Alex Leapai to knock back seven-figure lure from World Champion Wladimir Klitschko

heraldsun.com.au

ALEX Leapai is likely to reject a seven-figure lure from world heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko tomorrow to take his title fight to an auction system "purse bid'' after Russian promoters announced they would top all offers to secure the bout.

The possibility of the fight being staged in Australia with the involvement of Sydney FC owner David Traktovenko is also a major factor in Leapai forming a Russian alliance against a powerful German bloc of money men.

Leapai, 34, the No.1 ranked heavyweight in the World Boxing Organisation, has become one of the hottest properties in world boxing. His trainer Noel Thornberry, a Gatton real estate agent, says the deal to stage the German-based world champ is likely to be decided on location, location, location.

Thornberry said Russian promoter Vladimir Hryunov told him yesterday he would beat any purse offered by Mike Tyson's former agent Shelly Finkel and Klitschko's management team of Tom Loeffler and Bernd Boente.

"The offer from Finkel is well over seven figures,'' Thornberry said, "but the Russians seem totally determined to get this fight no matter what Finkel is offering.

"They've told me they want to bring Klitschko to Australia and the chance for Alex to tackle the biggest prize in world sport in front of all his family and friends is the clincher as far as we're concerned.

"Knocking back Klitschko's offer is a gamble but we think in the end Alex will get an even bigger payday and Australia could see him beat Klitschko in front of a home audience.''

As Leapai weighs up all the offers for his world title fight, Anthony Mundine will likely announce this weekend that he is fighting American Carson Jones at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on January 29.

Jones has just one win in his last four starts and was knocked out in his last bout by hot British prospect Kell Brook.

Vladimir Hryunov won the rights to stage Klitschko's last fight against Russian Olympic gold medallist Alexander Povetkin in Moscow's Olympic Stadium in October with a total purse of $US23.2 million.

A similar offer could make Leapai, a humble delivery van driver from Logan and a father of six, the highest paid boxer in Australian history.

Klitschko's co-manager Tom Loeffler said last week that while the Germans were originally looking at a March 8 date for the Leapai fight they would make the bout later than that if they gained the promotional rights.

Source:  www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/boxing-mma/alex-leapai-to-knock-back-sevenfigure-lure-from-world-champion-wladimir-klitschko/story-fni2urrv-1226793964733