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By Lyle Fitzsimmons - Maybe it’s just a mood thing.
In the days of my youth, the week following Labor Day was never a favorite because it meant a return to school after an all-too-short summertime in Western New York.
And if readjusting to school bus and homework schedules weren’t enough, there was always the stark realization that bone-chilling temperatures and early-season snowfalls weren’t far away.
So even though I’ve moved more than 1,100 miles south and haven’t so much as grazed a snow shovel in a decade, I’m chalking up holiday grouchiness to subconscious hometown nostalgia.
And though he’s does nothing specific to warrant ire, when it comes to weekly boxing columns, Vitali Klitschko is the target of my admittedly illogical Tuesday venom.
Bottom line… I’m just sort of tired of the guy.
I concede that he’s been among the best – if not the very best – that the heavyweight division’s had to offer since he slung the WBO title belt over his shoulder by vanquishing Herbie Hide in 1999.
And given a sudden shoulder flameout against Chris Byrd a year later that could have been fatal given today’s “one-loss-and-he’s-finished” mentality, it’s surely respectable the mammoth Ukrainian has rebuilt both career and street cred with 15 wins in 16 fights since – all but three by KO.
But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
In fact, while I’ve seen the bigger older brother of multi-belt champion Wladimir beat an assembly line of overblown wannabes like Samuel Peter and Chris Arreola, he’s never once sent me away from a bout thinking, “Holy cow, I just saw an unbeatable fighter.” [Click Here To Read More]
In the days of my youth, the week following Labor Day was never a favorite because it meant a return to school after an all-too-short summertime in Western New York.
And if readjusting to school bus and homework schedules weren’t enough, there was always the stark realization that bone-chilling temperatures and early-season snowfalls weren’t far away.
So even though I’ve moved more than 1,100 miles south and haven’t so much as grazed a snow shovel in a decade, I’m chalking up holiday grouchiness to subconscious hometown nostalgia.
And though he’s does nothing specific to warrant ire, when it comes to weekly boxing columns, Vitali Klitschko is the target of my admittedly illogical Tuesday venom.
Bottom line… I’m just sort of tired of the guy.
I concede that he’s been among the best – if not the very best – that the heavyweight division’s had to offer since he slung the WBO title belt over his shoulder by vanquishing Herbie Hide in 1999.
And given a sudden shoulder flameout against Chris Byrd a year later that could have been fatal given today’s “one-loss-and-he’s-finished” mentality, it’s surely respectable the mammoth Ukrainian has rebuilt both career and street cred with 15 wins in 16 fights since – all but three by KO.
But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
In fact, while I’ve seen the bigger older brother of multi-belt champion Wladimir beat an assembly line of overblown wannabes like Samuel Peter and Chris Arreola, he’s never once sent me away from a bout thinking, “Holy cow, I just saw an unbeatable fighter.” [Click Here To Read More]
. That's pretty much how I see it as well.
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