By Chris Williams: IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (53-3, 47 KO’s) will be making a title defense against number #1 rated WBO challenger Eddie Chambers (35-1, 18 KO’s) on March 20th, at the ESPRIT arena, in Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. Chambers, 27, is arguably the best heavyweight in American fight now, and is coming into the March 20th fight with Klitschko with a lot of confidence due to wins over top contenders Samuel Peter and Alexander Dimitrenko.

Chambers is fighting really well right now, especially after trimming off 15 pounds of baby fat for his last fight, a 12 round decision over the 6’7” Dimitrenko in July 2009. Unfortunately, Chambers looks to be way too small to compete against Wladimir, and this fight, which some boxing fans are excited about, will likely turn out to be just as much of a mismatch as many of Klitschko’s other fights during his career.

The problem that Chambers has is that he’s only 6’1” and weighs 208 pounds. He’s basically a slightly overweight cruiserweight competing at the heavyweight level. Some fighters can get away with doing this for awhile, but most of them fail miserably. The exception to that rule is Evander Holyfield, who stuck around at heavyweight and won multiple titles during his career. However, Holyfield had an excellent chin, good power and a high work rate during his prime.

Chambers, in contrast, is shorter, weaker than and not as busy offensively as Holyfield. Chambers doesn’t have the huge power like a David Haye, who recently moved up from the cruiserweight level with success. Chambers will have to use his speed to beat the much taller 6’6” 245 pound Klitschko. Making up that kind of height and weight difference won’t be easy for Chambers to do, of course.

Chambers, though, feels good about his chances because of his win over Dimitrenko, a Ukrainian like Wladimir who fights with a similar style. Dimitrenko doesn’t have the hand speed, power or the defensive ability that Wladimir possesses.

Dimitrenko fought the wrong kind of fight against Chambers, letting the American come inside and fight with him at close range. This worked in Chambers favor, because it nullified Dimitrenko’s height and reach. Chambers is saying that he’ll be able to get inside on Wladimir the same way he did with Dimitrenko, but that will be very hard for him to do. If Chambers does get inside, it will only be after having been hit with some heavy shots.

Chambers does have a good chin, so he might be able to take Wladimir’s huge left hooks and straight right hands without folding. But he’s going to have to make it count when he does get in close range, because it’s not easy to get near Wladimir repeatedly. Chambers will be stuck on the outside a lot against Wladimir, forced to eat his powerful jabs.

Chambers can’t afford to let Klitschko hit him with jabs for too long, because he’ll bust him up with those shots. On the outside, Chambers won’t have a prayer. Klitschko will be sporting a six inch reach advantage, which will allow him to dominate from the outside at will. On the inside, Wladimir is much more vulnerable because he doesn’t have an uppercut to use against smaller fighters when they crowd him.

You can look for Wladimir to grab Chambers each time the American gets close and stop him from getting much of anything off. If Chambers can’t stay in close to Wladimir with any consistency, then you can bet on this being an early night for Klitschko. Wladimir does well against short heavyweights like Chambers, and I can’t see this fight going well for fast Eddie.