By Troy Ondrizek
As with everything in life whether it is a dynasty or a boxing division, the person or entity in charge at that time, has the period or era named after them. We have the Ming dynasty and the era of Ali for example. However, the current heavyweights have no champion and haven’t since Lennox Lewis. Yes, a fact disclosed by scribes more often then the Bush Administration mentioned that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. So why mention this again? Honestly, I’m tired of Wladimir Klitschko (the division’s number one contender) fighting fights that don’t matter.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Tony Thompson, he is a skilled smart fighter, but he isn’t a good enough fighter or ranked high enough to make this a real world title fight. Wladimir talks of being the best and being a great champion, and he isn’t the only one, but the heavyweights as a whole seem to want to be great but run when the chance arises. The heavyweight division is a walking contradiction. Thus we are at this point where the heavyweights have no name.
The name on our tongues for the past fives years has been Klitschko, whether it be Vitali or Wladimir. The Klitschkos could win scrabble with their name but can’t seem or want to stamp it on the heavyweight title. The only way we’ll have a champion is if Wlad fights Samuel Peter or Ruslan Chagaev. While Peter is fighting a Klitschko in his next bout, it’s the wrong one, and Chagaev is reminiscent of Vitali; talented, strong, and a good beard but their bodies have struck them down unlike any opponent could.
So what we get in the interim is another snoozer between Nikolai Valuev and John Ruiz; an absolutely ridiculous bout between Samuel Peter and Vitali Klitschko (who hasn’t fought since right after the last election); and Wladimir being forced to defend the trinket (WBO title) he won in his last meeting with Sultan Ibragimov (because it sure as hell wasn’t a fight) against dangerous and avoided (for several reasons) Tony Thompson.
A couple years ago boxing was hurting for attention and much of the blame was rightfully put upon the heavyweights. Now that boxing has re-emerged no thanks to heavyweights, we are hoping that the big boys can follow suit and give us something to cheer about. It’s not like Wladimir isn’t a good fighter or always puts on a boring display; the man has power in both hands and a shaky chin which for most heavyweights makes for pure excitement and fan-friendly affairs.
You add on Wlad’s technical skills and one can see how he is the best heavyweight around, but it’s not his skills that are in question, it’s his heart/desire to be the champion that leaves us wanting. Remember the time he dropped that right hand on Calvin Brock that when HBO played it in slow motion it made Brock’s head look like the Michelin Man? Remember when Wlad was knocked down three times (one legitimately) against Samuel Peter and got up to whip the Nigerian and wobble him late in an excited and much anticipated bout? I sure do, but unfortunately I remember the one-sided beating he gave to an obviously shot Lamon Brewster and Wlad smacking at Sultan’s jab for twelve rounds like a timid kitten hitting a ball of yarn.
So why fight Tony Thompson? The common answer is because he has to - and I don't buy it. Klitschko doesn’t have to fight anyone to be honest, but defending a trinket belt is stupid unless it is part of a world title fight. And as I touched on earlier, no one really wants to fight Thompson and for good reason. Tony “The Tiger” is a tall (6’5”) sturdy southpaw who is very technical and lacks real power. Meaning he is a tough guy to fight and isn’t near as popular as the other Tony the Tiger, so he doesn’t bring in the bucks.
Samuel Peter was open to fight as so was Ruslan Chagaev before his foot tried to detach itself from his body. So why not fight them Wlad? Youth is starting to be served in the division and soon Cristobal Arreola will be putting more butts in the seats than Klitschko (at least in America), and Alexander Povetkin already has more hot chicks showing up to Wlad’s press conferences than Klitschko does.
Cruiserweight champion David Haye wants a shot at Klitschko right now, I say give it to him. Wladimir thinks David needs to earn the shot, well I say he has. The one thing Haye has done that no heavyweight ranked in The RING’s top ten has accomplished is, and this is huge, actually won a world title. Before you get upset, you must realize that I run solely on the linear championships and give no credence to the corrupt sanctioning bodies. With that disclaimer out of the way, based on the fact that David is a world champion, he has earned the right to fight the top contender whenever Haye feels he is ready. Think about it, instead of DVR’ing this weekends fight and going out and making other plans; what if Klitschko was fighting Haye or Peter? You or I would make a party around the fight. That’s the truth about where the heavyweights are, they are afterthoughts, and it’s because there is no true claimant to the title.
I hope this era ends soon because there is only so much Manny Pacquiao I can watch, and I get bored of Kelly Pavlik knocking people out, and I become complacent of top tier fighters like Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito squaring off (all lies, screw the heavyweights I love these guys).
The division for its own pride should take a step forward and at least give itself some kind of identity.