By Jim Dower: 28-year-old heavyweight contender Eddie Chambers (35-2, 18 KO’s) is poised to get another title shot against IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko if Chambers can beat Derric Rossy (25-2, 14 KO’s) on February 11th in an IBF heavyweight title eliminator at the Bally’s Atlantic City, New Jersey. Chamber, ranked #4 IBF, fought Klitschko for the title in his last fight in March 2010, and was knocked out in the 12th round.
Chambers, 6’1″, was too short and too weak to do much against Wladimir and spent the better part of the fight stuck on the outside eating jabs and right hands from Wladimir. Briefly, Chambers attempted to rough Wladimir up, but this failed to produce any results. Chambers has to settle for just trying to survive the fight on his feet. However, Wladimir’s trainer Emanuel Steward pushed Wladimir to go for a knockout in the 12th, and he came through with a left hook to the head that dropped Chambers and knocked him clean out.
It was one of those dangerous knockouts where Chambers was out cold completely. It’s no wonder that he’s been slow in getting back in the ring. The good news for Chambers is that Rossy isn’t a big puncher like Wladimir and don’t have a lot of hand speed either. Chambers already beat Rossy four years ago in a 7th round TKO in 2007. Rossy, 30, says he’s gotten better since then but it’s hard to tell because his opposition has been nothing but 2nd tier opponents. Rossy has won his last seven fights, but he hasn’t looked exactly overwhelming. He’s going to have to look a lot better if he wants to beat Chambers and get a shot against Wladimir. The chances aren’t good for Rossy, but there is a chance if Chambers’ chin isn’t recovered from his knockout loss to Wladimir.
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