Klitschko Dominates Pianeta In TKO
MANNHEIM, Germany -- Wladimir Klitschko stopped Francesco Pianeta in the sixth round Saturday night to retain the IBF, WBO, WBA Super Champ, and IBO heavyweight titles.
The Ukrainian was never troubled by Pianeta, finishing off the previously unbeaten Italian southpaw with a right-left combination. Pianeta stayed down before attempting to continue, but there was no point in delaying the inevitable and referee Ernie Sharif ended the bout 2:52 into the round.
"Francesco tried. He has a fighting heart," Klitschko said. "He's a positive example in boxing. I'm sure he's learned a lot and that he has a great future ahead of him."
Klitschko rocked Pianeta inside the first 30 seconds, knocked him to the canvas with a straight right down the middle in the fourth, and again with a left blow in the fifth.
The 37-year-old Klitschko improved to 60-3 after his 52nd knockout, while Pianeta dropped to 28-1-1.
"I'm very disappointed and sad," said Pianeta, a cancer survivor who lives in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. "I can't say anything. It wasn't my day. He's the world champion. It wasn't enough. That was rubbish today."
The fighters worked together briefly last year and Klitschko tried to be kind to his former sparring partner.
"Francesco wasn't easy to box," Klitschko said. "He punched with the hardest punches I've ever felt. Luckily, they didn't hit me."
Vitali Klitschko, who holds the WBC belt, said he had no worries ahead of his younger brother's 23rd championship bout.
"My brother was very strong," Vitali Klitschko said. "Francesco has a big heart. You have to pay him respect."
Next up for the younger Klitschko is a likely bout with mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin of Russia, the "regular" WBA champion after Klitschko was elevated to "super champion" status.
Wladimir Klitschko defends heavyweight titles as Ukranian stops Italy's Francesco Pianeta in the 6th
Wladimir Klitschko defended the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles with ease by outclassing Francesco Pianeta in Mannheim, Germany on Saturday night, stopping the Italian in the sixth round.
By Gareth A Davies, Boxing Correspondent
Klitschko, who moved to 59-3, is set to earn £17 million for his next defence against Alexander Povetkin, the WBA’s mandatory challenger. It is believed that Klitschko earned just over £4 million pounds for the defence.
The WBO’s No 7 ranked fighter Pianeta was down in the fourth and fifth rounds, and after Klitschko had landed a good left hook to the body in the sixth, the safety-first champion finished the challenger with 25 seconds left in the round with a right hand, left cross combination.
Pianeta went down and it was over. He was peppered from start to finish in his first loss in 29 fights.
A £23 million purse has been put up by Povetkin's manager Vladimir Hryunov for the fight to take place. Povetkin has waited over two years to challenge Klitschko.
This, again, looked like organized bullying from Klitschko, who was dominant in the opening round, landing a heavy left-right combination against the southpaw Pianeta. The champion caught the challenger with two more big rights, but the Italian landed a left hook of his own. It was one of few punches landed against the champion, always conscious of fighting at range.
Klitschko, favouring fighting at range, then got his jab going late in the opening three minutes. A long series of jabs in the fourth round, and then a long straight right hand down the middle put Pianeta down for the first time. Pianeta was down again in the fifth from a left hook.
By then, it was just a matter of time. Klitschko maintained his nine year unbeaten record at the summit of the heavyweight division
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/10038234/Wladimir-Klitschko-defends-heavyweight-titles-as-Ukranian-stops-Italys-Francesco-Pianeta-in-the-sixth.html
Klitschko win not for Haye
Brit star unimpressed with Wlad's Pianeta TKO
DAVID HAYE was distinctly unimpressed as Wladimir Klitschko enjoyed a quick night’s work against Francesco Pianeta.
UNSTOPPABLE ... Wladimir Klitschko celebrates making light work of challenger Francesco Pianeta
By GAVIN GLICKSMAN
Watching from the comfort of the ESPN studio, Haye witnessed Klitschko dispatch Pianeta in the sixth round to retain his world heavyweight titles in Germany.
The Italian challenger was sent crashing to the canvas in the fourth and fifth rounds as the Mannheim crowd roared on the WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO champion.
And it came as little surprise when referee Ernie Sharif waved off the fight with eight seconds of the sixth session remaining after Klitschko had floored Pianeta for the third time.
But Haye, 32, quickly highlighted the fact that Pianeta was simply not in the same class as Dr Steelhammer.
The former WBA title-holder, who lost on points to Klitschko in July 2011, said: “That reminded me of a Mexican pinata where you stand there and bash away at it with a stick.
“It was a punch-perfect performance and Wladimir controlled the fight from the start. He did exactly what I expected him to and dealt with his opponent as everyone thought he would.
“He could have got rid of that guy in the first round but he prefers to be 100 per cent safe. For me, that will hurt his legacy.
“He’s very effective but doesn’t excite people whatsoever. He certainly doesn’t excite me.
“I’m sure he could find stiffer opposition but he gets paid the same whoever he fights because they’re voluntary defences. He picks up his purse and the Klitschko machine rolls on.”
While Haye would like to set the record straight against Wladimir, his sights remain set on the Ukrainian’s older brother Vitali.
The former undisputed cruiserweight king begins his bid to become the WBC champion’s mandatory challenger by facing Manuel Charr in Manchester on June 29.
And Haye, who has not boxed since demolishing Dereck Chisora inside five rounds last July, is confident he can rip the title from Vitali’s iron grip.
He added: “I’m going to fight guys in the top 10 because I want Vitali.
“Charr is a tough guy. He was stopped on a cut against Vitali by a Klitschko doctor, which I didn’t think was fair.
“I believe it’s a no-brainer for them because they can make more money by fighting me.
“But if they can fight three easier guys and make the same money as one fight with me would generate, why would they take me on in a hard fight?
“If I had beaten Wladimir, I’d have achieved everything I wanted to in boxing. However, I lost that fight and it didn’t sit quite right with me.
“I’m 32, agile and explosive. I’m never going to compete with Wladimir physically due to his size and strength because he grabs you whenever you get close enough to throw a punch.
“But Vitali is different because he’s got more balls. He’ll want to try and knock me out, which will play into my hands.”
Source: www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/boxing/4915727/Wladimir-Klitschkos-beats-Francesco-Pianeta-with-ease.html
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