Tyson Fury has come out and said that he did not watch Wilders historic match against Bermane Stiverne to capture the WBC heavyweight title, but did congratulate him on his victory. The heavyweight scene is very open now with top talents like Bryant Jennings, Tyson Fury and Alexander Povetkin ready to take over from Wladimir Klitschko as the lineal champion of the world. The interesting thing is that Tyson Fury does not seem to be caught up in the hype around the newly crowned WBC strap holder and has his sights set solely on the main man in the division, Wladimir Klitschko.
Wladimir Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko boxing news
The Future of the Heavyweight Division
Now the dust has settled on Deontay Wilders impressive and dominant twelve round unanimous decision over Bermane Stiverne to capture the WBC heavyweight title last month, many questions about him have been answered. Can he work for a full twelve round fight? Yes. Can he take a punch? Yes. Can he use fundimental techniques such as a strong jab and lateral movement. Yes. What this means however is that the division has a lot more questions to answer now. Who are the best heavyweights in the world? Are there other heavyweights who will be able to stand up to Wilders punches for a full twelve rounds? And who will be the fighter to finally end the Wladimir Klitschko express and dethrone him as the dominant face of the division (if anyone can do it!)
Klitschko – Jennings in New York City
IBF/WBA/WBO/IBO and “The Ring Magazine” World Heavyweight Champion, Wladimir Klitschko will defend his titles on April 25th against US fighter Bryant Jennings. The fight will take place at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City. Seven years after his first unification fight Wladimir Klitschko finally fights in the US again.
The 30 year old Bryant “By-By” Jennings from Philadelphia is 6ft 3in, and has an almost 3 inch longer reach than Wladimir Klitschko. Jennings has an outstanding record: 19 wins, 10 by KO and no defeats. In his last two fights he won against the undefeated Mike Perez and Artur Szpilka. Jennings is a former US heavyweight champion and ranked very high in all world boxing organizations.
Deontay Wilder likes his chances against Wladimir Klitschko
(Photo credit: Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions) Newly crowned WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (33-0, 32 KOs) is only one day removed from his victory over WBC champ Bermane Stiverne (24-2-1, 21 KOs) and already Wilder is targeting IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko for a unification match that Wilder is hoping will take place later this year after Wladimir gets through with his title defense against his IBF mandatory challenger Bryant Jennings on April 25th.
Deontay, 29, points to his youth, speed, and inside fighting skills as assets that could lead him to victory over the 38-year-old 6’6” Wladimir if the fight goes down this year.
Wladimir Klitschko vs. Bryant Jennings a no-go?
It was assumed by many, that Wladimir Klitschko vs. Bryant Jennings was a solid go for April 25, 2015, at the Barclays Center in New York.
Alas this happens to be far from fact. According to Berndt Boente, Wladimir’s manager, their negotiations with team Jennings have hit a wall, and team Kliltschko is still looking for an opponent.
2014/2015 Previews & Reviews: Wladimir Klitschko, Deontay Wilder, Bermane Stiverne, Demetrius Andrade, Mikey Garcia, Abner Mares, Jermell Charlo, & Felix Verdejo
WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO
2014 was simply a continuation of the pattern Klitschko has seen for quite some time now. Two unknown opponents, two more victories, and two more defenses of a title that he’s rarely been tested for. While critics will jump at the chance to tear down this ‘great wall’ of talent, the truth is that no talent can choose the era in which they dominate.
Wladimir unfortunately came along at a point where the talent pool in the heavyweight division is about as tough as that last ply of toilet paper on the roll. No fault of his own, which has to mean something when scanning over his lifeless resume. 2015 could offer a few interesting twist, as suddenly, the heavyweight division has received a shot in the arm that few saw coming.
Alexander Povetkin is in Wladimir Klitschko’s Future Plans
Maybe it’s his dominance in the heavyweight division, his skill-set and physical abilities above those who challenge him, and perhaps his opposition doesn’t have that explosive marketability, but it seems as though Wladimir Klitschko doesn’t have to push himself too hard in his title defenses, making his fights seem effortless and even static to a degree. It’s a rare occurrence for the boxing community to get excited about any of his bouts.
The last fight that I can think of, where there was genuine interest and enthusiasm from the boxing fans as well as the media, was when Wladimir faced Alexander Povetkin in Moscow, Russia, last October. That fight was not only a popularity success, but also one of the biggest financial accomplishments for team Klitschko.
Kubrat Pulev to Wladimir Klitschko: “Earn my respect!”
As with any loss, comes not only a period of denial, but also hope. Rarely does a fighter admit to losing because their opponent was simply better, throwing verbal jabs and suggestions at something other than their boxing ability that may have caused their loss.
Losing to Wladimir Klitschko has become a standard in the heavyweight division, as the towering Ukrainian champion has developed a style that has been working for him without a flaw. For Klitschko’s latest victim Kubrat Pulev, accepting his 5th round knockout loss is not something that he is willing to give in to.
Dr. Steel Hammer: The Baddest Man on the Planet
Wladimir Klitschko, by common consensus has been the Lineal Heavyweight Champion since 2009, but for the first time during his reign he has finally defeated his number one contender.
The Ring Magazine recognised Dr. Steel Hammer as the Lineal Champion the night he handed Ruslan Chagaev, the world’s number three heavyweight, the first blemish on his record. Although this was a dominating performance against a highly ranked opponent, most boxing journalists and fight folk agreed that Wladimir’s elder sibling Vitali was still in fact the “baddest man on the planet”. So Wladimir, although the Ring Champion was not actually the best boxer in his family, let alone the ruler of the entire heavyweight division. When The Greatest danced around the ring, mesmerizing Cleveland Williams with Ali Shuffles and pummeling him with incessant combinations, he owned the division. When Iron Mike steam rolled Michael Spinks in ninety-one beautifully brutal seconds, we all knew who The Heavyweight Champion was, it was beyond doubt.
It Was One Helluva Shot – Klitschko KOs Pulev
The Champ seems invincible, just too damn big and powerful for anyone in the division. He is aptly named Dr. Steelhammer. Many years ago he was bludgeoned, walloped and clobbered by three different opponents. Instead of those kayo losses destroying his confidence, and convincing him he was in the wrong profession, they banged, pounded and forged him and his nickname into one unassailable, indomitable force.