernd Bönte, Managing Director of Klitschko Management Group (KMG): „We are very glad to have our first event in Russia and then immediately in Moscow. It is an amazing city and the Moscow people are crazy for sports. The Klitschko brothers are absolute superstars in Russia and for Vitali as well as for KMG it is very special to stage a world championship in Moscow.”
After the fight, Vitali Klitschko will concentrate on his political activities again. As leader of the UDAR party he will take part in the Ukrainian parliament elections on October, 28. Responding to reports that this will be his last fight Vitali responded: “I would like to continue to fight and I will make my decision after the election.”
The fight will be promoted by K2 Promotions. K2 has promoted the most heavyweight championship events in the last decade.
Ticket sale starts today, Monday, July 2. Prices are available on www.olimpik.ru (booking), hotline + 7 (495) 786 33 33 and www.concert.ru, hotline + 7 (495) 644 22 22.
In Germany, Klitschko vs. Charr will be broadcasted on RTL, Russia 2 will show the fight in Russia.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
