Ankle strain puts boxing dream on ice
Published 29 October, 2008, 23:22
He is known as the knight of Russian boxing,and Aleksander Povetkin was scheduled to take on IBF and WBO world champion Wladimir Klitschko on December 13. But that has been cancelled after Povetkin sustained an ankle injury.
Professor Sergey Arkhipov, who’s also a medical doctor, is one of Russia's leading traumatologists. He’s treated at least 30 Olympic champions.
Recently he added another to the list, when the winner of the 2004 Athens super-heavyweight boxing gold, Aleksander Povetkin, knocked on his door.
“I examined him [Povetkin] and saw that the ankle-joint was swollen and so was his leg. It’s a typical thing for a haemorrhage, both from outside and inside – where the ligaments were injured. His joint is stable though, which is important, as the two bones that form the ankle-joint are there, uninjured. The intercrural ligaments are not affected, fortunately for him. What is injured though, is the deltoid ligament – its a sprain – not all but some filaments are torn, which does not cause a full disruption of the anatomic structure,” Sergey Arkhipov says.
Click here to read a full transcription of RT's interview with Professor Sergey Arkhipov
29-year-old Povetkin's impressive run to the IBF title fight has earned him not one but two nicknames.
Abroad he is known as the White Lion, while home fans call him the Russian Knight. He became his country's first ever Olympic super-heavyweight champion 4 years ago.
The native of Kursk turned pro after his Olympic success. His record to date is 16 wins (including 12 knockouts) and no losses.
December 13, 2008 was supposed to be one of the biggest nights of his career, but the ankle setback has delayed his mandatory title fight against double world champion, Vladimir Klitschko.
Povetkin has said on several occasions that his goal is to end the Klitschko hegemony in professional boxing, especially when the Ukrainian is at the top of his game.
But at this point, it looks as if it will be at least another six months before he gets the chance to try and do just that.
discuss it
