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Klitschko vs Leapai: Alex Leapai suffers neck strain, but fight not in doubt

Wladimir Klitschko's April 26 opponent Alex Leapai is going through a minor setback in training camp, but his team are not concerned.

Chris Hyde

Underdog challenger Alex Leapai and his team are not concerned about a minor neck strain that cut short a sparring session this week, as they prepare for Leapai's April 26 shot in the dark against WBA, WBO, IBF, and Ring Magazine world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

"It's just so close to the fight now, just any little niggles we've got to be spot on," Leapai said. "It's a little on the precaution side, but everything is spot on. We're back to the gym tomorrow to do some heavy sparring again, so everything is going good."

Leapai (30-4-3, 24 KO) is another in a seemingly unending line of unqualified challengers to Klitschko's throne, but it's hard to think of anyone out there who would really pose any more of a threat to Wladimir (61-3, 51 KO), either. Leapai is a heavy-handed Samoan based now in Australia, who got the fight by way of an upset win over Denis Boytsov in November. That win was no fluke knockout, either. Leapai dominated the fight.

Leapai has lost just one time since 2008, which came when American pretender Kevin Johnson stopped him in nine rounds in 2012.

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