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                                                                                                       SPORTS Saturday 25 February 2017


















                WBC champ Wilder returns  against unbeaten Washington



            JOHN ZENOR                   age to decent jab until he  Alexander  Povetkin  had
             AP Sports Writer            broke his right hand,” Deas  tested  positive  for  meldo-
            BIRMINGHAM,  Ala.  (AP)  —  said.  “When  he  broke  his  nium. Wilder instead turned
            Deontay  Wilder  is  trying  to  right  hand  early  in  his  ca-  to  Arreola  ,  whose  corner
            emulate Larry Holmes, both  reer, he spent 6-8 weeks just  stopped the fight after the
            in  becoming  the  world’s  on  the  left  hand  and  be-  eighth  round.  Wilder  had
            dominant      heavyweight  came  arguably  the  great-    fought half the fight mostly
            champion  and  in  cultivat-  est (jabber) in heavyweight  relying on his left hand fol-
            ing a pinpoint left jab while  history. We took a page out  lowing the injuries.
            sidelined  by  a  right  hand  of that book.”             Washington is a late substi-
            injury.                      The 6-foot-7 Wilder predicts  tute after Polish challenger
            Returning from a pair of in-  a lot of jabs in the fight with  Andrzej Wawrzyk also failed
            juries  to  his  right  arm  and  the  6-5  Washington,  both  a  drug  test.  Wilder,  who
            flush  from  a  court  victory,  tall, athletic fighters.  has  been  a  vocal  critic  of
            the   WBC     heavyweight  Holmes  and  fellow  former  boxing  cheaters  ,  already
            champion  returns  to  the  heavyweight      champions  scored  one  big  victory  re-
            ring Saturday night against  Evander Holyfield and Ear-   cently,  winning  a  unani-
            unbeaten  and  mostly  un-   nie  Shavers  —  along  with  mous verdict in a New York
            known  Gerald  Washing-      WBO  titlist  Joseph  Parker  title  seeking  the  $5  million
            ton  (18-0-1,  12  knockouts)  —  are  expected  to  be  on  he  was  scheduled  to  re-
            at  Legacy  Arena.  He’s  hand at Legacy Arena.           ceive for the Povetkin fight
            hoping  it’s  the  start  of  a  The  undercard  features  last summer.
            year when he begins add-     Jarrett  Hurd  (19-0,  13  KOs)  Wilder  said  Washington  is
            ing  belts  to  the  one  he’s  against  Tony  Harrison  (24-  a  better  opponent  than
            dubbed “Sophie.”             1, 20 KOs), both 26, for the  Wawrzyk  and  perhaps  the
            Washington is a 34-year-old  IBF  super  welterweight  title  most athletic he has faced.
            former  Southern  California  vacated   when     Jermall  The WBC champ said he’s
            tight  end  and  defensive  Charlo  moved  up  to  mid-   focused  on  Washington
            end.  He  is  also  a  former  dleweight.                 while  also  “window-shop-   Deontay Wilder works out for the media in Northport, Ala., Tues-
                                                                                                   day, Feb. 14, 2017, as he prepares for his WBC heavyweight title
            Navy helicopter mechanic  Then Wilder enters the ring  ping” for future fights .       defense against Gerald Washington on Feb. 25 in Birmingham,
            who  turned  pro  less  than  for  what  he’s  hoping  be-  “I  am  the  man  to  beat,”   Ala.
            five years ago.              comes  another  stepping-    Wilder  said.  “I  don’t  care   arose  four  weeks  ago.  He  that,”  Washington  said.
            The 31-year-old Wilder (37-  stone  to  unifying  the  title.  what  other  heavyweight   said  he’s  gained  confi-  “That’s  what  I  love  about
            0, 36 KOs) is making his fifth  If he wins, he expects next  has  what  title  and  what   dence  and  learned  from  it.  Our  back  is  against  the
            title  defense  and  fourth  to  fight  WBO  champion  country  they’re  from.  De-    every  fight  along  the  way  wall.  We’re  against  all
            in  Birmingham,  about  an  Joseph  Parker  this  summer  ontay Wilder is the man to   despite  a  late  start  follow-  odds.  We’re  in  his  back
            hour  from  his  Tuscaloosa  and  then,  he  hopes,  the  beat.”                       ing his football and military  yard. I love that. I embrace
            hometown. He had surger-     winner  of  the  April  bout  Now,  the  man  he  has  to   careers.                   that.
            ies to repair a broken right  between  Anthony  Joshua  beat  is  Washington,  who     Washington  thinks  playing  “I’m  not  one  to  shy  away
            hand and torn right biceps  and     Wladimir   Klitschko.  had  a  fourth-round  knock-  on  three  Rose  Bowl  teams  from competition. I’m used
            sustained  in  last  summer’s  Parker  is  first  scheduled  to  out of former title challeng-  for Pete Carroll’s talent-rich  to  competing  against  the
            fight  against  Chris  Arreola.  fight Hughie Fury, Tyson Fu-  er Ray Austin on the Wilder-  USC  program  taught  him  best in the country, and the
            Trainer  Jay  Deas  said  they  ry’s cousin.              Arreola undercard.           not to shy away from com-    best in the world. Now I get
            quickly returned to the ring  Wilder’s  recent  path  has  Washington  got  emotional   petition. But he also knows  to  do  that  on  the  boxing
            even  with  that  arm  in  a  taken  unexpected  turns.  at  the  pre-fight  news  con-  that there are people say-  stage  for  the  most  presti-
            sling,  working  on  his  left,  a  He was on his way to board  ference,  tearing  up  at  the   ing he doesn’t have much  gious title, the WBC heavy-
            la Holmes.                   a  flight  for  Russia  last  year  podium as he talked about   chance against Wilder.  weight  championship  of
            “Holmes  had  a  very  aver-  when he learned opponent  his dream opportunity that
                                                                                                   “The  whole  world  is  saying  the world.”q
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