By Dan Ambrose: IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko was hoping to take on the winner of the Big Brawl match last Saturday night between British heavyweights Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora. However, after emerging as the winner of the fight, Fury isn’t interested in taking the Klitschko fight and instead wants to develop more against lesser heavyweights.
It’s too bad, because a fight between the 6’9” Fury and the 6’6” Wladimir would have been huge in the UK, and given fans an interesting fight at least on paper.
It also would have given Fury his biggest payday by far. It’s a gamble on Fury’s part by not taking the fight, because he’s talking about facing Martin Rogan for the Irish heavyweight title and then going after the EBU heavyweight champion Alexander Dimitrenko. Fury will likely beat Rogan, but Dimitrenko is good enough to beat Fury if he can land one of his big shots.
Wladimir, however, is left with few appealing options. He’s talked about facing American Chris Arreola (33-2, 28 KO’s) in a fight that he’d like to fight in New York. However, Arreola was already beaten by Vitali Klitschko two years ago and then was beaten again last year by Tomasz Adamek. The losses have cooled down interest in Arreola in the U.S. among boxing fans, which would make it pointless for Wladimir to fight Arreola at this time. A fight against Arreola might be appealing in two or three years once Arreola actually fights and beats a live body instead of the 2nd tier heavyweights he’s been facing. But right now, Wladimir would be better off trying to get heavyweight contender Robert Helenius (15-0, 10 KO’s) in the ring with him in December, provided Helenius wins his next fight next month against Siarhei Liakhovich on August 27th.
Perhaps a more interesting opponent would be Tomasz Adamek once he finishes fighting Vitali. Adamek will surely lose to Vitali, but he might be open to coming back and fighting for Wladimir for his three titles. It’s a fight that would likely have to take place in Poland, because boxing fans won’t be too interested in seeing Wladimir fight Adamek after Adamek loses badly to Vitali. Wladimir could take the fight with Adamek to Poland and hopefully set out one of the soccer stadiums there.
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