article_snippet.sent: Wladimir Klitschko has reached rare territory among heavyweight champions.
article_snippet.sent: Now, in Wladimir Klitschko ninth year as champion, Wladimir Klitschko is catching Joe Louis and Larry Holmes in successful defences.
article_snippet.sent: A win over Bryant Jennings in New York will place Wladimir Klitschko within one successful defense of Larry Holmes' but Wladimir Klitschko would still need six additional wins to match Joe Louis record of 25.
article_snippet.sent: With all respect to Joe Louis and Larry Holmes, Louis and Larry Holmes're icons for Wladimir Klitschko, I don't want to be compared with Louis and Larry Holmes because Louis and Larry Holmes are fighters I always have looked up to,' Wladimir Klitschko said. '
article_snippet.sent: Nonetheless, Wladimir Klitschko has made deep inroads during Wladimir Klitschko second heavyweight stint that began with a seventh-round technical knockout win over Chris Byrd for a sanctioning body title in April 2006.
article_snippet.sent: I do not compare Wladimir Klitschko with the records of those guys - Joe Louis and Larry Holmes.
article_snippet.sent: Wladimir Klitschko built the impressive streak of title defences at a time when American heavyweights have faded from contention.
article_snippet.sent: Wladimir Klitschko is closing in on the record number of defences of the heavyweight title set by Joe Louis .
article_snippet.sent: Victory for the Ukrainian will take Wladimir Klitschko to within one win of Larry Holmes' 19 defences .
highlights_snippet.sent: Victory will take Wladimir Klitschko to within one of Larry Holmes' record of 19 defences .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: Wladimir Klitschko would need another six wins after that to match Joe Louis .
  