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Russia’s Povetkin: Wladimir Klitschko one of world’s best heavyweight boxers

Known to the fans as ‘Russian Vityaz,’ Povetkin squared off against Klitschko in 2013

Boxers Alexander Povetkin and Wladimir Klitschko Zurab Dzhavakhadze/TASS

Boxers Alexander Povetkin and Wladimir Klitschko

© Zurab Dzhavakhadze/TASS

MOSCOW, August 4. /TASS/. Russian heavyweight boxer Alexander Povetkin told TASS on Friday he has no regrets that there would be no return bout against Wladimir Klitschko, who announced his retirement earlier this week, and is currently aiming for the world champion’s belt fight in one of the boxing divisions.

One of the world’s most prominent heavyweight boxers Wladimir ‘Dr. Steelhammer’ Klitschko of Ukraine announced on Thursday his decision to wrap up with boxing career.

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"Wladimir Klitschko is one of the best heavyweight boxers in the world and if he made a decision to wrap up his career, then it is his time and his right to do it," Povetkin said in an interview with TASS.

Stepping into the realm of boxing and being dubbed by fans as ‘Dr. Steelhammer,’ Klitschko chalked up a total of 69 bouts during his professional career, winning 64 of them, including 53 by KOs, yet losing only five. He is also the Olympic champion of the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, USA.

Being 198 centimeters (6 feet 6 inches) tall and with the punch reach of 206 centimeters (81 inches), Klitschko held the heavyweight champion’s belts in the World Boxing Organization (WBO, 2000-2003, 2008-2015), the International Boxing Federation (IBF, 2006-2015) and the World Boxing Association (WBA, 2011-2015).

Known to the fans as ‘Russian Vityaz,’ Povetkin (W-32; L-1; 23 KOs) squared off against Klitschko in the fall of 2013 in Moscow and lost to the Ukrainian boxer by points after fighting in the ring for all 12 rounds.

Asked whether he was disappointed that there would be no return bout against Klitschko, Povetkin said "No, I am not disappointed at all since I have other goals at the moment and they are to hold a bout for the world champion’s belt."

Following a host of doping scandals, Povetkin was reinstated last month in the ratings of the World Boxing Association (WBA), the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF). The World Boxing Council (WBC) is still mulling over the reinstatement of the Russian boxer in its ratings.

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