Berlin – World heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko is aiming to improve his knock-out rate when he defends his WBC belt against mandatory challenger Tomasz Adamek in Poland on Saturday.
The 40-year-old can expect to have few friends amongst the 42,000 fans expected at the Miejski Stadium in Wroclaw when he takes on home favourite Adamek.
With 39 knock-outs in 42 victories and two defeats, Klitschko has one of the highest knock-out rates in boxing at 88 percent and says he will do all he can to stop the fight going the 12 rounds.
“I will give my best to improve my knock-out rate,” he told German TV channel RTL.
“The only thing I can promise is that there will be no questions after the fight about who won the battle.”
Alongside younger brother Wladimir, who holds the IBF, WBO and WBA titles, the Klitschko brothers dominate the division and the Ukrainian will have a 15kg weight and 11 inch height advantage over Adamek, who is six years younger.
Adamek is a former world champion in both the cruiserweight and light-heavyweight divisions, but Klitschko is expected to dominate the challenger.
“I want to say one thing – you have to be born as a heavyweight,” said Klitschko.
“Tomasz Adamek has only grown into the division by eating like a heavyweight.”
But Adamek, whose 44 victories, 28 knock-outs and just one defeat have mostly come at lighter weights, believes that his small stature will bring some benefits.
“My pace is going to kill him, it's as simple as that,” said Adamek.
“If you are slow, he is going to hit you, but if you are fast, then afterwards he won't know where he is.”
This will be the elder Klitschko's first fight since he turned 40 in July and he admits references to his age now feel like “verbal low blows” as he prepares for the seventh defence of the title he won against Samuel Peter in Berlin in 2008.
Having been taken the distance in two of his last four fights, Klitschko has said he wants to make it a short bout.
“This is my title and I will never lose it inside the ring,” he said.
“I am in very good shape and I cannot wait to show once again that I am the best.” – Sapa-AFP