No man fights forever, not Bernard Hopkins, not George Foreman, not Archie Moore, and not Wladimir Klitschko?
Saturday night at Wembley Stadium in Wembley, London, United Kingdom, former unified heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs), from Kiev, Ukraine, by way of Zhangiztobe, Kazakhstan, returns to the ring for the first time since his embarrassing loss to Tyson Fury in November 2015 to face IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs), from Watford, Hertfordshire, UK. Both the IBF and WBA titles are at stake.
When asked about the possibility of retiring should he lose to 27-year-old Joshua, Klitschko expressed his admiration for Bernard Hopkins. Clean living has its virtues. B-Hop?s longevity is legendary. If ?The Alien? can regain a world title at the age of 48, why can?t ?Dr. Steelhammer,? at the tender age of 41, do it as well?
One man who is willing to entertain the possibility of Wladimir retiring is his older brother Vitali, current mayor of Kiev.
?Wladimir right now is focusing on the fight,? he told Sky Sports. ?He knows from this fight a lot depends on his future and his career.
?It?s the time to think about stopping and not fighting anymore, or continue his career.?
There are plenty of miles on Klitschko?s odometer. He had his first pro fight in 1996, following a long amateur career and lots of kickboxing action. But he has been slipping lately. At first it was gradual. Now it is accelerating. Win, lose or draw Saturday night, the end, if not near, must sooner or later come into view. No man fights forever, not Bernard Hopkins, not George Foreman, not Archie Moore, and not Wladimir Klitschko.
Klitschko admitted to being ?obsessed? with regaining his former stature. He wanted to do it at the expense of Tyson Fury, whose stinging defeat still rankles. Failing that, Joshua is a fine replacement. He is young. He is big. He is strong and undefeated. He?s also wet behind the ears. Joshua has been clocking contenders, but he?s a novice who has not been tested.
?Wladimir knows he has to dominate,? continued Vitali. ?Not to wait, to come in and show his performance. No other way. He knows that, I talked to him, many times. He knows that already well.?
The younger Klitschko has played it safe for years. He has protected that vulnerable chin of his like it was the gold in Fort Knox. He remembers the fights against Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster in 2003 and 2014 better than we do. But for him to ?come in? and ?dominate,? without Emanuel Steward in the corner, is a big ask. Klitschko will have to retool his instincts. He?ll have to rethink his approach to an ruthless game.
?Everything, his future depends on him, and that?s why if Joshua loses the fight, he has a lot of space, because of his age,? Vitali added. ?He has a next time to fight, to try to be the world champion.?
The clock is ticking. Joshua is in his fighting prime. Klitschko is a revered elder statesman. Can the once and future old-timer turn back the hands of time? If any once and future old-timer can do it, it?s Klitschko.
?Wladimir doesn?t have a second chance,? concluded Vitali. ?That?s why we expect full concentration from him and, of course, a good result.?
