Wladimir Klitschko has reportedly changed his stance on returning to the ring.
The former unified heavyweight champion hung up his gloves in 2017 following defeats to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Klitschko will be 49-years-old next month, yet Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is desperate to see the Ukrainian technician back between the ropes.
The chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority asked ‘Dr Steelhammer’ to end his retirement at the WBC convention in Hamburg at the back end of last year.
Rumours then began to float around that Klitschko was set to sign with Alalshikh after he attended Riyadh Season’s Oleksandr Usyk vs Fury II event on December 21.
However, Klitschko later announced on social media that his attention is currently focused on defending his country from the ongoing Russian invasion, and not on boxing.
“There are a lot of rumours these days about a possible comeback,” he wrote on X.
“At the moment, I’m not concerned with my return to boxing, but with the return of Russians to their country, outside Ukraine.
“And let me be clear: I’ve never stopped training. So IF there was to be a fight, I’d be ready on the spot.
“But this weekend I’m just going to see a fight with a talented Ukrainian [Oleksandr Usyk]. Go Usyk! Slava Ukraini!”
One month after his statement, a report has been published by Alalshikh-owned Ring Magazine suggesting that Klitschko is now ‘seriously considering’ ending his eight-year hiatus from the sport.
The report goes on to add that Klitschko is ‘all but completely committed’ to competing in a massive fight in 2025.
It would be a dream come true for Alalshikh, who affirmed before Usyk and Fury’s sequel that he wanted to see Klitschko rematch the Brit for a chance to become the oldest heavyweight champion of all time.
George Foreman currently holds the record after snatching the WBA and IBF belts from Michael Moorer in November 1995 at 45.
He was stripped of the WBA title soon after for refusing to fight mandatory Tony Tucker, but held onto the IBF strap until June 1996 at 46 years, 5 months, and 18 days.
Wladimir is the third oldest heavyweight champion of all time at 39 years, eight months, and three days behind Foreman and his brother Vitali, who was WBC champion until his retirement at 42 years, two months and 26 days.
On paper, it seems unlikely Klitschko would factor into the world title picture at this stage with WBA, WBC and WBO champion Usyk expected to face the winner of the February 22 IBF clash between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker.
However, Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk recently admitted to talkSPORT that they would be open to exploring a ‘dream’ fight with Klitschko.
He said: “We don’t know what is next. Many things depend on Parker vs Dubois.
“But we also heard from the media that Wladimir Klitschko has a will to become the oldest heavyweight world champion ever.
“Beating the record of George Foreman. There is no decision-making, but it is a dream kind of plan.
“It is just a thought, it is also an opportunity and a possibility as we have heard from Turki Alalshikh.
“You can see how many scenarios are possible for Usyk next, but many things will depend on the result of Dubois vs Parker.”
