World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has taken every step to defend himself ahead of his showdown with Ruslan Chagaev.
Champion dismisses health concerns over hepatitis B-sufferer
World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko insists he has taken every necessary step to defend himself ahead of his showdown with Ruslan Chagaev on Saturday.
The 33-year-old Ukrainian had been scheduled to fight Briton David Haye in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, before his opponent was forced to withdraw because of injury.
Chagaev, 30, has stepped in as a late replacement, despite seeing his scheduled bout for the WBA title against Nikoli Valuev chalked off because he risks passing hepatitis B on to another fighter.
Chagaev's doctor insists there is only a small risk to another boxer, though, and IBF and WBO champion Klitschko is clearly not overly concerned.
"I am inoculated," said Klitschko. "Since I often travel in my role as an UNESCO Ambassador, I am often in the tropical institute getting injections."
Chagaev has the WBA heavyweight title with him in the German city, but the title is not on the line for the Klitschko fight.
Debate has raged over who is the true WBA champion after Chagaev was labelled 'Champion in Recess' by the governing body after a ruptured Achilles tendon kept him out of the ring for a year.
In the meantime, Valuev beat John Ruiz last August to claim back the vacant WBA crown he had lost to Chagaev in April 2007, but Klitschko says the Uzbekistan boxer is next best heavyweight behind himself and brother Vitali, the current WBC champion.
"Ruslan is the true world champion," said Wladimir Klitschko. "He is the best man after my brother Witali and has beaten Valuev."
