Society of North American Sports Historians & Researchers: Oct. 6, 2013 – On Saturday, Wladimir Klitschko, co-heavyweight champion alongside his brother Vitali, disposed of yet another challenger in easy, almost desultory, style. This time, the designated victim was Russia?s Alexander Povetkin, who crashed to the canvas four times and barely won a round in dropping a unanimous decision.
Even though Klitschko holds multiple alphabet titles and Ring Magazine recognition as linear champion, this was a unification match of sorts. Klitschko came into the ring as the WBA?s ?super? champion, while Povetkin held the WBA?s ?regular? title. Whenever one of their champions wins a title from another major sanctioning organization, it designates that fighter as a ?super? champion. It then holds a box-off between two other contenders to determine a ?regular? champion. So, now that Wladimir has disposed of the ?regular? title-holder, will the WBA find another one, while retaining Klitschko as its ?super? champ?
Let?s see ? two sanctioning fees one division ? you can bet that next year, the WBA will announce a contest for its newly vacant ?regular? heavyweight championship, probably between Povetkin and some other fighter in its Top 10.
Back to Saturday?s fight. Usually a showdown that features four knockdowns would be considered exciting. Yet despite the knockdowns, Klitschko-Povetkin was boring. The fight was reminiscent of Klitschko?s victory over Sultan Ibragimov five years ago, a clumsy, mauling affair that saw both men drag each other to the canvas like a pair of wrestlers.
Povetkin came into the fight with a well-regarded undefeated record that featured 18 knockouts among his 26 wins. He had been scheduled to fight Klitschko back in 2009, but sustained a series of training-camp injuries that scuttled the bout. Had they met then, the result would likely have been the same. Povetkin is a good fighter, but he simply lacks the ability to cope with the lethal combination of size and skill that only the Klitschko brothers possess at this time.
Looking over the list of contenders, none of them has what it takes to handle either of the Ukrainians, even though Wladimir is now 37 and Vitali 42. Tyson Fury, whose bout with David Haye had to be rescheduled due to a cut Haye suffered during sparring, certainly has the size and punch to trouble either Klitschko. But Fury?s skills and chin are suspect. Haye had his chance at Wladimir two years ago, but blew it so badly that he went into a brief retirement. Tomasz Adamek and Ruslan Chagaev have also lost to the K-Men (Adamek to Vitali and Chagaev to Wladimir). The resurgent Chris Arreola lost to Vitali. Up-and comers Robert Helenius, Kubrat Pulev, Deontay Wilder and Bermane Stiverne need more seasoning before they can hope to beat a Klitschko.
A while back, I recommended that both Klitschko brothers retire so that the division they?ve dominated for so long can renew itself. But as long as they keep beating everyone who is put in front of them, and rake in huge purses defending their titles in Europe, who am I ? or anyone else ? to tell them they shouldn?t?
