By Mark Staniforth
Vitali Klitschko's summary dismissal of Tomasz Adamek in a football stadium in Poland at the weekend clobbered home the notion that no other fighter in this half-baked heavyweight era can live with the Ukrainian brothers.
Once again, the hand-wringing which accompanied the elder Klitschko's utterly dominant win took some shine off a performance which shunts Vitali closer to the pantheon of all-time greats.
Throughout history, equally impressive fighters have suffered through no fault of their own: the biggest blight on Larry Holmes' career was no lack of ability but the misfortune to be sandwiched between Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson.
Likewise, the Klitschkos' superior skills have become of almost secondary importance behind the slavering quest to find an opponent capable of dethroning the brothers and dragging the world title back west.
In many ways, though clearly racial not among them, it mirrors the hunt for a Great White Hope which trekked the globe seeking to find a fighter capable of dethroning the much-maligned Jack Johnson in the early 20th century.
Still, the paucity of possibilities was best summed up by Klitschko after his victory, when he alluded to the fact that swatting hopeless causes does little good for his legacy: "I want a tough fight," he said.
Then Klitschko went on to name three fighters who are fairly well guaranteed not to give him one: the well-schooled but relatively harmless Alexander Povetkin, the robotic Nikolai Valuev, the dismissed David Haye.
Meanwhile, reports from the United States suggest Wladimir is to put his own titles on the line in a shocking mis-match against 2007 Haye victim Jean-Marc Mormeck: in short, a beaten-up cruiserweight who has seen better days.
Scour the heavyweight horizon and there is little chance of much changing soon. Earlier this month, the Finnish former accomplished amateur Robert Helenius smashed Sergei Liakhovich to a ninth-round knockout win.
At 6ft 6ins, Helenius is certainly no hyped-up light-heavyweight in the Adamek or Haye mould. He is well schooled from nine years in the amateurs, and has a big punch to go with his natural ability.
So is Helenius the man to give a Klitschko a challenge? In his own words, no. "I'm not sure I'm ready to fight [the Klitschkos] yet," he admitted. "Maybe in one or two or three more fights."
Helenius' best hope may be to hang on long enough to catch a Klitschko heading for his pension. He is a come-forward scrapper and a notoriously slow starter, neither of which augur well for facing the Klitschkos.
Yet the so-called 'Nordic Nightmare' may still provide the best hope for some time to come. Assuming Haye slides from contention, and Odlanier Solis is not granted a shot at redemption, the cupboard looks bare.
Even next year's London Olympics are unlikely to provide much redemption: the reigning super-heavyweight number one, Roberto Cammarelle, has indicated he has no interest in turning professional.
Straw-clutching conjures names like the unbeaten Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev - a solid enough prospect who has reeled off decent wins against the likes of Dominick Guinn and Paolo Vidoz, but is still some way off the top level.
Denis Boytsov and Manuel Charr have also done enough to be considered future contenders for a beating-up at the hands of the Klitschko brothers, while Alexander Dimitrenko continues to hover in the background.
None of them are likely to set the heavyweight division alight. The pay-per-view money men are instead pinning the hopes, longer term, on the likes of US Olympian Deontay Wilder - his confidence bolstered by a slew of facile wins.
In what we assume is a post-Haye Britain, the exciting but rugged Tyson Fury still has an awful lot to prove, while David Price's undoubted credentials are tempered by memories of some of his heavy amateur losses.
And - dare we even mention it - Evander Holyfield continues to fight on, targeting the spurious alphabet champion Povetkin as he continues his deluded mission to regain his status as undisputed champion.
If the likes of Mormeck can get world title shots these days, it would not be surprising to see Holyfield fashion one last chance.
At which point what remains of the heavyweight division's wispy credentials would finally go up in smoke.
Mark Staniforth covers boxing for Press Association Sport