For only the second time in 45 years, Los Angeles will host a world heavyweight championship fight when the top two contenders in the WBC, Vitali Klitschko and Corrie Sanders, collide for the vacant WBC title on  Saturday, April 24, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.  In the co-feature, former two-time world champion Vernon Forrest will battle IBF No. 3 welterweight  contender Reid in a 10-round junior middleweight bout. Lucia Rijker will oppose an opponent to be named in one of the top undercard bouts. K2 Promotions, in association with Universum Box-Promotion and AEG, will present the fight card. Tickets, priced at $350, $250, $150, $100, $85 and $50, are on sale at TicketMaster’s Charge-By-Phone network (213) 480-3232, at TicketMaster retail ticket center locations, including Wherehouse Records, Robinson’s-May, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations, and online at www.ticketmaster.com.  Tickets also will be available at STAPLES Center’s box office and the TEAM LA box office at Universal CityWalk.

VITALI KLITSCHKO

“I want to thank everyone involved for making this fight happen. It is a big thrill for me to fight again in Los Angeles because this is where I live with my wife and children. Everybody knows I wanted to fight a rematch with Lennox Lewis, but Lennox has retired. Many have asked why Lennox waited so long to make an announcement about what he was going to do, but that is a question for him. I am disappointed but I respect his decision. So now I am fighting Corrie Sanders for the vacant WBC heavyweight title. Corrie Sanders is a good opponent. I always thought my brother, Wladimir, was the strongest heavyweight in the world, but Corrie beat him. There is no way I will underestimate Sanders and I will not make the same mistakes my brother made against him. I want to beat Corrie Sanders very badly because if I win, and if Wladimir wins on April 10, we can make our dream come true and be the first brothers to be heavyweight champions at the same time.’’

CORRIE SANDERS

“It is a great honor to fight for the WBC title and to fight Vitali. I know he looks at this as taking care of family business, and I do not blame him. But I am really looking forward to this fight. It is going to be a great battle. I am not here to take shots at anybody, but to deliver shots on April 24. If Vitali has something against me because I beat his brother, it is going to cost him. I am very confident. I will do the same thing to Vitali that I did to Wladimir.’’

VERNON FORREST

“I am really looking forward to this fight, and to 2004. This is going to be a busy year for me. I plan to fight four times. I am looking forward to getting back to my winning ways. I want this year to be like 2002, which was a great year for me. Last year was a horrible year. I know Teddy Reid is a good fighter who will give his best. This is a very big fight for both of us.’’

TEDDY REID

“I would like to thank Vernon Forrest for accepting me as an opponent. Coming off two losses and then agreeing to fight a puncher again tells me a lot about what Vernon is all about. I am looking forward to a great fight and to putting on a great show.’’

3-22-2004