BOXING

• Wladimir Klitschko to defend crown against Povetkin

  
  

  Frankfurt, Germany (Sports Network) - Wladimir Klitschko will defend his IBF heavyweight crown against top contender Alexander Povetkin on December 13 in Mannheim, Germany.

  Klitschko is 51-3 with 45 knockouts and has won nine straight fights since an April 2004 loss to Lamon Brewster.

  He scored an 11th-round knockout of Tony Thompson in his most recent bout on July 12.

  Povetkin is unbeaten 16 career tilts with 12 knockouts against unheralded competition.

  The 29-year-old Russian beat Eddie Chambers and Taurus Sykes in two earlier bouts this year.

  Wladimir's brother, Vitali, reclaimed the WBC portion of the heavyweight title earlier this month with an eighth-round TKO of Samuel Peter.

  10/17 10:43:22 ET