Frank Warren Talks Klitschko, Eastern Euro Takeover

By Frank Warren

It is surely no coincidence that as the world celebrates the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall the world of boxing increasingly witnesses the rise of the heavy mob from Eastern Europe who have taken over what is still regarded as the richest prize in sport.

The fact that in Hamburg tonight a world heavyweight championship will be contested by a Kazakhstan-born Ukrainian and a Bulgarian from Sofia is indicative of the way boxing has been heading since the wall came down and the Iron Curtain was lifted.

A division once virtually the exclusive domain of big men from America has been dominated for almost two decades by even bigger men from what used to be the Soviet bloc – principally the giant Klitschko brothers.

Not only that, but  in the latest authoritative world rankings compiled by Boxing News the top four heavyweights were all born and schooled in eastern Europe.

With big brother Vitali, the former WBC champion, having retired to tread the even more treacherous political ring as mayor of home-town Kiev, Wladimir Klitschko makes the 17th successive defence of his own clutch of titles (WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO) against third-ranked challenger Kubrat Pulev, a 33-year-old Bulgarian undefeated in 20 contests but with no great pedigree to speak of.

On paper it should be a relatively comfortable night for Klitschko against an opponent who, while a decent enough fighter technically, is not a noted puncher. At least the 6ft.5in Pulev can almost match the multi-champ in height and reach.

At 38 Klitschko is at that dangerous age when any bout could be a fight  too far. But like Floyd Mayweather Jnr., another vintage ring galactico who has matured in middle age, he keeps himself in marvellous nick. It would be a really big upset of Pulev pulled it off.

I can't see that happening. All but ten 'Dr Steelhammer's 52 victories have come about by brutally bludgeoning his opponents after skilfully softening them up.

Like most eastern Europeans he's a product of the old Soviet system and the correct way they box. He shrewdly uses all his physical attributes, notably his height and jab, but like his brother he's never been able to master fighting inside. Which is why Dereck Chisora gave Vitali a lot of problems.

Unlike some, I have always been an admirer of the dignified Klitschkos, true gentlemen and scholars, men of genuine intellect who are more likely to be seen with a copy of Goethe under their arm than Ring Magazine. Both are multi-lingual and hold doctorates in sports science and philosophy.

Americans may have dismiss them as robotic ringers for Rocky foe Ivan Drago, but for ages now the US haven't had anyone better. Indeed, currently they've hardly anyone at all apart from Deontay Wilder, a fearsome hitter (32-0) but whose chin and durability (like those of our own prospect Anthony Joshua) have yet to be tested.

Wilder won Olympic bronze in Beijing -but it is 30 years since an American heavyweight - Tyrell Biggs - last struck gold in the Games.

I hope Wlad the Impaler wins this one, and also his next bout scheduled for March because after that he must defend his WBO belt against the winner of the upcoming ExCel domestic dust-up between Chisora and Tyson Fury on 29 November. Who knows, by then man mountain K2 might be ready to be conquered.

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I am very concerned about the diminishing number of black youngsters coming into boxing both at pro and amateur level.

As a promoter I recognise that boxing is becoming much more of a middle class sport than it has ever been but is also seems to be attracting proportionately many more white kids than from the ethnic minorities these days.

This is certainly reflected in the professional gyms and, I am told, the amateur clubs as well as GB's international podium squads. At the London Olympics only two of GB's seven-strong men's team, Anthony Joshua and Antony Ogogo, were black.

We seem to be following a similar trend to America, where far fewer of Afro-Caribbean heritage are pulling on the gloves.Instead they are lured into less hazardous yet often equally rewarding pursuits like basketball and grid iron.

Here it is now football, rugby and athletics which are the main attractions,  especially as there is now big money to be earned in these sports too.

Another factor in the US is that their boxing programme is so dire.Considering the size of the nation it seems scandalous that they aren't producing good amateurs any more.

A glance at the Olympic medal table over the past 30 years shows  no more than a handful of Americans even reaching finals where at one time they were so dominant.

I also find it surprising that while in the past Africa has produced several outstanding world champion, among them Azumah Nelson, Hogan Kid Bassey, Dick Tiger and Lotte Mwale , this has tailed off.

And why has Africa, where boxing has always been a major sport, never unearthed a world heavyweight champion?

Where is boxing's Didier Drogba,Yaya Toure or Patrick Viera?

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So, The Alien is human after all.

And after finally being brought down to earth by The Krusher, Russian Sergey Kovalev, yet another beast from the East, Bernard Hopkins leaves us with what may be his parting shot.  "Fans want to see one title, one belt," he said, declaring that unification is now the name of the game.

Well up, to a point. It is true that fans always knew who the champions were in times when there was just one title instead of the current alphabet maze, but that often led to good fighters being frozen out of title shots. Charley Burley, arguably the greatest fighter never to win a world and who even the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson chose to avoid, is just one example.

These days those from the 'who needs him' brigade would certainly get a crack at one belt or another, of which I accept there are too many. Two would be about right, and so much easier to unify.

But come on, football has gone down the same complex route with a multitude of clubs going into Europe from domestic competitions whereas it used to be just a couple. Of course, it is all driven by television, and to generate income, just as it is in boxing.

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