Russian heavily favored in IBF heavyweight bout
Oct. 25, 2007
The first fight in a four-way battle to earn an International Boxing Federation title shot is slated for Saturday, when American Chris Byrd takes on unbeaten Russian Alexander Povetkin.
Byrd and Povetkin kick off the IBF elimination tournament in Erfurt, Germany, with the winner moving on to fight either Calvin Brock or Eddie Chambers for the right to challenge IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Bet this IBF bout at betED.com, which has Povetkin as an overwhelming favorite (-600) to beat Byrd (+400).
The IBF has launched a four-way battle to determine the Ukrainian's next mandatory challenger, and Povetkin (13-0), the 2004 Olympic gold medal winner, has been ramping up the trash talk leading up to Saturday?s 12-round fight.
?I have been working hard in practice and will defeat Byrd no matter what. I will not allow him or anyone else to stand in my way."
But many feel the unbeaten Povetkin, 28, will have his hands full with Byrd, 37, a former IBF and WBO heavyweight champion.
Byrd (40-3-1) is a talented southpaw who has beaten boxers like David Tua and Evander Holyfield. The only problem is, those fights were in 2001 and 2002, and Byrd has had just two fights in the past two years.
He has lost to Klitschko twice, the last time a 7th-round TKO loss in April of last year. He then beat 40-year-old Paul Marinaccio last April.
Povetkin dominated all of his first 13 fights as a professional (10 KOs). In his last fight in June, he beat American veteran Larry Donald in a shutout 10-round decision.
The winner of Saturday?s fight will take on either Brock or Chambers, who go at it in the second elimination fight Nov. 2 in Tacoma, Washington. The two winners will then meet next year to decide who gets a crack at Klitschko.
Check out betED.com, where wagering on the Byrd-Povetkin bout closes at 2 pm ET Saturday.
Oct. 25, 2007
The first fight in a four-way battle to earn an International Boxing Federation title shot is slated for Saturday, when American Chris Byrd takes on unbeaten Russian Alexander Povetkin.
Byrd and Povetkin kick off the IBF elimination tournament in Erfurt, Germany, with the winner moving on to fight either Calvin Brock or Eddie Chambers for the right to challenge IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Bet this IBF bout at betED.com, which has Povetkin as an overwhelming favorite (-600) to beat Byrd (+400).
The IBF has launched a four-way battle to determine the Ukrainian's next mandatory challenger, and Povetkin (13-0), the 2004 Olympic gold medal winner, has been ramping up the trash talk leading up to Saturday?s 12-round fight.
?I have been working hard in practice and will defeat Byrd no matter what. I will not allow him or anyone else to stand in my way."
But many feel the unbeaten Povetkin, 28, will have his hands full with Byrd, 37, a former IBF and WBO heavyweight champion.
Byrd (40-3-1) is a talented southpaw who has beaten boxers like David Tua and Evander Holyfield. The only problem is, those fights were in 2001 and 2002, and Byrd has had just two fights in the past two years.
He has lost to Klitschko twice, the last time a 7th-round TKO loss in April of last year. He then beat 40-year-old Paul Marinaccio last April.
Povetkin dominated all of his first 13 fights as a professional (10 KOs). In his last fight in June, he beat American veteran Larry Donald in a shutout 10-round decision.
The winner of Saturday?s fight will take on either Brock or Chambers, who go at it in the second elimination fight Nov. 2 in Tacoma, Washington. The two winners will then meet next year to decide who gets a crack at Klitschko.
Check out betED.com, where wagering on the Byrd-Povetkin bout closes at 2 pm ET Saturday.
