Friday, March 29, 2024  |

News

Wladimir Klitschko’s WBO mandatory is Leapai

Fighters Network
04
Dec

RING heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, holder of the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, has been mandated to face Alex Leapai WBO mandatory opponent, according to WBO president Paco Valcarcel.

In addition, Valcarcel said that Klitschko’s management team, K2 Promotions, and Leapai’s manager, Noel Thornberry, have been granted 30 days within which to negotiate a deal for the bout to prevent a purse bid.

“The WBO’s committee has decided that Leapai will be the mandatory, and that Klitschko must face Leapai,” said Valcarcel. “And they also ordered a 30-day negotiation period to make the fight, and if not, then we will have the purse bid.”

Leepai (30-4-3, 24 KOs) is coming off last month’s unanimous decision victory over Denis Boytsov (33-1, 26 KOs), who was floored in the seventh and ninth rounds.



A winner by scores of 96-92 on the cards of Gerhard Sigl and Matteo Montella, and 98-92 on that of Zolton Enyedi, Leapai entered the bout having scored four straight knockout victories since being stopped in the ninth round by Kevin Johnson in April of 2012.

Klitschko (61-3, 51 KOs) was last in the ring for his 19th straight victory during a run that includes 13 knockouts, having unanimously decisioned previously unbeaten Alexander Povetkin in October.

 

 

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]

SIGN UP TO GET RING NEWS ALERTS