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03/18/2004 Archived Entry: "VITALI KLITSCHKO TO FACE CORRIE SANDERS FOR THE WBC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE"
VITALI KLITSCHKO TO FACE CORRIE SANDERS FOR THE WBC HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
SATURDAY, APRIL 24, AT STAPLES CENTER IN LOS ANGELES
Former Welterweight Boss Vernon Forrest Battle Teddy Reid in co-feature
LOS ANGELES, CA - For only the second time in 45 years, Los Angeles will host a world heavyweight championship fight when the leading two contenders in the World Boxing Council (WBC), Vitali Klitschko and Corrie Sanders, box for the WBC heavyweight title Saturday, April 24, at STAPLES Center.
“Our fans deserve to see today’s top two heavyweights battle for the sport’s ultimate prize in what I guarantee will be the best, most anticipated night of boxing this city has ever hosted,” said Timothy J. Leiweke, President & CEO STAPLES Center and AEG.
STAPLES Center also was the site of the last world heavyweight title fight in Los Angeles. In an exciting, drama-filled match, Klitschko fought then-WBC titleholder Lennox Lewis on June 21, 2003. Lewis, who won the contest by disputed sixth-round TKO, retired earlier this year to pave the way for the No. 1-ranked Klitschko to take on the No. 2 contender, Sanders.
The 12-round fight, to be televised by HBO, will highlight a fight card presented by K2 Promotions, Inc., in association with Universum Box-Promotion and AEG. In the HBO co-feature, former world welterweight champion Vernon Forrest and Teddy Reid will collide in a 10-round junior middleweight bout.
“Based on his battle here against Lewis last year, I know that Vitali believes he already has earned the heavyweight title,” Lieweke added. “However, he will have to go to war once again at STAPLES Center to defeat a very talented and motivated challenger in Sanders to officially win the belt. “I congratulate our partners at K2 and Universum for their tremendous efforts in putting together this great card featuring the heavyweight championship fight everyone in the boxing world wants to see.”
Until Lewis fought Klitschko on HBO, the last world heavyweight title fight in Los Angeles came on Aug. 18, 1958, when Floyd Patterson successfully defended his crown for the third time with a 13th-round TKO over Roy “Cut ‘N Shoot’’ Harris at the old Wrigley Field. Lewis-Klitschko also represented the biggest heavyweight bout in the City of Angels since Muhammad Ali regained the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) championship against Ken Norton on Sept. 10, 1973, at the Forum in Inglewood.
“After weeks of intense negotiations, K2 Promotions is delighted to be working with Universum-Box Promotion to bring the heavyweight world championship back to Los Angeles and STAPLES Center,” said Tom Loeffler, business manager for K2 Promotions, Inc.
“The winner between Klitschko and Sanders will be the new king of the heavyweight division, and the heir to the throne held so long and so well by Lewis.”
Tickets, priced at $350, $250, $150, $100, $85 and $50, will be made available beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 20, at Ticketmaster’s Charge-By-Phone network (213) 480-3232, at Ticketmaster retail ticket center locations, including Wherehouse Records, Robinson’s-May, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations and online at www.ticketmaster.com
The live card starts at 4 p.m., while the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast commences at 6:30 p.m. PT/9:30 p.m. ET.
Klitschko (33-2, 32 KOs), of Los Angeles, by way of Kiev, Ukraine, is coming off of a sensational second-round TKO over Kirk Johnson in a title elimination bout Dec 6, 2003, on HBO. The match was Klitschko’s first since losing the controversial TKO to Lewis when the thrilling fight he was leading on all the scorecards was stopped due to cuts following the sixth round. Nicknamed “Dr. Iron Fist,” the older brother of Wladimir became the first heavyweight champion with a Ph.D. when he won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) belt with a second-round knockout over Herbie Hide on June 27, 1999. On Nov. 11, 1999, the Guinness Book of World Records added Klitschko for becoming the fastest heavyweight to win 26 fights by KO in the least amount of rounds (60). Twenty-five of Klitschko’s knockouts have come inside of three rounds.
Sanders (39-2, 29 KOs), of Transvaal, South Africa, will attempt to become the first boxer to defeat both Klitschko brothers. In his most recent start, the hard-punching southpaw registered one of the biggest upsets of the year when he knocked out defending WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko in the second round on March 8, 2003, on HBO, from Hannover, Germany. Sanders, who decked Klitschko four times, has since relinquished the title. The victory was the third straight for Sanders and 16th out of his past 17 outings. Sanders suffered his last defeat on May 20, 2000, when he lost by seventh-round TKO to former world champion Hasim Rahman. A former South African and World Boxing Union (WBU) heavyweight champion, Sanders turned pro at age 23 on April 2, 1989. He won his initial 23 starts before suffering his initial setback.
Forrest (35-2, 26 KOs), of Augusta, Ga., is stepping up a notch in weight after losing the second of consecutive starts to Ricardo Mayorga on a 12-round decision July 12, 2003, in Las Vegas. Forrest stamped himself as one of boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighters in 2002 after winning back-to-back 12-round decisions over Shane Mosley. Following his second consecutive 12-round decision over Mosley, however, Forrest opted to slug against Mayorga and lost by third-round TKO in their initial contest on Jan. 25, 2003. A college graduate, Forrest compiled a 225-16 amateur record and defeated Mosley to earn a spot on the 1992 United States Olympic team. However, Forrest dropped his first bout after coming down with food poisoning. Outside of the ring, Forrest works with mentally challenged adult males in Atlanta, whom reside in his group “Destiny’s Child, Inc.”
Reid (22-5-1, 16 KOs), of Kingston, Jamaica, by way of Adelphi, Md., also is moving up a weight division. Reid has won three straight and six of his past seven bouts. In his most recent start, Reid successfully defended his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) 147-pound crown with a devastating fourth-round TKO over Elio Ortiz. The offensive-minded Reid decked Ortiz five times in the non-stop slugfest. The former NABF and United States Boxing Association (USBA) 140-pound titleholder started to box at 13 and made his pro debut at age 24 on July 2, 1995.
Heading up an outstanding undercard will be the sensational Los Angeles-based women’s boxer, Lucia Rijker (16-0, 14 KOs), promising, hard-hitting Ukranian heavyweight Taras Bidenko (8-1, 6 KOs) and former world title challenger, super middleweight Mario Veit (42-1, 22 KOs). Opponents for the aforementioned three boxers will be announced in the near future, as will the complete undercard.
