LAS VEGAS, Nevada, 9 November 2005 — Vitali Klitschko will have right knee surgery this week and have 90 days to reschedule his heavyweight title defense against Hasim Rahman, frustrating the challenger as well as promoter Don King.
The Baltimore Sun reported Monday that Klitschko will undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus and that the World Boxing Council agreed to a plea that allows him to remain champion despite a fourth postponement of the Rahman bout.
“I cannot really enter the ring with an injury that does not allow me to be maximum functional in a fight against such a serious fighter as Hasim Rahman,” Klitschko said on his website. “I hope that I will recover soon.” Klitschko, 35-2 with 34 knockouts, has not fought since beating Britain’s Danny Williams last December. Back and thigh injuries forced delays in fights with Rahman that were planned for April 30, June 18 and July 23.
The WBC told Klitschko he must fight Rahman, who captured an interim crown in August by beating fellow American Monte Barrett, or lose the title.
“In sports like baseball, you get three strikes and you are out,” Rahman manager Steve Nelson told the Sun, Rahman’s hometown paper. “Now Vitali takes strike four, an opportunity he never should have gotten in the first place.” Nelson said Klitschko is afraid of Rahman and added, “What’s happening is proof positive he lacks the courage, something we always knew to be the case.” A new date for the fight is expected this week. Promoter Bob Arum said pay-per-view telecaster HBO could show the event from February to April and the planned arena, the Thomas and Mack Center, has dates available in March.
The move frustrates promoter King’s plans for a heavyweight tournament that would include titles held by four fighters he backs.
King claims Klitschko forfeited his crown to Rahman by postponing the fight and even announced his plans for a unification event, plans that Klitschko might yet scuttle.
“Anyone could tell that Vitali did not want to fight Rock,” King said. “The moment Vitali cancelled his scheduled mandatory defense scheduled for Nov. 12, he vacated his title and Rahman immediately assumed his crown.
Klitschko had asked for permission to fight someone other than Rahman in September but was denied in the request, forced into facing the man who made his name by knocking out Lennox Lewis before losing his crown in a rematch. “Nobody seems to be able to make Vitali fight his mandatory defense against Rahman. He seems to prefer to give up his title rather than face Rock.”
