Vitali Klitschko is grateful for the respect champion Lennox Lewis is giving him - such as it is.

　　"I know he predicted he would knock out (Hasim) Rahman in the second round. Right now he is giving me five rounds," Klitschko said on Wednesday at a news conference, smiling and peering across the podium at Lewis.

　　"Thank you very much."

　　Lewis grinned.

　　The champion stopped Rahman in the fourth round of their November 2001 rematch. Rahman had taken Lewis' WBC and IBF titles by stopping him in the fifth round of their first bout the previous April.

　　Lewis doesn't predict that he will knock out Klitschko within five rounds, saying only he will end Saturday night's heavyweight title fight early "if an opportunity presents itself."

　　The champion did say he doesn't expect Klitschko to go the distance.Emanuel Steward, Lewis' trainer, is the one saying the champion will take out Klitschko by the fifth round.

　　Steward explained that Lewis always seems to fight better against taller foes. He expects both fighters to be aggressive in the early rounds and said "Vitali doesn't know how to run."

　　A native of Kiev, Ukraine, who now lives in Los Angeles, Klitschko is pleased to be fighting in the US and living in his new hometown.

　　"It's a wonderful chance to show American audiences who I am, and how good I am," Klitschko said.

　　"Lennox Lewis is very skilled, but nobody is perfect and I have seen some weaknesses. I know I am the underdog, but I will surprise people on Saturday night."

　　Asked his prediction for the outcome, Klitschko said, "Nobody knows what's going to happen. That's why there is such a big interest." But added later: "I'll beat him. I'm in better condition. If I have a small opening, I will knock him out."

　　The 31-year-old Klitschko's younger brother, Wladimir, also is a heavyweight and is considered probably the better fighter of the two.

　　"I know the Klitschko brothers have been wanting me," Lewis said. "I'm the top of the hill for them, and I know they want to meet me in the ring. Vitali said he's seen some weakness in me; I've seen a whole heap of weaknesses in him."

　　The 37-year-old Lewis (40-1-2, 31 knockouts) will have his WBC and IBF titles on the line against Klitschko (32-1, 31 knockouts).

　　Their title bout was hastily put together when Lewis' scheduled opponent, Kirk Johnson, pulled out after tearing a chest muscle in training.

　　Klitschko was slated to face Cedric Boswell on the same Staples Center card, with a bout against Lewis coming up later in the year.

　　All that changed when Johnson dropped out.

　　"They put Vitali in front of me, and he's my mandatory," Lewis said of the No 1 challenger. "I knew he had been wanting to fight me for a long time, his manager even threatened to sue me.

　　"So it all worked out."