By PHILIP H. ANSELMO: There’s an underground rumor that WBC heavyweight champ Vitali Klitschko is planning to retire after his upcoming scrap with tough Cristobal Arreola; citing perhaps one last fight there-after if successful. Vitali’s nearly two years short of turning 40-years old. If it’s two more fights, the way the chips are falling, it wouldn’t be surprising if he got the winner of the upcoming Nicolay Valuev-David Haye fight for the WBA title next (!), barring another John Ruiz intervention. Why wouldn’t the victor, especially if it’s David, target a 39-year old, slower Vitali?
For the sake of The Ring Magazine/IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko’s legacy, the heavyweight division and true boxing fans the globe over, let’s hope his older brother’s retirement plans are true.
There’s one to many Klitschkos ruling the division. One of them has to go, and for my buck, it should be Vitali. The brothers have lived out their “dream” of ruling the heavies, much to the detriment of the division, but enough already. As an avid Klitschko supporter, even I’m sick of having two guys rule the roost that won’t EVER fight one another.
It’s too bad in this case that blood is thicker than water!
Vitali is deleting the prime years of Wladimir’s career by continuing to fight, when in truth, he had nothing left to prove after coming out of a 4-year exile and beating Sam Peter over 8 one-sided rounds.
When dividing every top contender betwixt two dominant “brothers”, one of the brothers are bound to suffer. Too bad it’s Wlad.
This should be Wladimir’s reign—his legacy building years. When his big brother was exiled from the sport with injuries, Wladimir fought on. If Vitali had remained retired, the marquee fights, a la Peter (II), Arreola, Haye or Valuev, would’ve solely been Wlads, and may’ve cemented his place in history. Not to mention US fight fans would have a better evaluation of Wlad vs. dangerous opponents that could’ve brought the paramount math-ups the heavyweights need so terribly.
But it isn’t happening.
Wlad’s current path emits dull roars instead of sold out fights in Vegas.
The “brother” novelty has worn off.
Wladimir’s career is on a disturbingly complacent cruise control headed nowhere fast, and if he allows things to continue at this rate, his legacy as the dominant man of this era will evaporate. -P.A.
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