Klitschko, Haye reach deal!

Months of negotiations have come to an end and the highly expected heavyweight fight is determined: IBF, WBO and IBO world champion Wladimir Klitschko will defend his titles against Briton David Haye on June 20. Bernd Bönte, Managing Director of Klitschko Management Group: “I am glad that these extremely difficult and long negotiations are over and we are able to present the fight that boxing fans all over the world want to see. Both Wladimir and David are known as superb punchers and a fight over 12 rounds will be very unlikely to happen. It is going to be an unforgettable spectacle. The venue of the fight will be announced soon.“

Both opponents met several times at public events before showing their rivalry. Especially the 28-year-old Haye used every possibility to attack Klitschko. Recently, he posed with Wladimir’s cut off head in an English lifestyle magazine.

Wladimir Klitschko: “I am used to being attacked by my opponents before a fight. But David is top of the list of crudity. He has to pay the bill for it and I promise it will be painful.“

David Haye: “Klitschko’s last opponents were cowards. I will knock him out and take his belts to my hometown London. And that is not all: I will also go and get Vitali’s belt! None of them can stop me. The new World Heavyweight Champion will soon be David Haye!“

David “The Hayemaker“ Haye was the dominating figure in the cruiserweight division of the last years holding the WBC, WBA and WBO titles. Both of his first two heavyweight fights Haye won without going the full distance. Last November he stopped former world title challenger Monte Barrett in round 5. Haye’s impressive record is 22 wins (21 by KO) and one defeat only.

It is Wladimir Klitschko’s 16th world heavyweight championship fight. Klitschko was the first after nine years who unified heavyweight titles last year. The Olympic gold medalist of Atlanta 1996 has a record of 52 wins (46 by KO) with three defeats.

The fight will be broadcast worldwide. In Germany, the hosting channel will be RTL, HBO will show the fight in the US and Setanta covers in England.

Oosthuizen wins in first round!

By Ron Jackson

One of the brightest young prospects in South African boxing 21-year-old Thomas Oosthuizen fighting at super middleweight scored his eighth inside the distance win when he stopped Semanda Shabane from Uganda in the first round in Kempton Park on Wednesday night. Promoter Jeff Ellis of African Ring Promotions provided a night of entertainment for 1000 patrons at a Box and Dine which also included the well known rock band Clint and Co, at the Emperors Palace.

The taller Oosthuizen ( 76.06kg) showed maturity as he came out at the bell to size up his opponent from behind his southpaw jab before unloading with some big left hands that kept Shabane (73.94kg) on the back foot.

The stocky Shabane was unable to get past the long arms of Oosthuizen before he was backed up against the ropes where Oosthuizen scored with right and left combinations that left him on rubbery legs as referee Amos Lusenga stepped in to call the fight off at 2 minute 48 seconds into the first round.

In a heavyweight bout scheduled for six rounds Bull Muravha (99.98kg) was just too big and strong for Basil Rey (104.42kg) in scoring a third round technical knockout.

Other results: Featherweight: Ashley Dlamini beat Victor Kota, tko 2; Featherweight: Joey Stiglingh beat Gert Aries, tko 4; Lightweight: Charlie Weyers beat Sizwe Nkabinde, pts 4; Heavyweight: Dion Coetzee beat Kali Kelembe, pts 4; Heavyweight: Johnny Muller beat Sheldon Human, tko 2; Junior heavyweight: Sean Santana beat Heinrich van Bosch, pts 4; Heavyweight: Stephen Castle beat Robbie Lombard, pts 4.

Tapia sentenced! Former champ sentenced to reality TV rehab

Five-time world champion Johnny Tapia will serve a nine-day stint in jail, then a trip to Hollywood for drug rehab. On Wednesday, the former champ was sentenced for violating probation on felony drug charges. As part of the punishment - between his nine-day jail sentence and six months of intensive rehab at a southern New Mexico facility - Tapia will appear on VH1’s reality show, “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.” Tapia has no problem with the sentence, telling media, “They’re taking me to prison. I did the crime, I’ll do the time.” Tapia had been facing up to a year in jail for violating his probation. In the meantime, Tapia is in training for a May 16 comeback, most likely to take place in New Mexico.– Chris Cozzone

Q&A Tomasz Adamek: “I’m Stronger, Taller, Better” Than Hopkins Published by Scoop Malinowski

IBF Cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek talked to BoxingInsider.com on Monday afternoon about the prospects of one of 2009’s biggest boxing events - a fascinating clash with living legend Bernard Hopkins which the world’s #1 cruiserweight still has hopes of being made:

BoxingInsider: What was your reaction when you heard Hopkins and Golden Boy offered you the paltry sum of $500,000?

Tomasz Adamek: I’m fighter. My job is in the ring. I have to depend on Ziggy (Rozalski, manager) and Pat English (lawyer), they work for me with Golden Boy. If Ziggy says we have a good deal for you, I’m ready. When Ziggy says, No good, we want to stop negotiation. This negotiation I give to Ziggy, he’s my boss. He’s a good businessman. He knows what is good for me.

BoxingInsider: Has there been any new news regarding this negotiation process with Hopkins and Golden Boy?

Tomasz Adamek: When the negotiation gets better I’m ready. I’m champion. I will give Hopkins great big fight. Whoever it is Hopkins, Jones, Johnson, I’m ready.

BoxingInsider: Hopkins is an extraordinary great champion, one of the greatest in history. If the fight ultimately does get made, what most concerns you about him and his style?

Tomasz Adamek: He’s a great boxer, great champion. But I think I’m stronger, I’m taller, I’m better. I’m ready to meet with him in the ring - only when my lawyer and Ziggy makes contract.

BoxingInsider: Going back to the KO win over Johnathon Banks, how did you feel about your performance?

Tomasz Adamek: I wasn’t tired. I felt fresh. Now I’m ready and hungry for hard training and fight. I had a short camp for Banks fight - maybe eight weeks. I can make weight now - I’m natural cruiserweight. After the fight with Banks I could have fought the next week because I felt fresh.

BoxingInsider: Did Banks do anything in the fight which you did not expect? Were there any surprises from Banks?

Tomasz Adamek: I expect everything from every opponent. Every opponent has two hands. Andrej (Gmitruk) my coach tell me what he think I should do, he’s a good smart coach, I did what he tell.

BoxingInsider: Back to Hopkins, do you still have hope that this fight can and will be made?

Tomasz Adamek: I hope. I have always hope. But I wait on the information from Ziggy and Pat English. I’m ready to come back to hard training. I’ll wait.

BoxingInsider: Bernard Hopkins will read this interview. Would you like to say a few closing comments directly to Hopkins? About how much money would be a fair offer.

Tomasz Adamek: I want to tell him I have respect for him. He’s a great champion but I want to fight with him. I have respect for every one of my opponents - it’s my job.

BoxingInsider: How much money should he pay you?

Tomasz Adamek: I would like the most (means I would like the most I can possibly get, not the lion’s share of the purse). The negotiation is with Ziggy and Pat English. When they say it’s a good deal with me, I’m ready.”

Povetkin, Estrada confident! Battle of Olympians on Saturday

Jason Estrada is convinced he can spring a surprise and upset Alexander Povetkin in Dusseldorf on Saturday night. It will be a special fight as the two protagonists share a lot of things in common. Both boast an impressive amateur record, both fought in Olympic tournaments and both have set their sights on a victory on Saturday night. “We have come to Germany to take home the Olympic gold medal Povetkin won in 2004,” Estrada´s promoter Jimmy Burchfield said. “Jason was one of the best amateur fighters in the country and he was one of the favourites to win Olympic gold at Athens.” While Povetkin, who is also a European and World amateur champion, went on to win the Olympic tournament, Estrada did not make it to the final due to an early loss. “It just was not my day,” he said. “I did not perform well. But I feel much more comfortable as a pro. I never really liked the way of fighting and scoring in the amateur system.”

Povetkin coach Valeri Belov was full of praise for the 29-year-old American. “I saw one of his fights in Athens and he certainly has a lot of talent,” Belov said. “He is a tough guy. We have also analysed his pro bouts. We are taking him very seriously and I have no doubts that Alexander will take care of business and beat him.”

Just like at yesterday´s media work-out, Povetkin was again asked about the showdown with Wladimir Klitschko. “It only have Estrada on my mind,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for him and it will be a tough fight. We will see what happens after I have defeated him.”

Povetkin stated he has fully recovered from the ankle injury that forced him to postpone the Klitschko fight, which was originally scheduled for December. “I don´t have any problems any more, I am in great shape,” he said. “I took my time to recover and then started from scratch. We did all the basic conditioning in the mountains and the sparring also went very well. I am in the shape of my life.”

Things heated up when Povetkin´s co-mananger Vlad Hrunov took the stage and confronted Estrada with his derisive remarks about Povetkin, whom he had called a “sitting duck” in an interview. “I don´t know whether I said that or not,” the American replied. “But if I said it, so be it – Povetkin is a sitting duck. I will give the answer to all further questions in the ring on Saturday night.”

On the undercard, EU heavyweight champion Francesco Pianeta will defend his title against Albert Sosnowski. It will be a special match for the 24-year-old who will fight close to his home city of Gelsenkirchen. “Francesco has done really well in practice,” coach Ulli Wegner said. “He keeps improving every day. I am sure he will please his home fans.”

Caballero-Mathebula on April 30!

The IBF canceled the Purse Bid scheduled for tomorrow for the IBF Jr. Featherweight mandatory defense of IBF/WBA Champion Celestino Caballero and Jeffrey Mathebula. Both sides agreed to do the fight on April 30th in Panama City, Panama.

HATTON FEELING BETTER THAN EVER

Ricky Hatton believes he is in the shape of his life as he left for his training camp in Las Vegas ahead of his showdown with Manny Pacquiao.

Hatton will go up against the current pound-for-pound king on May 2 and he feels he is in the best possible condition ahead of the Las Vegas showdown.

'The Hitman' struggled after his only career defeat against Floyd Mayweather Jr, but linking up with his conqueror's father as his new trainer has turned things around.

Hatton was back to his best when he dismantled Paulie Malignaggi, and now the Mancunian is promising an even better performance against the Philippines' finest.

As he left for Las Vegas, Hatton promised that he would improve again from the Malignaggi fight.

"It's the best shape I've ever been in this far out," Hatton told Sky Sports News.

"I've still got five weeks to go and at a push I could be ready in a couple of weeks, so I have to be careful not to overdo it now. But I've got a fair few fights under my belt now and I've got a bit of experience so I can't see that happening, and I'm in perfect shape for training camp.

"This is the best Ricky Hatton. It is even better than the Ricky Hatton that beat Kostya Tszyu and that's my best win to date so far in my career, so I think a lot of people are going to be surprised come fight night."

Hatton's improved skills under Mayweather senior's guidance have seen him improve again, and he says he is better now than he has ever been in every department.

"The difference is I'm back using my head. I'm back using my jab, throwing combination punches as well along with my 100 mph body punching and my aggressiveness, which I suppose is what everyone has come to like about me.

"I've got a little bit more finesse and I'm thinking about what I'm doing instead of steaming in there and making it easy for my opponents so I'm better in every department now."

Hatton has the utmost respect for Pacquiao, but believes he is king of the light-welterweight division - with his only defeat against Mayweather coming at welterweight.

With Pacquiao stepping up in weight, and with Hatton's more polished boxing skills, Hatton thinks Pacquiao and his team will be in for a shock on the night.

"It's a tough fight, he's a southpaw, he's very, very quick, he's a decent puncher, but this is my division," Hatton added.

"I've only lost one in 46 fights and that was up to welterweight, I won a world title at welterweight but it's clear it's not my natural division.

"I really think I'm the boss over my opponents with my size and strength and with my extra boxing ability now which, from what I've heard from the Pacquiao camp I don't think they've prepared for, they're going to be in for a shock."