20.06.09 – By Paul Strauss – The official time was 3:00 of the 9th Round for the IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine Heavyweight Championship. Wlad’s fans in the Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein Westfalen, Germany loved their hero’s totally dominant performance. However, it is doubtful American fans would agree.
It was appropriate this fight was televised in the afternoon in the USA. That allowed fans to be able to switch to baseball or golf if needed. It was a typical Wlad fight in which he made good use his height, reach and great jab to keep his opponent at bay. Every round went to Wlad, with the second round scored 10-8, because Ruslan Chagaev was dropped with a straight right.
It’s difficult to criticize such complete domination and success. The Klitschko Brothers are obviously nice guys and good role models. However, when fight fans watch a fight totally controlled by one of the two combatants, they expect the dominant fighter to “close the show”. Once again Wlad did not appear to have any desire to do so. He was content with sticking his left jab into Chagaev’s face, and then occasionally following with a straight right. Why change things when it was working beautifully? Chagaev had no answer. He was totally outclassed, and that is hard to understand, since he is a former world champion and currently ranked number three. In fairness to the Klitschko Brothers, they seem to be capable of making most of their opponents look inept.
It was apparent Chagaev came into the fight with no realistic fight plan. If he had one, he certainly didn’t carry it out. He continually moved into Wlad’s power. He failed to slip and counter punch, which you have to do against a bigger man. That allowed Wlad to use his left as a play thing. First, he would extend it like a range finder. Then as soon as Chagaev would attempt any retaliation, Wlad would spear him with a short but hard jab. He would then leave the left extended to push Chagaev off and keep him off balance.
After a first round of pumping lefts into Chagaev’s face, Wlad thought, “I’ll follow up with a straight right.” Boom, he landed one on the button, and down went Chagaev. That two punch combination was repeated over and over again with varying degrees of success. The key is he was always successful to some degree. There just were no more knockdowns. Chagaev failed to effectively slip either the jab or right hands. Occasionally he would try, but instead of moving to the side and then in to land his counter, he would move to the side and back. Over and over again, he would find himself out of range for any attempt at counter punching.
As far as Wlad was concerned, he liked what was happening, and decided to keep doing it. Why even bother with a three punch combination. What for, right? The obvious “what for” is excitement! True boxing fans want excitement. They don’t want their fighter, especially their heavyweight champ, to always play safe, especially when it’s obvious the opponent has no answer for your weapons.
Announcers and the media gush over the Klitschko Brothers size and physiques, and their tremendous success. Fans are told the Klitschkos are the epitome of Greek Gods. The truth is true boxing fans don’t give a rip if they’re perfect specimens. All they want to know is, “Can they and will they fight?” With the Klitschko Brothers, that’s were the real irritant rests! The Brothers can fight. Everybody knows they can fight. They have tremendous ability. They both can punch with power. They both have exceptional speed for huge men. They both move incredibly well for monoliths, and because of their great size, it often appears they’re fighting someone in a different weight class. Initially fans fear for their opponents, thinking they might get killed.
But, then reality sets in and the cautious tone settles in over things. Fans start to think, “Geez, I’d like to see the little guy plant one right on this behemoth’s kisser.” The more the fight goes on, the more fans wish that would happen, and it’s not so much that fans dislike the Brothers, but fans get tired of the boring one-sided-ness of their fights! Fans think, if the big guy refuses to “close the show”, then let’s see the little guy make it interesting. They start hoping little guy might at least step on big guy’s toe, or make a bull-rush at him and rough him up inside!” But, it doesn’t happen, and fans start thinking the referee should stop this thing, and they start wondering, “What’s for supper, or maybe tonight’s baseball game might be more exciting?”
Fans know there’s no chance they’ll be reading about the results of this fight on the front page of tomorrow’s Sports section. Nah, Girls High School fast-pitch softball will trump them. But, they’re such perfect specimens……..what, did you say something?