7:10am Thursday 2nd July 2009
By David Magilton
Andreas Kotelnik says he will beat Amir Khan — and dedicate the victory to his hero the Oscar-winning actor Jack Palance.
Kotelnik puts his WBA World Light-Welterweight title on the line against Khan at the MEN Arena, Manchester, on July 18.
And he is predicting a spectacular KO in the fight, inspired by his idol Palance, whose family also came from the city of Lviv in the Ukraine.
Palance, who was born Volodymyr Palahniuk, died in 2006 and was the star of more than 100 movies, winning an Oscar for his role in 1990s smash City Slickers.
In the early 1940s he was a heavyweight prospect, winning his first 15 fights before WWII cut short his career.
“He is a hero in Lviv and I remember thousands of people coming out to see him when he visited and I was a small child,” said Kotelnik.
“Even then I'd seen a lot of his films, especially the Westerns he had starred in and tapes of his old fights.
“To meet him in the flesh was an inspiration and it made me train even harder at the gym.
“When I told him I was a boxer like him, he patted me on the head and told me America was where I had to conquer if I wanted to make it big.
“I’ve not quite got that far yet, but I am a world champion and after I have knocked out Amir Khan I will go to America and prove that I am the best light-welterweight in the world.
“We have had some very famous Ukrainians over the years, but I will become the most famous of them all when I smash Khan on July 18. I am hoping that a lot of my fellow countrymen will be at the MEN Arena to watch me defend my title.”
Kotelnik was forced to pull out the original date for the bout at London's O2 Arena after suffering a tooth infection, but his coach is confident he will be fit.
Despite being given time to recover, rumours had spread that Kotelnik had withdrawn from the fight for a second time.
However Kotelnik’s camp have responded angrily to the speculation, insisting the Ukrainian would be ready for the rearranged date at the MEN Arena.
Kotelnik’s coach Michael Timm said: “These rumours are totally false and without any background. The opposite is the truth.”
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