By Mark Vester

At the Color Line Arena in Altona, Hamburg, Germany, Eddie Chambers (35-1, 18KOs) won a tough twelve round majority decision over the much larger Alexander Dimitrenko (29-1, 19KOs) in a WBO heavyweight title eliminator to land a mandatory shot at WBO/IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko. The scores were 113-113, 116-111 and 117-109. Chambers, in the best shape of his life at 208-pounds and only standing at 6'1, was able to drop the 6'7, 253-pound Dimitrenko twice and handle him very easy at times.

Chambers came out boxing slow in the first but in the final minute he began to let his hands go as got Dimitrenko against the ropes. In the second, Dimitrenko tried to set the pace in the second by using his long reach and height. Dimitrenko continued to stay back in the third, using his jab and countering when Chambers would come inside to punch. At times during the third round action, Chambers was able to do some good work. Both fighters were able to get off with good shots during the fourth round stanza.

Chambers caught Dimitrenko with some good punches in the fifth, and appeared to stun the bigger man. Dimitrenko rallied with some combinations during the final minute. Dimitrenko did a better job of boxing in the sixth, going back to using his reach and keeping some distance with Chambers. But Chambers was still able to get in a some good combinations, including one against the ropes that was closed with an uppercut and sent Dimitrenko's head flying.

During the seventh, it was all Chambers as he battered Dimitrenko. He scored a knockdown when Dimitrenko appeared to get hit with a bodyshot that made him go into a corner to get some time to recover. The ref would give him a standing eight count. It also gave Chambers a 10-8 round. Chambers came out strong in the eight, charging at Dimitrenko and banging him against the ropes during the action. Dimitrenko was able to get in some good punches in the final minute. The ninth was close, with both guys able to get in some good punches. Dimitrenko appeared to show a pattern of trying to steal rounds by letting his punches go in the final minute.

In the tenth, Chambers forced the fight with a variety of combinations and he scored another another knockdown with a solid left/right combo to make Dimitrenko crumble and sent his mouthpiece flying out. The big man got back to his feet and was able to last to the bell but the knockdown gave Chambers another 10-8 round. Chambers began to stalk his man in the eleventh, looking for the knockout. Dimitrenko was still there, trying to land something big when Chambers walked inside.

Dimitrenko was staying away in the early part of the twelfth. When he tried to engage, Chambers forced him back to the ropes and unloaded with a combination of punches. The two would trade some good punches in the final minute, with Chambers getting the better of the action.

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