Austin’s camp thinks he can take champ

BERLIN – Not many believe American challenger Ray Austin will take the IBF heavyweight title away from Wladimir Klitschko today.

But Austin’s camp is promising to send a different fighter into the ring against the hard-hitting Ukrainian than the one that compiled a mediocre 24-3-4 record with no big wins.

Stacy McKinley has trained Austin for the past two months, after drawing praise for improving Samuel Peter of Nigeria, who is in line for a title shot against WBC champion Oleg Maskaev.

“You’re going to see a much improved fighter,” said McKinley, who was the assistant trainer for Mike Tyson for a decade. “I don’t see any reason he can’t win. Once you get past the punching power of Klitschko, there is nothing there.”

Three straight wins against top fighters have ranked Klitschko – 47-3 with 42 knockouts – at the top of the current heavyweights.

He beat Peter – before McKinley trained him – then stopped Chris Byrd and Calvin Brock.

Now, the 30-year-old Ukrainian is looking beyond today’s mandatory defense to loftier goals.

Klitschko’s hopes of a unification fight, however, have been thwarted by the competing interests of the four boxing organizations and their champions’ promoters.

“I have been working on that since I won the title again, but I’m not one step further,” said Klitschko, who was once the WBO champion. “But fights can happen that everybody wants to see.”

Wladimir and older brother Vitali Klitschko – who promote themselves – see today’s bout as about more than just two boxers. Austin fights for Don King, whom the Klitschkos have generally refused to work with.

“This isn’t just about two fighters, it’s about two promoters,” said Vitali Klitschko, the former WBC champion who is planning a comeback.