Despite these respectable statistics, it has to be noted that Marchuk only ever went 10 rounds - the scheduled distance for his rout with Elliott - once in his career and that he actually tasted the canvas twice against Belgium champ Mike Algoet before coming back to outscore the southpaw. Thus, the conclusion comes easy that the tried and tested Elliott, with a record of 31-2-1 (23) and a WBC # 16 rating, represents the sternest test of Marchuk's career. With the German-based Nigerian under contract to Wilfried Sauerland, the promoter of this mouth-watering confrontation, the deck is stacked against the likeable and easy-going Marchuk. "He knows he's up to it and that it's time to prove whether he has the skills, heart and nerves to take his career up to a new level," says promoter Zbarski.

Marchuk does fit into the cliché of boxing offering him a way to improve his life and he certainly fights that way, never giving up until he prevails. The fight with Elliott gives him a great chance to fulfil his sporting ambition, but also represents a huge gamble: Win and he's a world-ranked contender with an unlimited future, loose and it's looking for a day job. As Sergei himself puts it bluntly: "I have no time to waist in my life on any more easy fights. I want to know if I can make big money in boxing now and if not I have to look for something else. But rest assured that whatever happens, I will leave something of myself in the ring come September 28 and Jerry Elliott will know what I mean when our business is finished, whatever the result will be".

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