Trainer expects new challengers for Klitschko crown

Vitali Klitschko’s trainer believes a number of “young, strong fighters” can step up to become world heavyweight champion.

After being forced to withdraw for the fourth time from the second defence of his WBC title against Hasim Rahman with a knee injury, Germany-based Ukrainian Klitschko announced yesterday he would quit while still champion.

The 34-year-old’s trainer Fritz Sdunek now expects younger fighters to mount their challenge, while also predicting that American promoter Don King will dominate the sport’s top division.

Sdunek told Die Welt newspaper in Germany: “Vitali leaves a big void because he was the best heavyweight fighter. But this void will be filled soon with all the young, strong fighters on the rise.

“Rahman is now the WBC champion and his promoter Don King has all options on his side. He can now dominate at his own will.

“Vitali is very depressed right now but I backed his decision. After all, this must have been the 10th severe surgery of his career. There’s nothing you can do about it. It’s very sad.”

However, veteran trainer Emanuel Steward is convinced command of the division will stay within the family.

Emanuel Steward, who trains Klitschko’s younger brother Wladimir, believes the 29-year-old is ready to step into his sibling’s shoes as the leading heavyweight in the world.

He said: “I’ve always said, even when his brother was champion and even when Wladimir lost to Lamon Brewster and Corrie Sanders, that he was the best heavyweight in the world.

“Naturally he was not considered in the WBC too much because his brother was champion, but I’m quite sure he is going to become a real force in their ratings now because Wladimir is the hottest and most marketable heavyweight in the world now.

“Rahman’s only claim to fame is one punch (against Lennox Lewis), other than that his whole career’s never been anything. To see him fight the likes of Sinan Samil Sam, Monte Barrett, Chris Byrd and James Toney does not create excitement.

“By doing what Wladimir did, taking a big risk and going in and beating up Samuel Peter, it now puts him as the man in the heavyweight division as the biggest attraction. If he had not beaten Peter, Peter would be the big man.

“He was going to step up anyway, but he was just not going to fight for the WBC title because of his brother but he was going to win all the other titles back anyway.”

King boasts the majority of leading heavyweights in his stable with the Klitschko brothers the major players outside of his circle. With Klitschko senior out of the way, King is expected to step up his bid to stage a heavyweight tournament to establish an undisputed champion.

Neither Steward or Wladimir are interested, however.

“He’s doing it because he has no attraction in all of those guys together. Out of all those he might come up with somebody who can be attractive but Wladimir doesn’t need that. He is a star.

“Wladimir’s number one across the board. Don doesn’t have a star. John Ruiz, Chris Byrd, Monte Barrett, Rahman, nobody’s interested in any of them.

“Wladimir is the man right now. He’s going to knock off everybody. He’s going to be undisputed champion. He’s the best heavyweight out there.”

Wladimir himself spoke in a statement about his brother’s decision to retire: “I am very sad my brother had to call time on his career. But he left at the top as the reigning world champion. It was the right decision.”