A storyline that has quietly been gaining momentum is
unified IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s steady march
towards Boxing history. Klitschko, the
two-time Heavyweight world champion has in his second reign as champion
compiled sixteen successful title defenses since regaining a portion of the
Heavyweight crown by scoring a knockout in his second win over then IBF world
champion Chris Byrd in 2006.
Normally a fighter who has been as dominating as Wladimir
Klitschko has been for much of the last decade, the idea of that fighter making
a run to attempt to match or even surpass the all-time record for successful
title defenses, not just of the Heavyweight division, but rather the entire
sport would certainly garner significant attention. For Klitschko however, much
of his career has been defined not only by his own individual dominance, but
also as one half of what this observer has often called “The Two-Headed
Heavyweight Championship Monster” known as the Klitschko brothers. Until late
last year when Wladimir’s older brother Vitali retired to focus on his
political ambitions, the Heavyweight division was simply ruled by two brothers
with iron fists.
Although the retirement of Vitali has left at least the
potential for an undisputed champion to eventually be crowned in the division,
there is no dispute that Wladimir Klitschko is the number one fighter in the
Heavyweight division and the retirement of his brother has not diminished his
dominance. In his last fight in April of this year Klitschko dominated a
“Game”, but over matched Alex Leapai in scoring a fifth round stoppage to
retain his unified world title and earned his sixteenth consecutive title
defense.
Klitschko’s TKO of the WBO’s number one contender Leapai
cleared the way for him to make another mandatory championship defense against
the IBF’s number one contender the undefeated Kubrat Pulev. Pulev, a native of
Sofia, Bulgaria is unbeaten in twenty professional fights, is a former European
Heavyweight champion, and has scored victories over top contenders Alexander
Dimitrenko, Alexander Ustinov, and former two-time world title challenger and
former two-time Klitschko opponent Tony Thompson in his career.
The fight between Klitschko and Pulev, which was originally
scheduled to take place on September 6th was postponed when Klitschko had to
pull out due to an injury where he tore his left biceps during the final stages
of his training camp. The postponed clash however, will take place on Saturday
night at the O2 World Arena in Hamburg, Germany.
The question that will face the unbeaten Pulev will be
essentially the same question that has faced every Klitschko opponent. Can
Pulev avoid Klitschko’s jab and straight right hand to get on the inside of
Klitschko’s eighty-one inch reach? If Pulev can accomplish this, another
question that will be asked of him will be will he be able to do so without
being tied up and/or put in a position where Klitschko can use his size,
weight, and strength to his advantage.
The good news for Pulev is unlike recent Klitschko opponents
Alex Leapai and Alexander Povetkin, he stands 6’4, has an eighty inch reach,
and has typically weighed in between 245lbs.-250lbs. or above for most of his
fights. This would indicate that Klitschko will not likely be able to rough up
and grapple with Pulev as easily as he was able to do against Alexander
Povetkin. Nevertheless, it will still be interesting to see how Pulev attempts
to combat Klitschko’s primary weapon the jab followed by the straight right
hand. A weapon that opponents both short and tall have had significant
difficulty dealing with. It has proven to be a task that is easier said than
done and it will be of interest to see if Pulev has an answer for Klitschko’s
arsenal.
What might be troublesome for Pulev is he is known for being
a slow starter in fights and if he does not attempt to bring the fight to
Klitschko and look to make the champion uncomfortable from the outset, this
fight could well end up being what Boxing fans and experts alike have come to
expect of Wladimir Klitschko. The champion slowly, but systematically breaking
his opponent down. Klitschko, who has a career knockout percentage of 80%
having scored knockouts in fifty-two of his sixty-two career wins is likely
viewed by most as the significant favorite heading into this fight.
Pulev however, has shown in the past that he can pick up his
pace as a fight progresses as he showed in his fight against Tony Thompson.
Pulev, who has eleven knockouts in his twenty career wins will likely look to
extend this fight into the middle and late rounds. The key to the fight in this
observer’s eyes will be whether or not Pulev has an answer to avoid Klitschko’s
arsenal and whether or not he can turn this into a fight. If Klitschko is
allowed to control distance and able to fight his fight, it could be a short
evening. It is up to Kubrat Pulev to show what he can do against a dominant
Heavyweight champion.
Assuming that Wladimir Klitschko is successful in what would
be his seventeenth consecutive title defense against Pulev, an element that
will follow each defense that follows will continue to be Klitschko’s march
towards Boxing history. Only two fighters in Heavyweight history have had more
successful title defenses than Klitschko. Larry Holmes who defended his title
twenty times from 1978-1985 and Joe Louis who set the all-time record for
successful title defenses in the whole history of the sport defending his title
an incredible twenty-five times from 1937-1949. Although Wladimir and his
brother Vitali will likely go down as two of the most dominant champions in the
history of the sport and also two of the most underappreciated champions in
history, there is no dispute that Wladimir has entered elite company as only
Holmes and Louis are above him in regard to successful title defenses in their
respective reigns as Heavyweight champion.
If Klitschko continues to win it is my hope that Klitschko’s
quiet, but steady march towards Boxing history receives the attention and
recognition that it deserves. We will see if Kubrat Pulev can upset Klitschko’s
march towards history on Saturday night.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
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