It’s been three years since former World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (35-2, 34 KOs) last fought, and with his recent cancellation of his comeback bout against Jameel McCline, I was wondering whether Vitali would have been better off staying retired. He’s had little luck in making it through training since 2004, when a number of injuries he sustained lead to him postponing a bout with then challenger Hasim Rahman on three occasions. It seems as if not much has changed since then, if his recent injury while training for McCline is any indication.
At 36, his body may indeed be telling him that it’s time to hang up the gloves permanently, no matter how much he’d like to continue on. Seeing Vitali in his current decrepit state, it’s hard to believe that at one time he was considered by many to be the best heavyweight in the world. Oh, how things have changed since then. At this point, Vitali is using his title as WBC heavyweight emeritus status to vault over the other more deserving fighters to get a shot at the winner of Oleg Maskaev vs. Samuel Peter.
However, it’s questionable whether Vitali’s body will ever let him fight again, much less make it through intense enough training leading up to a bout with either Maskaev or Peter. From the way I see it, Vitali should do himself a favor and just hang up the gloves before he wastes anymore of his time and injures his body further. I mean, he’s likely to get back in training and make up to a certain point, only to break down again with some sort of injury. His back, knee and shoulder have been major issues with him in the past and that’s something that will probably continue as he trains for a bout with Peter or Maskaev.
Not that I have a particular axe to grind against Vitali, but this is something that really needs to be pointed out. When a fighter reaches a certain point where injuries make it not possible for them to fight, it’s time that they step away from the ring. Of course, I can’t blame Vitali for wanting to get a big paycheck, because I’d want to do the same thing if I had the chance. However, with Vitali’s brittle body, it’s doubtful he’ll ever make it into a bout with another fighter. If he does, I can’t for see positive things happening to him in the bout. More likely, he’ll break down like an old car and get stopped on TKO.