SONAHR: LAS VEGAS, Nevada – March 6, 2016 – Oh, to be a heavyweight in the post-Wladimir Klitschko era. Of course, this new era might be temporarily interrupted if Klitschko, the long-time king of the division who was dethroned by Tyson Fury in November, regains his crown in an upcoming rematch. But if Klitschko does, indeed, avenge that upset defeat, it?s hard to see him going on beyond such a vindication ? not at age 40, and not with a pride of young lions roaring at his heels.
Not so long ago, Wladimir and his brother Vitali maintained a two-handed stranglehold over the heavyweights. And even after Vitali retired, thus putting his WBC version of the title into play, Wladimir held the other three major belts. Now, the division roils in chaos. Charles Martin is now the IBF champion, after that organization stripped Fury for taking the Klitschko rematch. Deontay Wilder is the WBC champion, and has defended his title three times. And the WBA is up to its old tricks, undertaking a tournament involving its ?super,? ?regular,? and ?interim? titlists in a bid to crown a single champion by early next year.
Wow ? a ?unification? tournament within one title-sanctioning body. That WBA is sure on the cutting edge, isn?t it?
For the better part of 10 years, a heavyweight had two options: either mark time by fighting stiffs and trial horses to maintain an undefeated record, or get clobbered by a Klitschko. These days, opportunities abound, whether one is a hot prospect or a weary veteran. The kickoff of the WBA tournament on Saturday provides a perfect snapshot of the current unrest among the big boys.
With Fury installed as its ?super? champion, the WBA matched Ruslan Chagaev, a former title-holder now past his prime, with Lucas Browne, an undefeated but untested Australian. Chagaev tested Browne, dropping him in the sixth round and pounding and bloodying him before Browne responded with a crushing knockdown in the 10th, followed by a battering that prompted the referee to halt the contest. So, add Browne to the crop of fresh faces in the division.
In the meantime, hard-hitting Luis Ortiz, who is the WBA?s ?interim? champion, crushed the shopworn Tony Thompson like an empty beer can in six frames. Thompson is a long-time gatekeeper in the division. He?s lost as many fights as he?s won over the past several years, but he has also proven a roadblock to the ambitions of hotshots such as David Price and Odlanier Solis. Ortiz blew right through the roadblock. In a year, the Cuban has jumped from anonymity to watchability.
Milking its tournament for all it?s worth, the WBA has dug up another pair of retreads for the winners of Saturday?s fights to demolish. Next up for Ortiz is Alexander Ustinov, a gigantic Russian who has never been more than a fringe contender. And Browne gets to feast on a leftover named Fres Oquendo, who came up short against John Ruiz, Chris Byrd and Evander Holyfield back in the day, but persists like a collection agent. Once those mismatches are out of the way, the fragmentary titlists will fight each other, adding more sanctioning fees to the WBA?s coffers.
The quality of today?s heavyweight division is a far cry from the glory days of the 1970s, or even the 1990s. But at least it?s not boring anymore. And by the end of this year, the current chaos may well lead to the rise of a truly dominant champion to succeed the Klitschkos. Long live the new king, whoever he turns out to be.
