Klitschko - Same old Vitali

Former world champion ready to make comeback this weekend

Last updated: 10th October 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Klitschko - Same old Vitali

Klitschko: Still the same fighter

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Vitali Klitschko insists that he will be as good as he ever was when he steps into the ring for the first time in four years on Saturday night.

The former world heavyweight champion has come out of semi-retirement to try and claim the WBC belt from current champion Samuel Peter.

Despite not having fought since beating Britain's Danny Williams back in December 2004 due to a knee injury, the 37-year-old will go into the bout in Berlin as the favourite.

He is adamant that despite so long out of action he will be ready for action having gone through a gruelling 10-week regime to get in shape.

Ambitious

"I'm still the same Vitali, "he told German newspaper Bild. "I'm ambitious, mentally strong and hard working.

"It's not really a comeback for me, more like a fight between two world champions after injury.

Peter, nicknamed the 'Nigerian Nightmare', has already fought this year, beating Russian Oleg Maskaev to claim the title back in March.

The 28-year-old has managed 23 of his 30 victories by knockout with his only professional defeat coming at the hands of Vitali's younger brother, Wladimir Klitschko - the current IBF, WBO and IBO champion.

Now the other sibling intends to end Peter's title run and make sure the Klitschko family have their hands of all four of the titles.

History

"We want to write boxing history, two brothers as world heavyweight champions has never been done before," he added. "We promised our mother we would do it."

But Peter is no easy return for Klitschko and the African is determined to spoil his opponent's grand plans at the O2 Arena this weekend.

"He is a phoney who is messing with my career and my life. On Saturday, he will be out of everyone's life for good," he stated.