heavyweights bring back the drama!!

www.eastsideboxing.com

30.03.06 - By Michael Montero: I remember a time when the top echelon of the heavyweight division defeated their opponents in dominant fashion. I seem to recall, not too long ago, fights filled with drama – guys giving it their all, fighting tooth and nail, losing some and winning some but always giving the fans plenty of drama. That’s why we watched. On the contrary, most of today’s top heavyweight matches have more drama during their pressers than on fight night itself. Hasim Rahman and James Toney fought harder during their scuffle at the WBC convention in Mexico, months ago, than they did on the 18th.

I’m sick of seeing the same old story playing out over and over again: two giants in the ring throwing pity-pat slaps at one another while guarding their grill with their eyes closed. Where’s the hunger? Where’s the passion? Where are the knock outs?

All I see is two guys collecting a check, trying to “save face” in order to have the potential to collect more checks in the near future. It’s an act, and one that’s become tired and played out. When I want to see “the sweet science” I watch the lighter weight divisions because, let’s face it, they just do it better. However when I want to see giants, devastating power, and unpredictable drama, I check out the heavies. But it seems that the dominant victory, the knock out, is a lost art in today’s heavyweight division. Just look at several of today’s top fighters and their recent action…

Chris Byrd: his last three fights were hardly dominant, let alone exciting, with unanimous decision’s over the undeserving DaVarryl Williamson, friend Jameel McCline, and a draw with Andrew Golota (a fight which many believe “The Foul Pole” won). Byrd has NEVER KO'd a top heavyweight in his career. Yes he’s a ‘small’ heavy, but so was Evander Holyfield, and he knocked guys out. He needs to put on the performance of his career when he battles Wladimir Klitschko in Germany or he may find himself in “Ruiz Land” – the land of seemingly unmarketable former “champs,” that not too many people want to see anymore.

Hasim Rahman: just had the draw with Toney, and before that a horrid unanimous decision ‘victory’ over buddy Monte Barrett. The last top heavy he had fought up to that point was John Ruiz, whom he lost to by – surprise – unanimous decision back on 12/13/2003. Rahman will always be a top contender in my opinion based on his natural size, strength, and a great jab. However his only flash of greatness was one big (lucky?) shot against an under-prepared Lennox Lewis. There are lesser-sized and lesser-skilled heavyweights out there who bring more excitement and drama than the Rock, and that’s rather unfortunate.

Nikolay Valuev: for a guy who’s 7’ tall, 330 pounds, he sure lacks real power. The only top fighters he’s faced to date were John Ruiz and Larry Donald, whom he beat both via highly-disputed majority decision’s in Germany. He has never clearly beat a top heavyweight (let alone knock one out), yet somehow he holds a belt (WBA). There were rumors of him taking his first defense against a very undeserving Owen Beck; however nothing materialized due to a training injury. I’m afraid we may never see this guy face a top fighter outside of Germany. If we do, it will be the last we’ll see of the giant – because he’ll probably lose.

James Toney: All of you Toney fans, who have been busy swinging from his nuts for the past couple years probably got a rude awakening on the 18th. Well… at least you should have. He is NOT the best heavyweight out there; in fact I don’t believe he cracks the top five. He simply does not possess the power, size and stamina needed to beat the top guys – yes, even in this weak division. Hasim Rahman is as china-chinned as they come, and several flush shots from Toney right on his chin couldn’t even wobble “The Rock”. At heavyweight the fat man’s resume is not very dominant: the draw with Rahman (which I felt he deserved to lose), unanimous decision’s over Dominick Guinn and John Ruiz (the latter of which was later changed to a No-Contest) and one stoppage, over a 41 year-old Holyfield back in ’03. Can everybody stop saying that he’s gonna take over the division now? If his fights brought as much drama as his interviews and pressers did we’d have something to talk about here; but that’s not the reality of the situation.

John Ruiz: I’m not even gonna go there; you all know the story here.


The guys I wanna watch…

Lamon Brewster, Wladimir Klitschko, Samuel Peter:

Why you ask? Take Brewster: yeah it seems that he only fights European guys, but at least he stops them! Since his fifth round stoppage over Wladimir Klitschko, he’s blown out Andrew Golota (who by rights should have been the IBF Champ at the time) and came from behind to stop Luan Krasniqi in his backyard. Yes, he had an off night with his good friend Kali Meehan, but he’s made up for it since, so there’s no need to keep bringing that up. He does lack skill and boxing ability, and he’s usually working from behind on the scorecards, but he ALWAYS brings drama. He’s always one punch away from a victory, and that makes me wanna watch. Speaking of watching, I’ll be doing that this Saturday when he fights Sergei Liakhovich on Showtime. Can he keep his “Destruction of the Europeans” streak going? Will he dominate and show us that he is clearly the best Heavyweight out there today? Let’s see…

Introducing “The Klitschko Theory”: questionable chin/stamina issues/anxiety + power/athleticism/great boxing skill = DRAMA! We never know what’s gonna happen when this man fights; one second he’s handing Lamon Brewster his a*s, the next second he’s on the canvas gasping for air with glazed eyes. One minute he’s the next big thing, then the next big bust, then maybe somebody that we have our eyes on again. Say what you will about him, I want to see him fight. That’s the thing about him – even the Klitschko haters watch his fights (admit it Raven!) His upcoming fight with Byrd sold out in two days; nobody else in the heavyweight division can do that right now – in ANY country. He hasn’t been dominating as of late, but the potential is there. What will he do with his demons? What will he do with his potential?

What will happen with Peter? The guy has scary power, and an even scarier chin – but very little technique. Can he learn to box? In today’s division, does it even matter? I still favor him to beat most guys out there simply because he can not only dish it out – but he can take it. He’s still young, arguably the most devastating puncher in the division, and possibly the most granite-chinned. Remember, Wlad Klitschko did knock Brewster down (4th round) in their bout – yet Peter stood in there with the power-punching Ukrainian for 12 rounds and was only wobbled once – in the final frame. I want to see what happens with this guy, and so I will be tuning in to his fights. Tell me that you wouldn’t love to see a Brewster-Peter fight and I’ll tell you that you’re crazy!


The guys I might wanna watch real soon…

Calvin Brock, Sultan and Timor Ibragimov, Ruslan Chagaev:

While these guys are all smaller sized heavyweights by today’s standards, and don’t really pack tremendous power, they can all box and are on their way up. Brock is scheduled to fight Timor Ibragimov (Sultan’s cousin) this June in what could be a really great match. Timor is considered the less-skilled of the Ibragimovs, but that may be due to the fact that we haven’t seen him as much as his cousin Sultan. A win for Timor moves him into the top ten; while a win for Brock should earn him a title shot later this year. Sultan destroyed Lance Whitaker this past December, could he be another “Giant Killer”? I think this guy has a lot of upside. Chagaev is a tough guy, a bad-a*s if you will, and I think he gives any current heavyweight a tough night. They call him the “White Tyson” – which is ignorant and could be considered a good or bad thing. However, it’s clear that he’s earned that nickname by bringing the drama. Could these guys bring the division back down to the 6’ to 6’2” range where it was during it’s golden age? Could they be the future of the division? We’ll just have to wait and see…



Final thoughts…

I think many of today’s heavyweights are afraid to lose, and they fight like it – that’s why we see these boring 12 round stinkers ending in UD's and Draws. Many guys feel that a loss can ruin and/or even end their career, and many times they are right. Back in the day, a guy could lose and still be considered a force in the division. Today, many fans, and especially the media, build guys up only to beat them down when they lose. That has to stop. People – it’s human to lose, even against ‘B-level’ fighters – it’s how you come back from it that counts! I don’t care that Lamon Brewster found a way to lose to Charles Shufford and Clifford Etienne. I don’t care that Wlad Klitschko found a way to lose against Ross Puritty and Corrie Sanders. They had off nights, it happens, it’s OK. When these guys are on point and at their best, they’re the two best fighters in the division, hands down. They knock people out, they dominate – one with power and sheer determination and the other with size and skill. Yet at the same time, they’re vulnerable, they’re imperfect, they’re human, they bring the drama – and that’s why I want to see them fight. Both have big fights on the horizon; will they help clarify things for us with dominant victories? Let’s hope so, because we are in need of some serious drama in boxing’s biggest division. Dominance will bring buzz, which will bring excitement, which will bring big events, which ultimately will bring clarity. Who do we root for? Who do we proclaim to be the best? Well gentleman, show us, and we’ll be watching.