Is Dr. Steelhammer Coming Back, or is this an April Fool’s Day Prank?

Various sources, including newspapers in the Ukraine, are reporting that the live-streaming service DAZN has lured Wladimir Klitschko out of retirement with a three-fight deal and that the fighter dubbed Dr. Steelhammer will return to the ring on Saturday, May 25, in Kiev against an opponent yet to be determined.

Almost two full years have elapsed since Klitschko, 43, engaged Anthony Joshua in a thrilling battle before a great multitude in London. Klitschko was stopped in the 11^th round, dipping his record to 64-5 (53 KOs).

Staging Wladimir’s first comeback fight in Kiev would be a concession to his older brother Vitali Klitschko who happens to be the mayor of the city, a post he has held since June of 2014. Vitali was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2018 in his first year of eligibility.

The date of May 25 is significant as Kiev Day is celebrated each year on the last weekend of May, imbuing the city, home to about 3 million, with a carnival atmosphere.

It would be Wladimir Klitschko’s first fight in Kiev since December of 1998 when he suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of American journeyman Ross Puritty, the first loss of his career.

Klitschko was winning that fight until he ran out of gas and was stopped in the 11^th, but yet many folks were quick to write him off as just another white heavyweight destined to become a perennial “opponent.” But he went on to have two world title reigns, the second lasting nine years and seven months during which he made 18 successful defenses.

The news about Klitschko’s May 25 return is probably true although it arrived on April Fool’s Day, a day awash in fake news, all of it meant to be taken in good spirits. Historically, boxers require more than one stab at retirement to make it stick. Moreover, recent posts by Klitschko on his twitter page can be construed as hinting at a comeback. In a post thanking his followers for their Happy Birthday wishes (Wladimir turned 43 last week), he wrote “I feel young.” In other recent posts he noted that he worked out religiously every day and referenced George Foreman who said that at age 45 he was the best boxer that he had ever been.

The news about Klitschko arrived barely a week after DAZN announced an increase in the cost of monthly subscriptions from $9.99 to $19.99. One could see this coming. The live-streaming service, which debuted in the U.S. last September with the Joshua-Povetkin fight, has been busy throwing fat contracts at some of the sport’s biggest names with Canelo, GGG, and now apparently Klitschko joining the roster. Akin to a baseball team raising ticket prices after investing heavily in superstar free agents, it was inevitable that the introductory price wouldn’t last long.

(Active subscribers won’t see their rates increased until March of next year. DAZN also now offers a yearly subscription plan at $99.99, a considerable savings over the month-to-month cost. The new $19.99 monthly fee, say DAZN executives, is still a heck-of-a bargain for a month in which the offerings include a PPV-worthy event.)

If Klitschko fights on May 25 and makes a good showing (and he will undoubtedly be matched soft) that would set up a rematch with Anthony Joshua. A possible rematch with Tyson Fury and a possible bout with Deontay Wilder are seemingly farther down the road as neither is affiliated with DAZN…at least not at the moment.

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