By John F. McKenna (McJack): Many boxing fans and historians are starting to take another look at world heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko (56-3, 49 KO’s) and where he ranks with regard to previous all time greats. For years Wladimir has been plagued by the demons of having been knocked out three times earlier in his career.

But Wladimir’s last loss of any kind was by a 5th round TKO to Lamon Brewster 7 ½ years ago. “Dr. Steelhammer” is a vastly changed and improved fighter since the loss to Brewster. Vladimir avenged the loss to Brewster in July 2007. Brewster’s his corner asked the referee to stop the fight at the end of the 6th round.

Much of the success that Wladimir has achieved is attributable to his bringing on famed trainer Emmanuel Steward in 2004. It is agreed by almost everyone who has followed Klitschko over the years that Emmanuel was instrumental in turning him into the fighter he is today. Remarkably Wladimir in his mid thirties continues to improve with each fight and his skills are only now becoming fully appreciated outside of Eastern Europe and his adopted country of Germany.

It is always difficult to compare current champions with those from past generations. This writer would be the first to admit that I sometimes look at the old time fighters through rose colored glasses. I’ve put Jack Dempsey, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and my all time favorite Joe Louis on pedestals where they will likely always remain.

When looking at the all time greats however we need to take off the rose colored glasses and look at the old time fighters through glasses that are not distorted by our sometimes childlike ideals. Jack Dempsey, as great as he was and as much as I admire him was 6’1 ½” and weighed only 185 pounds when he KO’d big Jess Willard on July 4, 1919 in Toledo, Ohio. Jess Willard had knocked out Jack Johnson in 26 rounds in 1915 and it was thought that Dempsey would be an easy KO victim of Willard’s. History tells us otherwise.

It should be noted that Willard, though his size was almost identical to Wladimir at 6’6” and 245 pounds, was not in the same league as the present day Klitschko. Wladimir’s skills are far superior to Willard’s. Dempsey KO’d Luis Angel Firpo in the 2nd round in 1923, it was probably the most exciting heavyweight championship fight of all time. Firpo at 6’3” and 215 pounds was considered to be a huge fighter at the time, but he was roughly the same size as David Haye who looked puny when he challenged Klitschko in July.

Joe Louis fought and beat some huge fighters. Buddy Baer was 6’6” and weighed 250 pounds. “Bomber” Joe easily demolished him, but again Baer had nowhere near the skill that Wladimir does. Abe Simon was 6’5” and weighed 260 pounds when he fought Louis and Joe cut him down like a tree. And although Simon had a KO win over Jersey Joe Walcott he was not in the same class as Louis as a fighter.

Rocky Marciano as much as boxing fans of his generation admire him was only 5’10” and weighed 185 pounds. Most of the fighters he defeated weighed in at about 195 psounds. With his propensity to cut and his 68” reach it is difficult to imagine how the “Brockton Blockbuster” would ever get close enough to Wladimir to land his famed power punches. And it is worth noting that hitting a fighter who weighs 245 pounds is a lot different than hitting a fighter who weighs 195 pounds.

When we think of Sonny Liston we think of a big menacing heavyweight, but in reality Liston was 6’1” and weighed 214 pounds. It is also worth noting that Sonny held the heavyweight title for only a year and a half.

As great as Muhammad Ali was he was 6”3” and weighed 215 pounds. Ali was not known as a devastating puncher, but he was effective because of the accumulation of punches he threw. Against today’s super heavyweights his punches would not have the same sting as they did against the fighters in the 1960’s and 1970’s who typically weighed around 200 pounds.

Wladimir has also taken some heat for taking an apparent breather in his upcoming fight in December against the lightly regarded Jean-Marc Mormeck, but in reality he is doing nothing that past champions have not done. Joe Louis had his “Bum of the Month” club in 1941 and every champion since has had an occasional breather. Muhammad Ali lost when he took a breather against Leon Spinks, who had only had seven fights. Ali wound up losing the fight, which afforded him the opportunity to win the title for the 3rd time shortly thereafter. Spinks came in at 197 ¼ pounds for Ali.

A year after his 12th round KO loss to Wladimir, Eddie Chambers acknowledges that Klitschko is the fighter he is modeling himself to be most like. As good a fighter as Chambers is he was not able to win a round against Wladimir and was finally KO’d when hit with one of Wlad’s lethal left hooks with just seconds remaining in the fight.

In his most recent match in July, Klitschko dominated a very cautious and defensive minded David Haye. For the time being there does not appear to be anyone who can offer a serious challenge to Wladimir Klitschko.