By Cliff Rold

The Heavyweight division as a whole didn’t get any more or less interesting than it was before the weekend, but the fight itself was interesting enough and sometimes that’s good enough. While various reviews have been negative, it’s hard to see why anyone would fuss about Wladimir Klitschko’s latest win. For six rounds, it was fairly competitive with some notable bruising shots; for five more, it was the world’s best Heavyweight, like it or not, dissecting a game but outmatched challenger in Washington DC’s Tony Thompson (31-2, 19 KO). There were decent stretches of action throughout.

It wasn’t a trip though Zaire. It won’t make anyone forget the Holyfield-Bowe rivalry. But Klitschko (51-3, 45 KO) versus Thompson was not a bad fight either. It was a ton more watchable than the tripe that was Klitschko’s last fight against Sultan Ibragimov, a credit to an opponent who tried this time around.

Discussing Klitschko can be a difficult proposition. He’s not a great fighter; we already know it. The eggshell walk that always seems to be going on in his fights is hard to miss. He is good though, even very good sometimes. If he wasn’t, that fragile chin would have been cracked more than three times in 54 fights. How good was he on Saturday?

Let’s go to the report card.

Speed: The pre-fight report card note that Klitschko “is the faster man, and his punches are delivered with a snap Thompson just doesn’t have”. Ultimately, both proved true. Klitschko, abandoning his left hook, was able to target the right hand and do good work with the jab, getting off first regularly from the seventh round forward. To Thompson’s credit, he used his strengths to offset the advantage over the first half, punching between salvos to land some hard shots upstairs and, more often, nice work downstairs. The punishment he took didn’t allow for a bell to bell application of tactics, but he hung in as long as he could. Pre-Fight Grades: Klitschko B+; Thompson B/Post-Fight: Same

Power: Thompson seemed to stun Klitschko a few times early but he didn’t have the finishing touch to make bigger things happen, or fall. On the other hand, the Ukrainian champion’s power advantage was palpable as the fight wore on. His right hand, especially when he could get Thompson near the ropes, rifled his challengers head backwards until it finally caved it in come the eleventh round. For all the flaws that seem so apparent in Klitschko, he remains a threat for as long as he is standing and when he gets his power all the way home he can be as devastating as any Heavyweight ever. It’s an obvious point in his favor and those who wish for a Heavyweight killer to go with the division’s championship remain frustrated that he doesn’t press for it earlier in fights. That Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster can explain why he doesn’t counts for little when in that mindset. Pre-Fight Grades: Klitschko A; Thompson B-/Post-Fight: Same

Defense: In the pre-fight report, it was noted that “This is where the Klitschko-Thompson fight could get real ugly, real fast, for a real long time. Klitschko’s defense lately has been to step, or lean, back from his foes after jabbing off the back foot and then clinching and spinning. Thompson often fights with earmuffs, his arms and hands held high with his gloves often pointed out to catch incoming blows and look for counters.” That was pretty close to how things played out. Klitschko even got in a good tackle in round ten in a messy clinch, and referee Joe Cortez did little to stop the tactic even as Klitschko started pulling on the back of the neck. Ali got away with it for years too and it rarely got called. Oh, to be the favorite. The moments where the fight was less than scintillating were the moments of effective but dull defensive posture. Pre-Fight Grades: Thompson B+; Klitschko B+/Post-Fight: Same

Intangibles: For all the talk of his temperament and courage that can erupt at times, Klitschko showed some reserve on Saturday that could quiet the critics (this scribe included). The look of fatigue worked across the face of Klitschko in rounds five and six, but he settled and found a second wind, relaxing to take over the fight completely. He’s shown more of that ability since joining Emanuel Steward, as evidenced in surviving three knockdowns against Samuel Peter in 2005 and again this past Saturday. Thompson conversely did as well as could be expected. He was outgunned on almost every level, but he stood up through some big shots and did his best, on foreign soil, in a title shot he worked towards for eight undefeated years. Yes, he lost, but he did so with class and like a professional. He went out on his shield. Pre-Fight Grades: Thompson B; Klitschko B/Post-Fight: Klitschko B+; Thompson B+

Next up for Klitschko will likely be 28-year old Russian 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Alexander Povetkin (15-0, 11 KO) in an IBF mandatory that looks to be at least three or four fights too soon for the challenger. It could end up being a little like Larry Holmes-Tim Witherspoon a generation ago, with the upstart challenger coming up just a few units short of the classes they need to grab the degree. Like the Thompson fight, Klitschko will be vulnerable to defeat; he probably just won’t find it.

Love him, hate him, or just live with him, Klitschko is making his living off a sporting world waiting for the other shoe to drop. He’s kept it, and himself, off the floor for four years and nine wins now against better opposition than most anyone at heavyweight. That deserves at least grudging respect.

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