Arum: New dates in March idealBy Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, whose knee injury forced him to postpone his mandatory title defense Saturday against Hasim Rahman, will see a knee specialist this week before determining his ring future.
Klitschko tore the meniscus in his right knee and suffered a bone bruise while sparring last Thursday in Los Angeles, just nine days before he was to face the former champion.
Klitschko will have his knee examined, probably Thursday, in Vail, Colo., by knee specialist Dr. Richard Steadman.
AP
Klitschko and Rahman might have to wait until March to feed eachother leather.
Bernd Boente, Klitschko's manager, said Klitschko probably will need surgery to repair his meniscus.
"Vitali will go to Vail to see Dr. Steadman, and if it's only the torn meniscus, he could be back very soon," Boente said. "That's what we hope. He'll probably have surgery, but it is a minor surgery."
"I want to get another opinion on my knee and Dr. Steadman is known as the best in the world," Klitschko said in a statement.
"After reviewing the MRI Friday, Dr. Bert Mandelbaum (of Santa Monica, Calif.) told me that I have at least a torn meniscus and a bone bruise. I was examined again on Saturday by (orthopedic surgeon) Dr. Tony Daly. I was fitted with several knee braces and tried to spar. But nothing worked. My knee was just too unstable."
It is the fourth time this year that Klitschko has postponed the fight because of various injuries, including to his thigh and back. The fight was originally scheduled for April 30 and bumped to June, July and finally this week at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.