Tweet
Klitschko does not NEED to take risks, so he doesn't. If he needed to, he would. The main reason he fights the way he does today, is because he's a "method" fighter, and at his present stage in life, it suits his psyche better. Also, he's been methodically trained this way from childhood. Like actors.
He does NOT have a "glass jaw". Every single loss he's had can be explained quite dispassionately, by the events and the circumstances surrounding them. He was far superior to each of his opponents.
But, since he lost to so mysteriously to Brewster, whilst practically committing manslaughter against him, he HAD to, NEEDED to fight in a way which would eliminate all chance of a loss happening to him again. Strictly to "Rule of Law" by the training manual. (He's actually making himself a LEGACY). That's why he got Manny Steward, who I really don't think is that good a trainer. certainly he has had VERY mixed success with his "promising" fighters, and really made his name with Tommy Hearns, a once in a lifetime gift, a fighter with huge attractiveness and long-time popular staying power, who was that good anyway with or without Manny. But the thing which interested Klitschko and his advisers most was, that he'd trained Lennox Lewis from being a sometimes fragile-jawed very good heavyweight, into being the champion of the decade (almost). You can see Manny's deft hand in the way that K reaches, grabs and lets his weight descend on his opponent. He's also starting to hold behind the neck with one glove and uppercut with the other. THAT"S all pure Lewis, by courtesy of Manny. Also (his own idea I'm sure) he's very careful to rarely punch with full power, therefore, if he misses, doesn't leave himself off-balance and open against riposte.
To get to why I'm writing in. I saw a shameful travesty tonight. Verno Phillips got the decision against Cory Spinks. Spinks wasn't very good, I'm not sure if he's on the downgrade, or if he needs a better opponent to look better himself. Phillips, was as usual, looked like a boxer for about 2 rounds and then, when missing 9 of 10 punches, started his wild, out of range and looped swinging. It looked to me as if he only had about 2 or 3 at most, winning rounds. Enough of that.
Another thing I saw which interested me, but maybe not the readers. "Col." Bob Sheridan was the blow-by-blow announcer and commentator as usual for all Don King promotions, and my opinion has never changed about him in 30 odd years. He's the best by far of all, including his way of filling in the spaces left by quickly-over mismatches, with meaningless but interesting sounding comments. BUT....... I was surprised to see that this rumpled, very fat, elderly man with 3 chins, and enough for a couple more, had had his hair STYLED. YES, it was carefully arranged and glued, finished in alternate rigid blond and brown streaks, with a geometrically straight parting. In fact he had so much hair that it very likely was a wig. if so it was a damn good one. Anyway, thats all about that.....and everything else tonight.
Comment