Undefeated knockout artist Depntay Wilder will take on former WBO Heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich on August 9th on Showtime according to Dan Rafael of espn.com
“This is a great test getting in the ring with an experienced fighter,” said Wilder;s promoter Richard Schaefer. “[Liakhovich] is a former champion and he has a lot of experience. He’s clearly the most experienced fighter Deontay will have fought. But we feel he’s ready. It’s time to unleash the beast.”
“This kind of fight is a step in the right direction for Deontay,” said Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez, who made the fight. “With heavyweights it’s a very long process but now Deontay is fighting a former world champion and a guy that’s tough. He’s tough and dangerous and the kind of guy Deontay needs to fight, a guy with experience who will fight back.
“He took a rest after the fight with Jennings,” Tony Cardinale, Liakhovich’s attorney told ESPN.com. “He was really disappointed in how he performed. He believed he took the kid too easy. He was convinced this guy had no experience and wouldn’t be a problem and he was a problem. Sergei wasn’t ready for that kind of fight.
“So he took some time off and then decided he didn’t want to stop fighting. He thinks the conditions of the weight class are such that with one big win anyone is in the mix, and this is his one big fight. He wins this fight and he’s back in the mix and ready for a shot at one of the [champion] Klitschko brothers. You win one good fight on television and hopefully you get a shot at one of them. Sergei is a tough guy and we expect Wilder will bring his ‘A’ game and Sergei brings his ‘A-plus’ game. We are signed, sealed and delivered.”
