It says a ton about the state of boxing when a heavyweight championship fight — a legitimate heavyweight championship fight that features arguably the best big man in the sport — is not televised in the United States.
That’s right — the battle between IBF and WBO heavyweight titlist Wladimir Klitschko and contender Eddie Chambers from Dusseldorf, Germany, wasn’t picked up by anybody. Not HBO. Not Fox. Not even ESPN Classic, which has been known to televise Klitschko fights in the past. It’s as though the fight does not exist in America.
Which is a shame. Because Chambers is quality, especially when he’s in shape. Sure, he’s undersized like all of Klitschko’s opponents. But he does have the kind of skill and speed that could provide Klitschko some problems. “Fast Eddie” will give the champ at least as good a fight as did “Dr. Steelhammer’s” last eight opponents.
Getting up there
An HBO exec recently was reported to have said Klitschko and his older brother, WBC champ Vitali Klitschko, were not popular in the U.S. because people couldn’t tell them apart. Which is, of course, ridiculous.
However, it is surprising to realize that Klitschko, 53-3 (47 knockouts), has not fought since June — a 9th-round TKO of Ruslan Chagaev. That’s not his fault, of course. Klitschko was to have fought Englishman David Haye late last year, but Haye — despite mocking the Ukrainian at every turn — pulled out at the last minute, leaving Klitschko without a dance partner.
At age 33, Advertisement
you have to wonder if Klitschko will suddenly be bothered by someone with Chambers’ ability. He hasn’t had a competitive fight since 2005, when he was dropped three times but still won a decision over Samuel Peter. Since then, Klitschko has dominated an array of never-weres and has-beens: Chris Byrd (TKO 7), Calvin Brock (KO 7), Ray Austin (TKO 2), Lamon Brewster (TKO 6), Sultan Ibragimov (W 12) and the list goes on.
Chambers, 35-1 (18 KO’s), a native of Philadelphia, is more Apollo Creed than Rocky Balboa. He sticks and moves and throws combinations off a superb jab before using his fleet feet to move out of danger.
And now that he is down in weight he is more dangerous than ever.
Look for Chambers to bother Klitschko early with his speed, and maybe even bruise him up a bit with his stinging jab. Eventually, however, Klitschko — all 6-foot-6, 240 pounds of him — will simply be too big for the 6-1 Chambers.
Klitschko by unanimous decision.
What R U thinking?
The May 1 Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley showdown is easily the biggest fight of the year, and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer deserves credit for putting it together after the collapse of the Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao negotiations.
But couldn’t he and the rest of the Golden Boy brass come up with a better fight name than, “Who R U Picking?” There have been a lot of bad fight names (Don King went with “The Pride & The Glory” for Larry Holmes-Gerry Cooney in 1982 and the “Sound and the Fury” for Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson 2 in 1997 ? both head-scratchers), but this may be the worst.
Not that it matters. The World Awaits (wait a minute, that was Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya) Mayweather vs. Mosley.
Matthew Aguilar may be reached at [email protected].
