(UPDATES with fight detail)
MOSCOW, May 17 (R-Sport) - Alexander Povetkin beat Andrzej Wawrzyk in a violent three-round knockout on Friday to retain the regular WBA heavyweight title and set up a near-certain date with champion Wladimir Klitschko later this year.
The Russian Olympic gold medalist knocked down Wawryzk once in the second round and twice in the third before the referee stopped the fight with 2:23 remaining.
On both recoveries, the lumbering Wawryzk picked himself up from the mat with his face bloodied.
"We had the aim of working several different things, we didn't focus on the knockout," said Povetkin. Asked if he was ready for Klitschko, Povetkin roared "yes!" to the delight of the Moscow crowd.
Wawrzyk, a previously untested 32-year-old from Poland, falls to 27-1 while Povetkin, 33, remains undefeated at 26-0.
It was Povetkin's 18th knockout and the fourth time he's successfully defended the title.
"Sasha proved today against a world-class opponent that the time (for Klitschko) is here," said Povetkin's trainer Kostya Tszyu. "I hope Volodya and Sasha will have a very interesting fight."
The showdown has been tentatively scheduled for October 5.
After a cagey first round, Povetkin came out of his shell in the second with a flurry of head shots, culminating with a hard overhand right that came down on Wawrzyk's left cheek at 1:40, sending him to the mat.
Cursing himself, the Pole stood up with a bloody nose and thereafter never had an opportunity to attack Povetkin, who landed more than 60 percent of his jabs.
Povetkin's second knockdown punch of the third opened up a gash on Wawrzyk's brow, prompting referee Russell Mora to call the fight and sending the Crocus City Hall crowd into raptures.
