Klitschko vs Leapai rights bought by ESPN

Wladimir Klitschko's next fight will be televised in the United States after all, as ESPN has bought the rights to air his April 26 championship defense against Alex Leapai live from Germany.

Klitschko (61-3, 51 KO) is a massive favorite in the fight, as usual, with Leapai (30-4-3, 24 KO) a fringe contender at best. He's a good puncher, but Klitschko has trampled good punchers for years now, along with every other type of otherwise overmatched fighter.

Personally, I've got conflicted feelings. It's good that this is being televised, because it makes it easier to watch in the States, but I really hope ESPN doesn't think there's a market for today's heavyweights that just hasn't been exploited or whatever. With this fight and Stiverne-Arreola II on May 10, ESPN looks like they're going down the same road Epix did, and that flat-out bombed.

That said, obviously ESPN is bigger and more important than Epix, and it's not even close. If anyone can juice the lemon that is the heavyweight division, it's The Worldwide Leader.

The fight will also air on Eurosport in the UK, and RTL in Germany.