Former WBO titleholder Sergei Liakhovich is ready to get back in the contender picture and has set his sights on undefeated Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach.
A comeback is a tall order for the 36-year-old Liakhovich, who’s suffered stoppage losses in his last two bouts against Bryant Jennings (March 2012) and Robert Helenius (August 2011). With his last win coming in 2010, Liakhovich admits his recent slide was partly due to a lack of focus.
I took a few months off from boxing and now I’m ready to come back fresh,” Liakhovich explained. “In my last fight [against 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 ranked #4 by the WBC and holds victories over former fringe contenders Tye Fields and Kevin McBride. At this juncture in their careers, Liakhovich believes a fight would prove if Wach has the talent to become a legit contender.
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?
At press time, Liakhovich also has several American heavyweights on his wish list, including Seth Mitchell, Chris Arreola and Jonathon Banks.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 