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Is the European Heavyweight Era here to Stay?
Is the European Heavyweight Era here to Stay?
By Ryan ********, Photo courtesy BBC
4-24-2006
[img]http://i46.***********.com/albums/f121/asian_sensation201/wlad.jpg[/img]
It was a cold night in Germany for Chris Byrd, and an even colder night for American boxing. With his thrashing of Byrd Saturday night, Wladimir Klitschko not only took the IBF Heavyweight title, but the Americans grasp on the Heavyweight division. For the first time in Heavyweight history, there are 3 European titlists. And things aren't looking good for the Americans in the near future.
In the last 5 months, 3 titles have switched hands, all into the hands of Europeans. First came in December of 2005, when Nicolay Valuev of St. Petersburg, Russia took the WBA title from John Ruiz via MD. Then came Sergei Lyakhovich's come from behind upset of Lamon Brewster for the WBO strap earlier this month. And on Saturday night, Wladimir Klitschko of kieve, Ukraine manhandled the much smaller Chris Byrd and stopped him in 7 one-sided rounds.
The truth of the matter is that Saturdays fights results were decided long ago, about 6 years ago. Byrd couldn't beat Wladimir at any time in his career, let alone at the age of 35. What happened last night was exactly what everyone predicted would occur.
The new IBF champion may be the best in the division currently, which is surprising given that just last year, he was considered lost in the heavyweight mess. His last previous fight was a sloppy UD win against a raw and crude Samuel Peter.
In that fight, Wladimir Klitschko was dropped 3 times, but did well enough outside of those speed bumps to take the decision. His achilles heel will continue to be his chin until proven elsewise, but it does appear that he has corrected some of his stamina and pacing issues, atleast for the time being.
Valuev, who owns the WBA strap, is scheduled for a June defense against Owen "What the Heck" Beck. Perhaps a better question may be why the heck, but thus is the state of the division. The WBA rarely gives their titlists tough opposition, so Valuev may stick around with his belt for awhile.
Sergui Lyakhovich, of Belarus, is the lone titlist who is under 30 years fof age. Lyakhovich has a rematch scheduled for later this year with Lamon Brewster. Their epic battle in early April for the WBO Heavyweight title is an early front runner for the fight of the year. This fight could go either way, and expect the Las Vegas odds to be dead even by fight time.
Left standing with an alphabet strap is the lone American titlist Hasim Rahman. He is scheduled to defend his WBC title against Oleg Maskaev. Maskaev, from Kazakhstan, has the opportunity to become the 4th european titlist, creating a total monopoly for Eastern Europe.
In their first encounter in 1999, Hasim Rahman was ahead on all cards when he was sent through the ropes and into Jim Lampley's lap. That one punch KO compelled many in the press to declare Maskaev the number three man in the division, behind Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield. Then Kirk Johnson happened.
There are a few American heavyweights that can break Europe's stranglehold on the division.
2000 Olympian Calvin Brock is the front runner to face Klitschko later this year. He is rather inexperienced at the top level, however, and hasn't faced a top 10 heavyweight since he got off the canvas to outpoint Jameel McCline a year ago. He has some awkward mobility and one shot power, but will be a heavy underdog in that fight. Brock has other business to take care of first, as he will square off with Uzbekistan's Timor Ibragimov in June.
James "Lights Out" Toney is coming off of two heavyweight title opportunities in the last 2 years. In 2005, he soundly beat John Ruiz to win the WBA belt, only to have the decision overturned as a result of a positive steroids test.
Then in March, he squared off with WBC champion Hasim Rahman. Weighing an unsightly 237, Toney was outworked by a well-conditioned Hasim Rahman and received a gift draw that clearly should have been his fifth loss of his career. He is, however, the mandatory challenger for the winner of the Rahman-Maskaev II fight.
Whatever happens, what matters is that the fights are entertaining. With a Wladimir Klitschko fight, you are almost guaranteed a couple of knockdowns. Lyakhovich-Brewster was a scorcher, perhaps the best twelve round heavyweight scrap since Tua-Ibeabuchi. Rahman-Maskaev II could very well wind up being as explosive as their first encounter.
Whether this is a freak occurrence or a change in the tides, the American superiority in the heavyweight division is looking weaker than it ever has.
Ryan ******** is a syndicated weekly columnist. If you would like to reach him, his e-mail is mc_rson@yahoo.com.
By Ryan ********, Photo courtesy BBC
4-24-2006
[img]http://i46.***********.com/albums/f121/asian_sensation201/wlad.jpg[/img]
It was a cold night in Germany for Chris Byrd, and an even colder night for American boxing. With his thrashing of Byrd Saturday night, Wladimir Klitschko not only took the IBF Heavyweight title, but the Americans grasp on the Heavyweight division. For the first time in Heavyweight history, there are 3 European titlists. And things aren't looking good for the Americans in the near future.
In the last 5 months, 3 titles have switched hands, all into the hands of Europeans. First came in December of 2005, when Nicolay Valuev of St. Petersburg, Russia took the WBA title from John Ruiz via MD. Then came Sergei Lyakhovich's come from behind upset of Lamon Brewster for the WBO strap earlier this month. And on Saturday night, Wladimir Klitschko of kieve, Ukraine manhandled the much smaller Chris Byrd and stopped him in 7 one-sided rounds.
The truth of the matter is that Saturdays fights results were decided long ago, about 6 years ago. Byrd couldn't beat Wladimir at any time in his career, let alone at the age of 35. What happened last night was exactly what everyone predicted would occur.
The new IBF champion may be the best in the division currently, which is surprising given that just last year, he was considered lost in the heavyweight mess. His last previous fight was a sloppy UD win against a raw and crude Samuel Peter.
In that fight, Wladimir Klitschko was dropped 3 times, but did well enough outside of those speed bumps to take the decision. His achilles heel will continue to be his chin until proven elsewise, but it does appear that he has corrected some of his stamina and pacing issues, atleast for the time being.
Valuev, who owns the WBA strap, is scheduled for a June defense against Owen "What the Heck" Beck. Perhaps a better question may be why the heck, but thus is the state of the division. The WBA rarely gives their titlists tough opposition, so Valuev may stick around with his belt for awhile.
Sergui Lyakhovich, of Belarus, is the lone titlist who is under 30 years fof age. Lyakhovich has a rematch scheduled for later this year with Lamon Brewster. Their epic battle in early April for the WBO Heavyweight title is an early front runner for the fight of the year. This fight could go either way, and expect the Las Vegas odds to be dead even by fight time.
Left standing with an alphabet strap is the lone American titlist Hasim Rahman. He is scheduled to defend his WBC title against Oleg Maskaev. Maskaev, from Kazakhstan, has the opportunity to become the 4th european titlist, creating a total monopoly for Eastern Europe.
In their first encounter in 1999, Hasim Rahman was ahead on all cards when he was sent through the ropes and into Jim Lampley's lap. That one punch KO compelled many in the press to declare Maskaev the number three man in the division, behind Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield. Then Kirk Johnson happened.
There are a few American heavyweights that can break Europe's stranglehold on the division.
2000 Olympian Calvin Brock is the front runner to face Klitschko later this year. He is rather inexperienced at the top level, however, and hasn't faced a top 10 heavyweight since he got off the canvas to outpoint Jameel McCline a year ago. He has some awkward mobility and one shot power, but will be a heavy underdog in that fight. Brock has other business to take care of first, as he will square off with Uzbekistan's Timor Ibragimov in June.
James "Lights Out" Toney is coming off of two heavyweight title opportunities in the last 2 years. In 2005, he soundly beat John Ruiz to win the WBA belt, only to have the decision overturned as a result of a positive steroids test.
Then in March, he squared off with WBC champion Hasim Rahman. Weighing an unsightly 237, Toney was outworked by a well-conditioned Hasim Rahman and received a gift draw that clearly should have been his fifth loss of his career. He is, however, the mandatory challenger for the winner of the Rahman-Maskaev II fight.
Whatever happens, what matters is that the fights are entertaining. With a Wladimir Klitschko fight, you are almost guaranteed a couple of knockdowns. Lyakhovich-Brewster was a scorcher, perhaps the best twelve round heavyweight scrap since Tua-Ibeabuchi. Rahman-Maskaev II could very well wind up being as explosive as their first encounter.
Whether this is a freak occurrence or a change in the tides, the American superiority in the heavyweight division is looking weaker than it ever has.
Ryan ******** is a syndicated weekly columnist. If you would like to reach him, his e-mail is mc_rson@yahoo.com.
. Hope Oleg wis..even though he is limited he can **** or be KTFO...always makes a good fight...Im so sick of Toney/Byrd like guys trying to act like there badasses at heavy and they couldn't pop a pimple on their azz 
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