Lem's latest: W. Klitschko-Thompson II on July 7

THE RING heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko will pursue his 16th straight victory (and his 12th knockout during that run) with a July 7 rematch with Tony Thompson in Switzerland, Klitschko's adviser, Shelly Finkel, confirmed on Wednesday.

By the time they enter the ring, it will be nearly four years to the day that the nearly 6-foot-7 Klitschko (57-3, 50 knockouts) scored an 11th-round knockout of the 6-foot-5 Thompson (36-2, 24 KOs), who announced the return bout on his his Facebook page. 

Klitschko, who turned 36 on March 25, is coming off a fourth-round knockout of former cruiserweight titleholder Jean Marc Mormeck  on March 3. Since being stopped by Klitschko on July 12, 2008, Thompson, who is 40, has won five straight bouts, all by knockout.

HBO WILL REPLAY FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.-DIEGO CORRALES, AND, MIGUEL COTTO-SHANE MOSLEY

HBO will replay Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s 10th-round knockout of Diego Corrales from January of 2001, as well as Miguel Cotto's unanimous decision over Shane Mosley from November of 2007 on Friday, April 27, at 10:15 p.m. ET-PT, and, Saturday, April 28. at 12 p.m., ET-PT, respectively.

The replays are being shown in advance Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) pursuing his eighth major title over five divisions when he challenges WBA 154-pound titleholder Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs) on HBO Pay Per View on May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas..

CORNELIUS BUNDRAGE-CORY SPINKS II SLATED FOR JUNE 23

IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius Bundrage (31-4, 18 KOs) will defend his crown on June 23 against ex-beltholder, Cory Spinks (39-6, 11 KOs), from whom he earned the title by fifth-round knockout in August of 2010.

IBF President Daryl Peoples confirmed the fight to RingTV.com, citing notification by the fighters' promoter, Don King, and a canceled purse bid.

Bundrage, who turns 39 in April, will face the southpaw Spinks at the Seminole Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, Fla., in an attempt to come up with his fourth straight win, and his third knockout during that run.

Spinks, 34, is after his third consecutive victory, and is coming off January's unanimous decision over Sechew Powell, who, in turn, was trying to rebound from a unanimous decision loss to Bundrage in June of last year.

Bundrage was 21-0, with 13 knockouts when he, himself, was stopped in the first round

by Powell in May of 2005. Over his next four bouts, however, Bundrage participated in Season II of the Contender Series and somewhat jump-started his career.

Photo by Michael Sterling Eaton, KMG

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lem.satterfield@gmail.com