Friday, 21 November 2008
Who Will Haye Challenge For The Title?
After the fight last Saturday, talk seemed to revolve only around which of the Klitschko brothers would be putting up his share of the heavyweight title against David Haye, like Haye had somehow made himself the undeniable top contender in the process of wiping out Monte Barrett.
Strange thinking on the face of it, but there’s nothing strange commercially about the prospect of Haye being put in with one of the Ukranian giants because David is an exciting performer in a division which has been lacking excitement for quite some time.
If Haye goes in with either, you know he’s going to give it a go. And you know he can hurt anything he lands on. That spells audience appeal, especially if he's pitted against one of those seemingly untouchable champions.
Before David Haye can even think about realising his title dream, though, the Klitschkos have other business to take care of. Wladimir goes in against Hasim Rahman, while Vitali will be challenged by Juan Carlos Gomez.
Both defenders will be strongly favoured to retain, but let’s hope that Rahman and Gomez appreciate the need to up the entertainment levels of recent heavyweight title fights by at least fighting like they want to win, and being prepared to take the necessary risks.
The whole thing looks a lost cause for Rahman against Wladimir. Can’t see him getting anything out of it at all, except for a decent payday and a lot of pain. The fear is that the Rock just plods forth like Sam Peter did in his clash with Vitali, and absorbs a long range beating without ever trying to do something about it. Easier said than done, of course, but if you’re in there against a guy who has all the physical advantages you surely have to put in a do-or-die round at some stage, and have the opponent feel real heat. And you need to do it early while still fresh and strong, not wait and give it a desperation fling later in the piece when you’re already beaten to a semi pulp.
Vitali against Gomez figures to be a little different, in my mind anyway. Juan Carlos is no mug. He’s a lot shorter than the towering Klitschko and having moved up from cruiser won’t have the natural strength that Vitali possesses, but Gomez is a skilled operator with a solid dig and, despite being the smaller man, he matches Klitschko for reach. That could turn out to be an important factor.
The confidence Gomez is exuding right now might disappear once he tastes Vitali’s punches, but he really does seem to believe he will handle the job, as and when it happens. And I wouldn’t discount him altogether. The Cuban can box, and he can fight too. The macho instinct sometimes sees him elect to stand and mix it when there’s no need, which could be a big mistake against the powerful Klitschko, but Gomez is surely aware of that and I’d expect him to pick his moments carefully before looking to unload combinations.
Most have Gomez as a formality victim for Vitali Klitschko. Not me. I think the contest has real fascination.
So, who will David Haye be challenging for the heavyweight title. Well, I don’t think it will be Wladimir Klitschko. Wladimir might be slightly more accomplished than Vitali in a pure boxing sense, and maybe hits as hard, but he’s nowhere near as rugged as his brother. When he’s in with a banger, Wlad’s body language tells you he has no trust in his own chin, a sensible attitude considering previous experiences.
I reckon a Klitschko family site meeting would find Vitali volunteering to be the one who accommodates Haye, provided Vitali is able to get past Gomez first, of course. Not that Wladimir would back away from a fight with the Brit, but I believe he’d have far more concerns about Haye’s fire power than would his big brother.
What could definitely prevent Wladimir Klitschko meeting David Haye in a title defence, though, is the forgotten factor in all this. Alexander Povetkin. Hasim Rahman stepped in as a replacement for Povetkin who should have been fighting Wladimir next month but had to withdraw through injury.
The thing is, Povetkin’s right to that IBF title shot still stands. And, although most people seem dismissive of the Russian, Alexander Povetkin is a serious threat to the younger Klitschko. Believe it.
Povetkin was Olympic champion in Athens, where he comfortably beat Roberto Cammarelle in the semi final. He had also defeated the Italian in the final of the European championships in 2002 and 2004. This was the same Cammarelle who took gold so emphatically and brilliantly in this year’s Beijing Games.
Povetkin was a class act as an amateur, but his style and approach are much better suited to the pro code. He’s a rounded box-fighter. Gutsy, determined, relentless. Alex knows it will take more than single punches to beat a Klitschko, but that suits him just fine because he’s all about throwing punches in bursts. And there’s nothing wild in his method. This is a savvy guy who’ll look to think his way inside before letting fly.
David Haye’s fighting style and explosiveness mean he will indeed land a championship fight next year even if he just sits tight and keeps his powder dry until it’s signed and sealed. I think he’d be better taking another match in the interim, though, to keep the sharpness and get another feel of heavyweight competition, preferably against someone like Jameel McCline who would have Haye learn first hand what it’s like to be in the ring in a proper fight against a six-six guy. That way, David wouldn’t stand to be in for as much of a shock as might otherwise be the case when it comes to facing the real thing – and in saying that I mean no disrespect to Jameel who, apart from his size, is still a half decent fighter himself.
Whatever, by the time Haye gets his opportunity, Wladimir Klitschko may no longer have a world title to defend. It’s not impossible that Vitali won’t either.
Don’t let anybody tell you Alexander Povetkin hasn’t got a chance of beating Wladimir. Alex has the freshness, the ambition, the ability, the strength and the desire to give that particular champion the kind of trouble he may not be able to cope with. In fact, I think Povetkin can win that fight. Head on block time, I expect Povetkin to win that fight.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say Juan Carlos Gomez will beat Vitali Klitschko but he has the tools to compete and if Klitschko’s dodgy knees have to carry him into the later rounds of a fight he’s not completely dominating it could get very interesting. Coming back from a four years absence to regain the WBC crown without a warm up was a fine achievement, but a prolonged spar against a man, in Sam Peter, who had resigned himself to his fate as early as round one isn’t the same as being in with someone who’s come to win. If Vitali can’t destroy Gomez quickly he could well find himself faced with some of the problems his younger brother has certainly got coming his way.
Strange thinking on the face of it, but there’s nothing strange commercially about the prospect of Haye being put in with one of the Ukranian giants because David is an exciting performer in a division which has been lacking excitement for quite some time.
If Haye goes in with either, you know he’s going to give it a go. And you know he can hurt anything he lands on. That spells audience appeal, especially if he's pitted against one of those seemingly untouchable champions.
Before David Haye can even think about realising his title dream, though, the Klitschkos have other business to take care of. Wladimir goes in against Hasim Rahman, while Vitali will be challenged by Juan Carlos Gomez.
Both defenders will be strongly favoured to retain, but let’s hope that Rahman and Gomez appreciate the need to up the entertainment levels of recent heavyweight title fights by at least fighting like they want to win, and being prepared to take the necessary risks.
The whole thing looks a lost cause for Rahman against Wladimir. Can’t see him getting anything out of it at all, except for a decent payday and a lot of pain. The fear is that the Rock just plods forth like Sam Peter did in his clash with Vitali, and absorbs a long range beating without ever trying to do something about it. Easier said than done, of course, but if you’re in there against a guy who has all the physical advantages you surely have to put in a do-or-die round at some stage, and have the opponent feel real heat. And you need to do it early while still fresh and strong, not wait and give it a desperation fling later in the piece when you’re already beaten to a semi pulp.
Vitali against Gomez figures to be a little different, in my mind anyway. Juan Carlos is no mug. He’s a lot shorter than the towering Klitschko and having moved up from cruiser won’t have the natural strength that Vitali possesses, but Gomez is a skilled operator with a solid dig and, despite being the smaller man, he matches Klitschko for reach. That could turn out to be an important factor.
The confidence Gomez is exuding right now might disappear once he tastes Vitali’s punches, but he really does seem to believe he will handle the job, as and when it happens. And I wouldn’t discount him altogether. The Cuban can box, and he can fight too. The macho instinct sometimes sees him elect to stand and mix it when there’s no need, which could be a big mistake against the powerful Klitschko, but Gomez is surely aware of that and I’d expect him to pick his moments carefully before looking to unload combinations.
Most have Gomez as a formality victim for Vitali Klitschko. Not me. I think the contest has real fascination.
So, who will David Haye be challenging for the heavyweight title. Well, I don’t think it will be Wladimir Klitschko. Wladimir might be slightly more accomplished than Vitali in a pure boxing sense, and maybe hits as hard, but he’s nowhere near as rugged as his brother. When he’s in with a banger, Wlad’s body language tells you he has no trust in his own chin, a sensible attitude considering previous experiences.
I reckon a Klitschko family site meeting would find Vitali volunteering to be the one who accommodates Haye, provided Vitali is able to get past Gomez first, of course. Not that Wladimir would back away from a fight with the Brit, but I believe he’d have far more concerns about Haye’s fire power than would his big brother.
What could definitely prevent Wladimir Klitschko meeting David Haye in a title defence, though, is the forgotten factor in all this. Alexander Povetkin. Hasim Rahman stepped in as a replacement for Povetkin who should have been fighting Wladimir next month but had to withdraw through injury.
The thing is, Povetkin’s right to that IBF title shot still stands. And, although most people seem dismissive of the Russian, Alexander Povetkin is a serious threat to the younger Klitschko. Believe it.
Povetkin was Olympic champion in Athens, where he comfortably beat Roberto Cammarelle in the semi final. He had also defeated the Italian in the final of the European championships in 2002 and 2004. This was the same Cammarelle who took gold so emphatically and brilliantly in this year’s Beijing Games.
Povetkin was a class act as an amateur, but his style and approach are much better suited to the pro code. He’s a rounded box-fighter. Gutsy, determined, relentless. Alex knows it will take more than single punches to beat a Klitschko, but that suits him just fine because he’s all about throwing punches in bursts. And there’s nothing wild in his method. This is a savvy guy who’ll look to think his way inside before letting fly.
David Haye’s fighting style and explosiveness mean he will indeed land a championship fight next year even if he just sits tight and keeps his powder dry until it’s signed and sealed. I think he’d be better taking another match in the interim, though, to keep the sharpness and get another feel of heavyweight competition, preferably against someone like Jameel McCline who would have Haye learn first hand what it’s like to be in the ring in a proper fight against a six-six guy. That way, David wouldn’t stand to be in for as much of a shock as might otherwise be the case when it comes to facing the real thing – and in saying that I mean no disrespect to Jameel who, apart from his size, is still a half decent fighter himself.
Whatever, by the time Haye gets his opportunity, Wladimir Klitschko may no longer have a world title to defend. It’s not impossible that Vitali won’t either.
Don’t let anybody tell you Alexander Povetkin hasn’t got a chance of beating Wladimir. Alex has the freshness, the ambition, the ability, the strength and the desire to give that particular champion the kind of trouble he may not be able to cope with. In fact, I think Povetkin can win that fight. Head on block time, I expect Povetkin to win that fight.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say Juan Carlos Gomez will beat Vitali Klitschko but he has the tools to compete and if Klitschko’s dodgy knees have to carry him into the later rounds of a fight he’s not completely dominating it could get very interesting. Coming back from a four years absence to regain the WBC crown without a warm up was a fine achievement, but a prolonged spar against a man, in Sam Peter, who had resigned himself to his fate as early as round one isn’t the same as being in with someone who’s come to win. If Vitali can’t destroy Gomez quickly he could well find himself faced with some of the problems his younger brother has certainly got coming his way.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Warrior Calzaghe To Soldier On
Will Joe Calzaghe retire? I don’t think so. If Joe Calzaghe announces his retirement, will he stick to it? I don’t think so. The prospect of a huge money fight in front of a 60,000 plus crowd in Cardiff next summer would, I believe, be more than he could resist.
So, who could he face? Chad Dawson would figure to be the natural choice, given his WBC status and undefeated record, but I just don’t see that happening. Not out of fear on the Welshman’s part, of course. To suggest as much would be preposterous, despite Dawson's growing rep, and even though Joe's usual knockers will say that his beating of Hopkins and Jones amounts to little more than a violation of pensioners. Calzaghe is top notch. Absolutely.
What I suspect is that Joe will face Carl Froch in 2009, so long as Froch makes the match viable by taking the WBC super middleweight vacancy in his upcoming showdown with Jean Pascal.
Carl has been calling out Joe for some time, and the call will get louder if the Nottingham Cobra gets past Pascal in a battle of one hundred percenters. Like Froch, Pascal, who took Commonwealth Games gold in Manchester as an amateur, has yet to taste defeat as a pro, and their clash is not one to miss. Should be a good one. And could be wildly exciting.
I haven’t seen Pascal in action since his Manchester glory, so can’t make a firm judgement based on pro form, but Carl Froch is a powerful guy with ring smarts and a nasty streak, who took world amateur bronze himself in bygone days, and I’d be surprised if Pascal can get the better of him.
It would be a happy ending if Calzaghe were to call it a day right now and mean it, but there aren’t many like Lennox Lewis who quit at the top, are there. I mean, look what’s occurring five days before Christmas. Nikolay Valuev against the remains of Evander Holyfield for the WBA heavyweight championship of the world. How sad is that.
Yes, I say Joe Calzaghe will carry on fighting. And if he can lick Froch, or whoever is next up, I expect he’ll look for another after that too, and then another, until he sees somebody else’s hand being raised in front of him. Could be a wrong assessment, perhaps completely wrong, but I don’t think so.
So, who could he face? Chad Dawson would figure to be the natural choice, given his WBC status and undefeated record, but I just don’t see that happening. Not out of fear on the Welshman’s part, of course. To suggest as much would be preposterous, despite Dawson's growing rep, and even though Joe's usual knockers will say that his beating of Hopkins and Jones amounts to little more than a violation of pensioners. Calzaghe is top notch. Absolutely.
What I suspect is that Joe will face Carl Froch in 2009, so long as Froch makes the match viable by taking the WBC super middleweight vacancy in his upcoming showdown with Jean Pascal.
Carl has been calling out Joe for some time, and the call will get louder if the Nottingham Cobra gets past Pascal in a battle of one hundred percenters. Like Froch, Pascal, who took Commonwealth Games gold in Manchester as an amateur, has yet to taste defeat as a pro, and their clash is not one to miss. Should be a good one. And could be wildly exciting.
I haven’t seen Pascal in action since his Manchester glory, so can’t make a firm judgement based on pro form, but Carl Froch is a powerful guy with ring smarts and a nasty streak, who took world amateur bronze himself in bygone days, and I’d be surprised if Pascal can get the better of him.
It would be a happy ending if Calzaghe were to call it a day right now and mean it, but there aren’t many like Lennox Lewis who quit at the top, are there. I mean, look what’s occurring five days before Christmas. Nikolay Valuev against the remains of Evander Holyfield for the WBA heavyweight championship of the world. How sad is that.
Yes, I say Joe Calzaghe will carry on fighting. And if he can lick Froch, or whoever is next up, I expect he’ll look for another after that too, and then another, until he sees somebody else’s hand being raised in front of him. Could be a wrong assessment, perhaps completely wrong, but I don’t think so.
Sunday, 2 November 2008
Darchinyan The Stunning Victor
Vic Darchinyan’s prophesy came true last night and I’m not holding back with the praise for his performance. The Armenian’s verbal output before fights does nothing for me because I figure that anyone who can talk with his fists like he does should leave the mouth at home, but the way he destroyed Cristian Mijares just has to be admired.
Mijares is a class act, no question, but this whole thing ran to Darchinyan’s script. The knockdown at the end of the opener didn’t just set the tone. It more or less settled the argument there and then. There were echoes here of the Klitschko v Peter fight, not style wise, of course, but in that everything after the first round was just a stay of execution.
Mijares’ punches couldn’t put a dent in Darchinyan, and his skills weren’t enough on their own to keep the guy at bay. Vic was able to reach him readily and simply hit too hard. Who would have thought it would be so overwhelming. Certainly not me.
The measure of Darchinyan’s superiority is that a rematch would be pointless after what we saw last night. So what does he do for an encore. From the sport’s perspective, and a fans perspective, that’s an easy one, isn’t it. The ultimate unifier between Vic and WBO incumbent, Fernando Montiel.
That would give boxing an undisputed champion at super fly and, likely, a thrilling battle. What more could we want. Boxing’s top little men exude class and don’t hold back on the action and, with silky Montiel having himself turned brutal in recent fights, it would be a match to savour. And the ticket prices are sensible too, at least when compared to what you’re asked to pay to watch a couple of heavyweight statues plodding around.
Will it happen. Don’t hold your breath. If vested interests are better served by keeping them apart, chances are they’ll never set eyes on each other.
Mijares is a class act, no question, but this whole thing ran to Darchinyan’s script. The knockdown at the end of the opener didn’t just set the tone. It more or less settled the argument there and then. There were echoes here of the Klitschko v Peter fight, not style wise, of course, but in that everything after the first round was just a stay of execution.
Mijares’ punches couldn’t put a dent in Darchinyan, and his skills weren’t enough on their own to keep the guy at bay. Vic was able to reach him readily and simply hit too hard. Who would have thought it would be so overwhelming. Certainly not me.
The measure of Darchinyan’s superiority is that a rematch would be pointless after what we saw last night. So what does he do for an encore. From the sport’s perspective, and a fans perspective, that’s an easy one, isn’t it. The ultimate unifier between Vic and WBO incumbent, Fernando Montiel.
That would give boxing an undisputed champion at super fly and, likely, a thrilling battle. What more could we want. Boxing’s top little men exude class and don’t hold back on the action and, with silky Montiel having himself turned brutal in recent fights, it would be a match to savour. And the ticket prices are sensible too, at least when compared to what you’re asked to pay to watch a couple of heavyweight statues plodding around.
Will it happen. Don’t hold your breath. If vested interests are better served by keeping them apart, chances are they’ll never set eyes on each other.
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