American surgeon Nil Elatrash, who operated on Vitaly Klichko, WBC super heavy-weight ex-champion, for knee-joint, considers that his patient can continue his boxing carrier if he wants, of course.
“By now, after a week, Vitaly walks without crutches and touches down the whole weight bearing with the right leg. Besides, he does not take anesthetic and feels well. Vitaly says he is recovering faster this time than after the similar injury of his left knee, suffered several years ago. But it is needed to wait five-six months to be in good form and to come out to ring,” told Elatrash in an interview to “Moscowsky comsomolets”.
According to the doctor, the suffered trauma (rupture of cross-shaped chord) could not let Klichko to come out to the ring against Hasim Rahman. The knee was unstable, which caused falls while Vitaly was training the moves.
Nil Elatrash also refuted any possibility of simulation from Klichko’s side. The surgeon declared that the revealed micro-break of the cannon-bone witnesses to the fresh wound. The doctor named the statements of Hasim Rahman and Don King “irresponsible”.
“I do not think they will dare to state this (Klichko could falsify his trauma to avoid the fight with Rahman – ed.), if they see the results of scanning and pictures of the operation. Vitaly and I are professionals and we will not risk of our names. All medical records and pictures are kept in an archive. And we will present them by court request, if it comes to it,” declared Mr. Elatrash.
