LOS ANGELES, 14 June 2003 — Vitali Klitschko will draw on the inspiration of his hero Max Schmeling when he steps into the ring with heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis on June 21. Like Schmeling against the mighty Joe Louis in 1936, Klitschko is considered by many to be a sitting duck, but Germany’s Schmeling stunned the boxing world by knocking Louis down twice before sending him to the canvas for the third and final time in the 12th round of their first bout.
Klitschko, who is based in Germany, hopes to follow in the footsteps of Schmeling and predicted on Thursday he will beat Lewis for the World Boxing Council crown. “Let’s get started. Let’s fight. I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said Klitschko. “I will do everything to win this fight. It will be the biggest fight of his career for the 31- year-old Ukranian. “I heard Lewis say he is going to destroy me and knock me out in the first five rounds. People say I am not strong enough or in the champion’s league. I don’t care what people say,” said Klitschko.
