By Al Hmiel: Why was WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko allowed to not fight for 14 months and hold the WBC and Boxing is suspense? Klitschko 42 years old and 45-2, 41 KO’s in the ring and so-called heavyweight champion of the WBC. He hasn’t been fighting, and he says he wants to be a President of the Ukraine.
Vitali’s political aspirations hurts the ranked WBC opposition that have been patiently waiting to get a title shot for the past year. Vitali has 14 long months in defending his title and making worthy contenders wait in anticipation and losing their chance at that big payday. Amazing and yet sad.
Klitschkso hasn’t fought since September 8th 2012. Fourteen months the big Ukrainian has held the Heavyweight division hostage while selflessly waiting to decide if Vitali wants to ever fight again and defend his WBC Championship. How can this be allowed and how can this be fair. Champions are to defend their Titles at least once a year and probably every 6 months.
Titles are the crown jewels of boxing and the heavyweight title is the most important title one can hold in boxing. But not fighting for 14 months as eager deserving hungry ranked opponents wait for Vitali to decide his future. Bull. Why would the WBC allow this to happen. Think of the money lost to the WBC, to Vitali and to the deserving poorer challengers? Boxing lost out the last 14 months as did the ardent boxing fans who support the sport and buy the tickets.
Look at Vitali’s past Title defenses: Manuel Charr, Tomasz Adamek, Dereck Chisora, Odlanier Solis, Shannon Briggs, Albert Sosnowski, Kevin Johnson, Chris Aerrola, Danny Williams, Corrie Sanders and Kirk Johnson. None of were really top names in boxing and none of really top quality in boxing. More of a list of mediocre heavies not really deserving of being called a champion let alone the heavyweight champ.
Since the epic loss to the great Lennox Lewis in 2003, Vitali has beat on nobodies and average opponents making a reputation that is quite questionable due to the lack of quality opponents. 12 defenses over almost 11 years is not what a champion really is. Carefully picking out easy opponents look at the list Vitali has beat. Joe Louis-Ali-Holmes-Foreman-Holmes-Tyson beat those average fighters all in one year. Vitali has some boxing skills along with dominant size and height and weight enabling Vitali to beat on the much smaller opponents.
But shame on the WBC for letting/permitting an average champion dictate when he is going to fight and whom. Vitali will be listed as a heavyweight champion over a long period but look at and reference his opponents and his hesitancy to actually fight frequently and choosing to dictate what he wanted to do. If Vitali fought in any other Era he would have been just a challenger and not a champion.
Comments are closed.