By Cliff Rold

The most famous July 4th Heavyweight contest ever took place almost a century ago.  Motivated by racist silliness, white America antagonized and cajoled undefeated former champion Jim Jeffries out of retirement to face down the specter of a the division’s first black champion, Jack Johnson.  After much ballyhoo, the attention of the nation turned to the Nevada desert for one of the most anticipated clashes in the history of the sport.

Nothing like it will be taking place this weekend. 

The only common ground the latest Heavyweight showdown will share with Johnson’s decimation of Jeffries is the centerpiece of the weekend won’t be televised live in the U.S.

There was of course no television in 1910 so it’s shaky ground indeed.

Love, hate, or ignore them, one thing which can be said of the current Heavyweight top ten types is they fight each other with regularity.  While too many of the fights in recent years have disappointed, lacking in compelling drama, the essence of competition is for the best available to face each other. 

Heavyweight continues to give at least that much.

The inability of most to remain entrenched contenders for longer than a fight or two can be called parity or worse.  It can also be called results based.  Someone usually has to win or lose in any given prizefight and on schedules which often top out at three fights a year past the prospect phase, the ratings can change rapidly.

This Saturday at the Color Line Arena, in Hamburg, Germany is no exception on either front.  It features a new face to the top ten and one who flirts with the upper echelon for the second time.  The latter will matter more on this side of the Atlantic.  The winner of this weekend’s bout will garner the mandatory slot of the WBO.  Their current titlist is World Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.  This one matters as a factor in the immediate future of the Heavyweights

Much has been written and said about the sad state of the big men in the U.S. and it’s not unfair.  The talent pool is not particularly deep here right now as far as serious contenders go.  Southern California’s Chris Arreola has some buzz about him, Massachusetts mauler John Ruiz continues to hang around, and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay Wilder shows promise for the future.

And then there is Eddie Chambers.

In the tradition of Jimmy Young, Buster Mathis (Sr. and Jr.), and Chris Byrd, Chambers is a light fisted trickster who brings guile to a division where thundering leather is what makes the turnstiles rotate.  Wins over Dominick Guinn and Calvin Brock in 2007 saw him kiss the top ten only to lose an HBO showcased bout with 2004 Super Heavyweight Gold Medalist Alexander Povetkin in Berlin in early 2008.

Will the second time in the land of Volkswagen, on American Independence Day no less, be his charm? 

Let’s go to the report card. 

The Ledgers

Eddie Chambers
Age: 27
Titles: None
Height: 6’1
Weight: 208.3 lbs.
Average Weight – Last Five Fights: 219.9 lbs.
Hails from: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Record: 34-1, 18 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Defeated: 1 (Samuel Peter)

Vs.

Alexander Dimitrenko
Age: 26
Title: None
Height: 6’7
Weight: 253.5 lbs.
Average Weight – Last Five Fights: 253.7 lbs.
Hails from: Krim, Ukraine
Record: 29-0, 19 KO
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Defeated: None

Pre-Fight Grades
Speed: Chambers B+; Dimitrenko B
Power: Chambers C-; Dimitrenko B
Defense: Chambers B+; Dimitrenko C+
Intangibles: Chambers B; Dimitrenko Incomplete

The first thing which jumps out in handicapping this bout is the difference in all things size.  Chambers has given up weight on the scale before with over forty pounds separating him from former WBC Heavyweight titlist Samuel Peter in his last bout.  Chambers won that one but this time there won’t be any impression of soft weight in his foe.  Peter has been unreliable as far as conditioning.  While Dimitrenko remains a work in progress, his body has rarely been soft.

Chambers will have to counter mass and height with skill and he starts form a good place.  He is faster than most Heavyweights if not singularly fast on his own.  The best description is he has quick hands.  His left jab is straight and fluid and he throws a darting right behind it.  He is careful about opening up with combinations but can finish with a sharp uppercut or hook to pile on points. 

Dimitrenko is not ponderous by any means, throws at consistent volume, and has increased his technical efficiency in a current streak of five straight knockouts.  His jab often is pushed rather than snapped but he can let his right hand go with power and accuracy when the holes present themselves.  He’s not quicker than Chambers but if he can keep the fight at distance he’ll force Chambers to cross a lot of territory to get off.  Worth commending, Dimitrenko has good footwork and balance so it’s unlikely Chambers will have him tripping over his feet when he finds success.

Chambers will have to try anyways and cross territory often to keep landing and win.  A knockout is unlikely here but if it’s going to happen it will be through mounting punishment.  No one can for sure yet how Dimitrenko would handle being hit often by anyone.  His competition has been inferior to date and he hasn’t taken a ton of leather. 

While his knockout percentage is similar to Chambers’, the power edge can still be assumed as Dimitrenko’s.  Like a lot of taller big men with less than Klitschko-level amateur backgrounds, he’s had to learn how best to leverage his shots as a pro.  He still struggles to avoid clinches and infighting which muffles his shots but it’s getting better.  At full extension, his right hand is damaging. 

Chambers is favored defensively.  His fleshy middle will look an inviting target, but he keeps his gloves high and sometimes open, tucking his elbows to his ribs while looking to parry and counter.  Dimitrenko keeps his chin tucked well enough but clinches are a more common defense than head movement.

The intangibles of the bout are difficult to assess.  So far Chambers has shown a solid chin but he hasn’t confronted a puzzle the likes of Dimitrenko so far.  If he wants to compete with a Klitschko, this is a testing ground.  What is known is that last time in Germany he got off to a great start but faded down the stretch against a stronger man his hands could not deter.  He performed better against Peter this past March but Peter didn’t have the savvy of Povetkin.  That Chambers has Povetkin, Peter and Brock on his record might at least be a mental edge.

Dimitrenko, who most Heavyweight viewers see as promising, hasn’t got anything on his record so far to match those names.  While he’s scored five straight knockouts, they came against a motley crew which included well faded versions of former contenders Timo Hoffman and Luan Krasniqi.  So far he’s met what limited challenges have been put in front of him but if he struggles with the style of Chambers, does he have enough experience to find answers?

The Pick

Chambers may be the American, he might be Philly tough (and even Philly crazy to tackle men much larger than he), and it might be the Fourth back home but…

…he’s not facing Peter this time around.  Only 26, Dimitrenko is still growing as a pro and is one of the genuine threats to either Klitschko over the next year or so.  We don’t know if he’s got the chin yet and probably won’t find out here.  If we do, he’s in big trouble now and in the future. 

As it stands, he has the home turf and twelve rounds to impose his advantages on the smaller man.  He’ll have trouble through the first half but he moves his hands enough to keep Chambers tense.  The x-factor could be the weights.  Chambers is clearly in great shape, down almost fifteen pounds from the Peter fight.  He’s playing for speed but size will matter.  Down the stretch Dimitrenko should turn tension to punishment, scoring a close decision or late stoppage in a fight which produces a contender worth being interested in going forward.

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com