Austin, designated as the number one contender in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) rankings, is confident that Klitschko Jr. will not be able to withstand an opponent who is not inferior to him in height, weight, or punching power.
"I am going to knock him out — after all, I am not one of those 'dwarf heavyweights' that Klitschko has been fighting lately," stated Austin, who has received the nickname "Rainman" in the boxing world. "The last time Volodymyr fought an opponent who was almost not inferior to him in size was his bout with Samuel Peter. Back then Klitschko was knocked down three times. The same thing happened in his fight with Lamon Brewster. I promise that with me it will be no easier for him."
In July of this year, Ray Austin fought for the right to a bout with Klitschko Jr. against Russian Sultan Ibragimov. That fight ended in a draw, with each opponent being knocked down once. After that, Ibragimov accepted the offer of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) leadership and became the official challenger for the championship title, while Austin remained in the IBF and also received challenger status.
Volodymyr Klitschko last entered the ring on November 12 of this year, when he knocked out American Calvin Brock in the seventh round.