Liakhovich Challenges Wach, Looking for September Fight Date
Former world champion Sergei “The White Wolf” Liakhovich (25-5, 16 KOs) has challenged undefeated Polish heavyweight contender Mariusz Wach (27-0, 15 KOs).
Wach’s promoter, Mariusz Kolodziej (Global Boxing), recently announced that Michael Grant wouldn’t be fighting Wach as previously planned, and they are searching for an opponent to fight in September. Liakhovich feels that he is a perfect gatekeeper for Wach, who is rated No. 4 by the World Boxing Council (WBC), to test himself against.
“I took a few months off from boxing and now I’m ready to comeback fresh,” Liakhovich explained. “In my last fight (March 24 loss to Bryant Jennings), I made a critical mistake underestimating my opponent. What drives me in this sport is a real challenge. It gives me that fire that all fighters need; the feeling of danger that pushes a fighter to do better. I admit not having prepared properly for my last fight. I didn’t even want to spend money for the right sparring partners because I thought it was going to be an easy fight. Unfortunately, I paid the price. Now, looking back, I wish I could change that but I can’t. All I can do now is get back in the ring and show everybody what I can really do.
“Wach is saying in the media that he needs an opponent but nobody will fight him. Well, not only am I available, I’m willing to go to Poland and fight him right in his backyard. If he honestly believes he’s ready to take on the Klitschkos, first, let him fight somebody like me who has been world champion in order to prove to the boxing world that he’s deserves a world title fight. Is he a contender or pretender? Let’s find out. I understand that I have a lot to prove, to me and my fans, and I’m ready to do just that. How about you, Marius Wach, are you ready for the toughest fight of your career?”
Wach has beaten good heavyweights such as Tye Fields and Kevin McBride, but he’s never fought, never mind beaten, anybody with Liakhovich’s resume and boxing pedigree. A 1996 Bellarusian Olympian, Liakhovich captured the World Boxing Organization (“WBO”) heavyweight title in 2006 with a unanimous 12-round decision over Lamon Brewster. The “White Wolf” has also defeated Dominick Guinn and Friday Ahunanya, among the more notables. He’s also fought world champions Shannon Briggs and Nicolay Valuev, and leading contender Robert Helenius.
Liakhovich is a promotional free agent who is represented by his manager, Attorney Anthony Cardinale, who guided the career of two-time world heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz to 12 world title fights.
“I have asked the promoters for a number of the top heavyweights to consider a bout with Sergei — from (David) Price to (Edmund) Gerber, (Kubrat) Pulev, (Jonathon) Banks, (Seth) Mitchell, (Orlanier) Solis, (Tomasz) Adamak, (Alexander) Ustinov, (Bermane) Stiverne, (Denis) Boytsov, and (Chris) Arreola — and I am still waiting for their calls back,” Cardinale said. “Sergei wants a bout with any one of the currently ranked heavyweights, starting with Wach, but is ready to sign a bout agreement to fight any of them.”
