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WBA approves Wladimir Klitschko for voluntary defense before Povetkin mandatory

The WBA has approved Wladimir Klitschko to make a voluntary title defense on April 6 before he faces Alexander Povetkin.

Martin Rose

Wladimir Klitschko will be allowed to keep his WBA super title for a voluntary defense, likely on April 6, before facing the sanctioning body's "regular" titlist, Alexander Povetkin.

The WBA ordered a Klitschko-Povektin fight in December, stating it needed to happen by February 26. But there were really no serious negotiations whatsoever, and it's also no surprise that the WBA has chosen to allow Klitschko (59-3, 50 KO) to make the mandatory defense. He pays a lot of money in sanctioning fees, and has for years, and has a lot of stroke everywhere in the sport.

As for Povetkin (25-0, 17 KO), it's not known if he'll take an interim fight in the spring, too, though that should probably be expected. He hasn't fought since wiping out Hasim Rahman on September 29, and it's worth arguing he didn't really fight that night, either. Klitschko last fought on November 10, beating Mariusz Wach over 12 rounds. It's not known yet who Klitschko will face in his voluntary defense.

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