Klitschko looking for decisive victory

Wladimir Klitschko is seeking “the clearest possible victory” when he puts his IBF and WBO heavyweight titles on the line against Tony Thompson on Saturday night in Hamburg.

Coming off a points victory over Sultan Ibragimov in their title unification in February, the 32-year-old Ukrainian is eager to make a strong statement this time out.

“I will try to end this fight as soon as possible,” he said.

“It is my goal to win as clearly as possible. And that means early and by KO.”

It will be a special fight for Klitschko (50-3, 44 KOs) who returns to the place where he started his professional boxing career 12 years ago.

“It is great to be back in Hamburg,” he revealed. “I have so many wonderful memories and after Kiev this city is my second home.”

Thompson will be no stranger to the local fans following his fifth-round TKO victory over German heavyweight Luan Krasniqi in their WBO title eliminator last summer.

The 36-year-old American (31-1, 19 KOs) is brimming with confidence ahead of his biggest fight.

“Klitschko’s time is over,” he said.

“I will beat him, just like I beat Krasniqi. I will put him under pressure from the first round on.

“I will try to get him off balance and attack his chin.”

Saturday will not be the first time the two fighters have met in the ring. Back in 2003, they briefly sparred against each other – something Klitschko claims not to recall.

“I can’t remember Thompson,” he said.

“But I called my former coach Fritz Sdunek and he said we made sparring together.”

Thompson, meanwhile, was left unimpressed by Klitschko’s apparent weak memory.

“That he cannot remember me is his problem – I will show him in the ring, I have improved 100 times since then. The fight will not last the distance," he said.

Thompson’s confidence has not gone unnoticed in Klitschko’s camp, and coach Emmanuel Steward wants his fighter to set the tone early in the bout.

“You have to hit him hard quickly so that he loses his confidence,” Steward told Sportbild magazine.

“He needs to realise that he is in the ring with a boxer from a different league.

“Thompson believes after Krasniqi he can now beat up the second guy in Germany. That is why the first round is so important. Thompson needs to panic.”