By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
Wladimir Klitschko weighed in at the Karstadt store in the centre of Düsseldorf with hundreds of shoppers and supporters packed in and rubbernecking in the clothing department, jostling for space as if it were the January sales.
The only difference was it was not the cash-registers making the noise, but ring MC Michael Buffer’s bass tones booming through the building.
Tickets for Klitschko’s defence of the World Boxing Organisation and International Boxing Federation titles, against Eddie Chambers, America’s No 1 heavyweight, have been hot property, but then the Klitschkos are established Box Office stars here. For now, Haye can only dream of such widespread acclaim.
The Klitschko brothers, mainstream sports personalities in their own right in Germany, command between 50 to 60 per cent of the German terrestrial television audience when they fight.
Last year, Vitali Klitschko’s World Boxing Council heavyweight defence against American Kevin Johnson was the second most-viewed live sports event in the entire year of sport, surpassed only by Germany’s Fifa World Cup qualifying match against Russia.
Upwards of 47,000 seats have been sold for the event at the Esprit Stadium, home of Fortuna Düsseldorf in the second division of the German Bundesliga. The stadium holds 51,500 and has a closable roof. It is expected to be full to capacity when the two fighters take to the ring at 10pm UK time on Saturday.
The Klitschko brothers are contemplating heading for ringside seats in Manchester for Haye-Ruiz, and the mere mention of Haye’s name to either brother brings vitriolic opinion, both voluble and pointed.
Vitali, 38, the elder of the Klitschko brothers, told Telegraph Sport: “Yes, of course I’ll be watching David Haye’s title defence against John Ruiz, and I wish him good luck. I have my fingers crossed for him. I want him to win – not because I like the guy, but because I want to fight him, and I want to shut his mouth.”
Haye will be in for a testing time against Ruiz at the MEN Arena on April 3, according to Klitschko, in spite of the British fighter having insisted on Thursday that he possesses the armoury of power, speed and youth to break the American down.
“It will be a difficult fight for Haye,” said Vitali. “Ruiz is a good fighter, strong, who has a good punch. But Ruiz does not have the speed to stop Haye, and Haye does not have the power to knock out Ruiz. It will be a points decision for Haye."
But Vitali wants Haye's head before he retires. "If the fight with Haye comes through, I would be happy to fight in England. I am ready to fight in any part of the world.”
The two brothers have even been arguing over who will face Haye first. For now, though, Chambers stands in the way.
The American has lost only once in 36 contests – on a unanimous points decision against highly-rated Russian Alexander Povetkin – and will have his work cut out against Wladimir K.
Chambers has insisted all this week that he is going “to shock the world”. We’ve heard that before. Klitschko on points, or by a late stoppage.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
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