Bad Left Hook, Global Boxing News and Commentary

Not too major of a story, since he apparently wasn't targeted personally. But Vitali, and scores of other individuals protesting a controversial language law in Kiev, were tear gassed by Ukrainian police attempting to control the situation. It looks like no serious injuries were incurred by Vitali, but still--shit pretty much jumped off over there. Linguistic issues in countries that were part of the Soviet bloc are pretty serious, it seems. Glad he wasn't hurt.

Vitali Klitschko stopped woebegone Odlanier Solis in one heat in Cologne, Germany, to defend his K2 heavyweight championship when Solis could not continue after blowing out his knee. Lots of cognosenseless types want to keep the fiction rolling that Solis was on his way to some sort of upset when the fight was stopped, but they are conveniently ignoring the fact that replays clearly showed a wild-swinging Solis put on Queer Street from a cuffing counter right to the head. From The Cruelest Sport

Snore.

According to the Telegraph, Don King has sent out a release stating that Nicolai Valuev has agreed to face Vitali Klitschko in their next fight. This would also mean that Valuev would not enforce his rematch right against David Haye. Then again, we've heard this song and dance before. Klitschko and Vitali had supposedly signed to fight each other at least twice before, and each time it was just one party jumping the gun and taking information public when a deal wasn't hammered out yet.

WBC world heavyweight champion Vitali "Dr. Iron Fist" Klitschko announced this past weekend that he will retire from the sport of boxing before 2010 is completed. Klitschko (39-2, 37 KOs), the owner of the highest knockout percentage (94.9%) of any heavyweight boxing titlist ever, also stated that he would like to fight both WBA world heavyweight champion David "The Hayemaker" Haye (23-1, 21 KOs) and Nikolai Valuev (50-2-0-1, 34 KOs) before he hangs-up his gloves. Read the rest here...

According to The Ring, Vitali Klitschko and Cris Arreola have officially signed up to fight each other on September 26 at the Staples Center. Arreola better walk into the ring in better shape than in his last few fights, or this could end up looking like Vitali vs. Danny Williams. Even with Klitschko's limited mobility, it seems like Arreola's come-forward, brawling style should be tailor made for the elder Klitschko.

In the attached link, Vitali Klitschko states that he and Nicolai Valuev have had conversations and have agreed to fight each other. Sky Sports is reporting the same. Obviously, contracts still need to be negotiated and the like, so there's still a lot that could sink this ship, but this would be the last step in getting rid of the non-Klitschkos from the heavyweight title picture. (Link in German)

Keeping in mind that The Sun isn't the most credible source in the world, they're reporting that Haye is lining up a September 12 date to fight the other Klitschko. A few other sources have picked up on this one as well, including the (UK) Daily Telegraph.