Brock gets break-out fight against McCline

By Anthony Evans: Not your average heavyweight prospect, what, with a college degree in business administration and a fondness for tap-dancing, heavyweight Calvin Brock flew in under the radar, so to speak, getting to fight No.24 before really getting much attention.

And if January's third round KO of Clifford Etienne finally got the 30-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina noticed, a win over two-time heavyweight title challenger Jameel 'Big Time' McCline on Main Events/ESPN's inaugural pay-per-view in April will establish 'the Boxing Banker' as a bone fide contender.

"This is the fight I wanted," Brock told SecondsOut. "I'm the real heavyweight champion of the world, the one the world has been waiting for since Lennox Lewis retired (in February 2004) and this fight with McCline is another step towards all that. I haven't worked out (an exact strategy yet) but I'm not only gonna win this - I'm gonna win good. I'm gonna impress the whole world."

In what will effectively be an elimination fight to challenge one of the four world title holders, the fight will take place on April 23 at Cesar's Palace, Las Vegas, on card which features Sugar Shane Mosley's return to welterweight.

"You can say it is another step up in class but I'm still gonna fight the same way and impress in the same way," Brock said of his stiffest test to date. "

At 6ft 2inches and weighing around 227lbs, Brock is not a massive heavyweight by 21st Century standards. But he is unperturbed by McCline's hulking 6ft 6inch, 270lbs frame.

"When you are in great shape, have a great defence and skills then you can offset size," he said. "I've fought big guys before like Jamal Gardner and guys like that in the amateurs and in my pro debut I fought Zibielee Kimbrough - a 6ft 7inch southpaw - so size in itself isn't too much to be concerned with. It don't matter if someone is bigger and stronger - I know I am smarter, faster and better.

"McCline is definitely one of the top heavyweights in the world right now. He is fundamentally sound and has beaten some good names in Michael Grant, Lance Whitaker and Shannon Briggs and he's fought (Wladimir) Klitschko for the WBO title and Chris Byrd for the IBF title so he's got experience."

A clearly intimidated McCline performed dismally against fellow Goliath Klitschko in his first world title opportunity in December 2002 - losing every round before getting stopped in 10. But last time out against best friend Byrd, McCline proved that he is much more effective when matched against smaller opponents. Many believe his second round knockdown of Byrd at Madison Square Garden should have earned McCline more than a split decision loss.

"That fight with Byrd could have gone either way," Brock concurred. "McCline could be the IBF champion right now so this is a big step up for me and I'm looking forward to stepping up. If I am the real heavyweight champion, which I believe I am, I should have no problem taking on anyone at anytime."

What I like about this fight is that McCline, 31-4-3 (19) will arrive with serious ambitions of his own, knowing that just one win over an unbeaten like Brock will be enough to land him a rematch with Byrd or a shot at one of the other belts.

"He'll be coming to win," Brock said. "But he can't win. I'm not worried about his size at all, I'm the perfect size for a heavyweight. All the greatest heavyweights are around 225lbs and I'll fight anyone, anytime, anywhere. I've developed on my own (without any fanfare) but I'm ready to take them all on right now."