By Jake Donovan
Like the New York Yankees against Cliff Lee, the heavyweight division went down swinging every time they stepped up to the plate last weekend.
Amidst a slow October came what was thought to be a reprieve with plenty of action going on around the world on Friday and Saturday. Between ESPN3.com and traditional television outlets, stateside fans were treated to six separate broadcasts, including two heavyweight main events.
Somewhere on Russian airwaves, another bout took place featuring a top five heavyweight, giving the division three significant fights in a span of less than 24 hours.
Not one of them made any sort of impact on the present state of the heavyweight division.
Sadly, the same pattern figures to hold true for another trio of significant fights between now and year’s end.
Wait ‘till next year – though even the truest of old school Dodgers fan (the ones that remember them before they defected for the Left Coast) would pause before offering hope for the future of the heavyweight division.
Vitali Klitschko had a chance to make a statement, or at least create new interest in the long running debate as to who is the best heavyweight – and for that matter, the best Klitschko – on the planet.
Instead, he angrily settled for a 12-round decision over a brave but overmatched and undeserving Shannon Briggs, just the third time in the Ukrainian’s career that he was forced to go the distance.
It was hard to find fault in Klitschko’s performance, other than not really picking up steam until the second half of the fight. Once he got going, it was a savage beating until the final bell, but not enough to where anyone who already claim Wladimir Klitschko as their choilce for best heavyweight was about to change their pick.
Unfortunately for the heavyweight division, it was its only truly significant bout of the weekend, primarily due to what was at stake.
Nothing other than his future was on the line for 41-year old Antonio Tarver, who ended a 17-month hiatus as well as his days as a light heavyweight with his debut in the land of the big boys.
For as long as the pre-fight hype lasted, he told anyone who would listen that he would come in at around 216 lb or so and that the weight would be put on the right way.
All we got instead was yet another fighter who ate his way through the weight classes, as comparisons to James Toney were offered in regards to the physique Tarver supported, showing up at a fleshy 221 lb, for his heavyweight debut against Nagy Aguilera, who at 232 lb wasn’t in much better shape.
Tarver ended the night with his first win in more than two years, taking an easy unanimous decision over ten rounds. The result was exactly what everyone expected, which sadly isn’t a compliment. Few expected his heavyweight run to go anywhere, which tells you where expectations were prior to the opening bell. None were surpassed, nor is anyone in a hurry to see his next fight, least of all on Shobox, which is supposed to cater to rising prospects and not serve as a rehab series or doling out slots in exchange for favors.
Halfway around the world some 16 hours following the conclusion of Tarver’s heavy-waist debut, top contender Alexander Povetkin made his return to the ring following a seven-month hiatus.
It was also the Russian’s first fight since being forced by trainer Teddy Atlas to turn down a long-awaited title shot against Wladimir Klitschko.
The plan, according to Atlas, was to get four fights in the next four or so months – including two in October – and then start looking towards a title shot sometime in 2011.
One fight in, those plans are already altered, with public interest in Povetkin further waning.
Regardless of whose decision it was to pass on a shot at the lineal heavyweight championship, the fault will fall at the feet of the fighter, since he is believed to be the captain of the ship. For that reason, Povetkin’s career has been met with ridicule in recent months.
The old saying goes, ‘Winning cures many things.’ But when the competition is dumbed down enough to where a win is all but automatic, you better do so in spectacular fashion, leaving no doubt as you are ready to take on all comers.
Mission not accomplished for Team Povetkin this weekend.
The 2004 Olympic Gold medalist eventually got the job done, stopping journeyman Teke Oruh in five rounds. However, the favorable ending was preceded by four-plus rounds of action far more competitive than anyone expected.
Povetkin’s handlers can front like they expected the fight to turn out exactly as it did, that it was a valuable learning experience, and so on. Any claim along those lines loses validity with the news that he has been pulled from a proposed October 30 bout, and will most likely not return until the end of the year, if even that soon.
A January 2008 win over Eddie Chambers put Povetkin in line for a mandatory title shot. Injury forced him out of one proposed date (December 2008); his outspoken (if not overbearing) trainer pulled him from the other. The claim was that a gelling period needs to take place between fighter and trainer before he is ready to challenge for the sport’s highest prize.
However, his five fights since being named #1 contender have come against a level of competition often found among rising fighters still years away from being ready for a title shot. With a two-month return planned, it’s doubtful that Povetkin sees much of an upgrade in opposition.
Sadly, the same holds true for three more heavyweights scheduled between now and year’s end.
David Haye returns to the ring next month, fighting for the first time since sending John Ruiz back into retirement earlier this year. Haye’s next title fight comes against underachieving and undeserving challenger Audley Harrison, in a fight that 99% of the boxing public believes that not only is there virtually no chance of an upset, but that Haye’s stock won’t budge an inch no matter how he wins.
Tomasz Adamek will fight for the fourth time in 2010, a terrific pace for any Top 10 fighter in the 21st Century. That’s the good news. The bad news is that wherever he’s ranked now, he won’t move any higher, no matter how badly he beats Vinny Maddalone to a pulp when they meet on December 9.
Hope remains for Adamek’s future, as the Polish heavyweight is rumored for a bout with Vitali Klitschko sometime in the first quarter of 2011. Such a fight will certainly make a major impact on the heavyweight rankings, even if to only shake up the top five (though not necessarily the top two).
One fight that stands little to no chance of making a dent is Wladimir Klitschko’s next defense of the lineal crown, which comes four days after Adamek’s next appearance. Klitschko ended a near month-long search for a December 13 fight when terms were reached to face undefeated but untested British heavyweight Derek Chisora.
Anyone familiar with Chisora’s career have summed up the Brit’s chances of an upset: “The fight will be fun for however long it lasts.”
Fun, yes. But particularly meaningful to the heavyweight division?
Wait ‘till next year. And then hopefully not much longer beyond that.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.