Boxing

Klitschko defense off again

By JOHN C. COTEY, Associated Press
Published November 6, 2005

Vitali Klitschko's heavyweight title defense next Saturday against Hasim Rahman is off because of a knee sprain suffered by the champion in training.

Promoter Bob Arum said Saturday a new date for the fight would be announced this week.

It was the second official postponement of the fight, which originally was scheduled for April 30.

Earlier Saturday, Klitschko was fitted with a knee brace, but he tried sparring in Los Angeles and was not comfortable with going ahead with the fight.

Arum said he was told about the injury Friday night by Klitschko's handlers. Arum took Klitschko to orthopedic surgeon Tony Daly, who diagnosed the injury and fitted Klitschko with the brace.

Klitschko injured the knee while sparring Thursday in Los Angeles, Arum said. The injury caused him balance problems.

Klitschko, who hasn't fought since stopping Danny Williams in the first defense of his WBC title in December, was to have fought Rahman on April 30. But Klitschko pulled a thigh muscle then suffered a back injury.

Rahman, an ex-heavyweight champ, fought Monte Barrett in August. He won by decision to become WBC interim champ and would be declared champion if Klitschko didn't fight him.

JACKPOT: For the past three weeks, Clearwater teenager Keith Thurman has been one of the sparring partners for Jeff Lacy and Winky Wright, earning a little money and getting to hang out in Lake Tahoe with world champions.

But he said he was looking forward to his 5 a.m. flight home today. "Oh, yeah," Thurman said. "It's not like home out here, that's for sure."

A typical day for Thurman: training from 10-noon, lunch and dinner with the rest of the gang from the St. Pete Boxing Club and early-evening runs.

Thurman, who turns 17 on Nov. 23, won the U.S. Police Athletic League championships for his age group last month, and received a phone call shortly thereafter to join Lacy and Wright in Nevada.

"The whole thing has just been mind-blowing," he said. "It took about three seconds for me to say yes."

THE TRAINER: St. Petersburg's Dan Birmingham, 2004 trainer of the year, is working with Joey Gilbert of Contender fame and was in his corner Saturday night. Gilbert is from Reno, which is 65 miles from Lake Tahoe. He is managed by Gary Shaw, who has pointed a few of his fighters in Birmingham's direction.

FUTURE STAR? Wright took time off to attend the premier of 50 Cent's movie, Get Rich or Die Trying, in Los Angeles. Wright and 50 Cent have been friends since they filmed a Reebok commercial last year with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.

FRIENDLY ADVICE: Lamon Brewster has some advice for Antonio Tarver if he's serious about making the move to heavyweight: Don't. The WBO champion said he and Tarver are friends but the difference in punching power between the light heavyweight division, where the Tampa fighter is the champ, and the division he resides in is quite different. "At his age, he can do what he wants to do," said Brewster, in Lake Tahoe to catch the Lacy- Scott Pemberton fight Saturday night. "But I would truly suggest he not do it. I wouldn't want to see Tarver getting hit by a heavyweight."

[Last modified November 6, 2005, 02:02:18]