Why Wladimir Klitschko is Probably Much Better Than You Think

Published

10 years ago

September 8, 2014

The first gloved heavyweight champion, the great John L. Sullivan, was a loudmouthed drunk who relied on brute strength to overwhelm his opponents. The first time he faced a real sweet scientist, one that hadn’t aged beyond his worth, he was beaten till he dropped.

His successor, dainty boxer and wannabe actor, James J. Corbett, was knocked to his knees by a single body blow from a middleweight.

That middleweight, Bob Fitzsimmons, was overwhelmed by a giant slugger who basically relied on wearing down his opponents through equal parts toughness and girth until they were too tired to defend themselves.

The giant slugger, James J. Jeffries, retired undefeated before racial prejudice brought him back to the ring to face a 5-loss, 7-draw boxer named Jack Johnson who toyed with and humiliated him until knocking him out in the fifteenth round.

Johnson was beaten up by a giant, slow-footed fighter who didn’t even really like boxing. After he was knocked out, he was so embarrassed by it that he claimed he let the other guy win.

That giant slug of a man, Jess Willard, was butchered by a tiny hobo in the most one-sided beat down in boxing history.

That hobo, Jack Dempsey, was easily out-boxed by a careful technician named Gene Tunney, who barely even wanted to be heavyweight champion.

Tunney was knocked out by that same hobo in the very next fight, but was saved by a referee’s long ten count. He held onto win by decision, fought once more then plumb quit.

Max Schmeling was a Nazi.

His successor, Jack Sharkey, lost to a mob-controlled fighter who looked and fought more like a professional wrestler than a boxer.

That big oaf, Primo Carnera, couldn’t throw a straight jab-cross to save his life.

The man who saved the world from Carnera’s title reign, Max Baer, hit like a mule. But he didn’t take boxing seriously and was defeated by maybe the worst heavyweight champion ever.

James J. Braddock was a dockworker who got lucky against Baer, then held onto the title as long as he could until he was whacked by Joe Louis in eight rounds.

Joe Louis held the heavyweight championship for 12 years, but he fought bums and palookas most of his career and managed to get himself knocked down by the likes of Braddock.

Ezzard Charles was a blown up light heavyweight who was most famous for beating up Louis when the former heavyweight champion had returned from retirement and was an old man.

Jersey Joe Walcott was an even older man who was barely good enough to defeat Charles twice in three fights and got knocked out by a crude slugger named Rocky Marciano.

Marciano retired undefeated but he was short, stocky and cut easily. Marciano had terrible footwork and relied mostly on power and gumption.

Floyd Patterson was such a weirdo that he would dress up in costumes after he got knocked out in fights, which was often.

Sonny Liston knocked Patterson down a bazillion times in their two fights but was a mob-controlled fighter who got whipped by a loudmouth kid from Louisville.

That kid, Cassius Clay, later changed his name to Muhammad Ali for political reasons. Ali was all about pushing political propaganda because it was the right thing to do, but he called his opponents every name in the book so he could make a few dollars more on fight night.

Joe Frazier was tough as nails, but he was dumb enough to stand in front of George Foreman like a heavy bag both times he fought him, and managed to lose two out of three against Ali, his biggest and meanest rival.

Foreman was great when guys would stand in front of him like Frazier did, but had trouble with fighters who used their brains for more than just animal instincts. Foreman got beat up by an old version of Ali and wasn’t mentally strong enough to come back from it until years later.

Leon Spinks couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag.

Larry Holmes was just a poor man’s Ali. He was slower, dumber and much more boring outside the ring than Ali and never nearly as popular. He almost eclipsed Marciano’s 49-0 record but then lost to a light heavyweight twice that Marciano would have crushed within three rounds.

That light heavyweight, Michael Spinks, was a better fighter than his brother, Leon, but was only good enough to outpoint the poor man’s Ali. The best thing you can say about Spinks is that he was dumb enough to fight a young Mike Tyson but smart enough to stay on the canvas when he was knocked down in Round 1.

Tyson, a convicted rapist, was great when people were scared of him. But when they weren’t, he was just like every other schoolyard bully who met his match: dead meat.

Buster Douglas fought one good fight. He beat Tyson like a red-headed stepchild but then ballooned up like a cow and got hammered by a spindly-legged cruiserweight named Evander Holyfield.

Holyfield tried to fight bigger guys by standing in front of them and slugging it out. That was fine against bums and fatties, but when he faced top-level fighters like Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis, he almost always lost.

Bowe had real talent but wasted it because he was an idiot.

Michael Moorer only became heavyweight champion because he was too afraid of his trainer to stop hitting Holyfield when the latter was suffering from heart palpitations. He then got knocked out by a 45-year-old Foreman.

Nobody cares about Shannon Briggs or Hasim Rahman.

Lennox Lewis was just bigger than everyone else. The first time he picked on someone his own size who could actually fight, Vitali Klitschko, he got lucky by winning on cuts, then retired so he’d never have to fight him again.

The truth can be twisted to whatever you want it to be so long as you choose to ignore whatever points you don’t feel like agreeing with. In reality, all these men were the heavyweight champion of the world at one time or another, an accomplishment unlike any other. There are only a handful of people in the history of the sport who were good enough to earn that distinction.

These men did it.

It’s easy to nitpick this or that about Wladimir Klitschko’s fighting style or his level of his competition. But Klitschko is king of the mountain and no one has been able to knock him off his perch. No one. And when someone does, or if he retires and someone else wears the crown because of it, he’ll certainly have done more in boxing than most.

Because, like the men listed above, Klitschko will have been the heavyweight champion of the world. So if you’re the type who buys into narratives like those presented above about anyone who has achieved such a lofty goal, you probably believe the same kinds of things about Klitschko, too. But you shouldn’t. Because like the rest of these guys, Klitschko is probably much better than you think.

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Kelsey McCarson

Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing

Published

2 days ago

January 19, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Skylar-Lacy-Blocked-for-Lamar-Jackson-Before-Making-his-Mark-in-Boxing

Skylar Lacy, a six-foot-seven heavyweight, returns to the ring on Sunday, Feb. 2, opposing Brandon Moore on a card in Flint, Michigan, airing worldwide on DAZN.

As this is being written, the bookmakers hadn’t yet posted a line on the bout, but one couldn’t be accused of false coloring by calling the 10-round contest a 50/50 fight. And if his frustrating history is any guide, Lacy will have another draw appended to his record or come out on the wrong side of a split decision.

This should not be construed as a tip to wager on Moore. “Close fights just don’t seem to go my way,” says the boxer who played alongside future multi-year NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the University of Louisville.

A 2021 National Golden Gloves champion, Skylar Lacy came up short in his final amateur bout, losing a split decision to future U.S. Olympian Joshua Edwards. His last Team Combat League assignment resulted in another loss by split decision and he was held to a draw in both instances when stepping up in class as a pro. “In my mind, I’m still undefeated,” says Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs). “No one has ever kicked my ass.”

Lacy was the B-side in both of those draws, the first coming in a 6-rounder against Top Rank fighter Antonio Mireles on a Top Rank show in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the second in an 8-rounder against George Arias, a Lou DiBella fighter on a DiBella-promoted card in Philadelphia.

Lacy had the Mireles fight in hand when he faded in the homestretch. The altitude was a factor. Lake Tahoe, Nevada (officially Stateline) sits 6,225 feet above sea level. The fight with Arias took an opposite tack. Lacy came on strong after a slow start to stave off defeat.

Skylar will be the B-side once again in Michigan. The card’s promoter, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita, inked Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in January. “A capable American heavyweight with charisma, athleticism and skills is rare in today’s day and age. Brandon has got all these ingredients…”, said Salita in the press release announcing the signing. (Salita has an option on Skylar Lacy’s next pro fight in the event that Skylar should win, but the promoter has a larger investment in Moore who was previously signed to Top Rank, a multi-fight deal that evaporated after only one fight.)

Both Lacy and Moore excelled in other sports. The six-foot-six Moore was an outstanding basketball player in high school in Fort Lauderdale and at the NAIA level in college. Lacy was an all-state football lineman in Indiana before going on to the University of Louisville where he started as an offensive guard as a redshirt sophomore, blocking for freshman phenom Lamar Jackson. “Lamar was hard-working and humble,” says Lacy about the player who is now one of the world’s highest-paid professional athletes.

When Lacy committed to Louisville, the head coach was Charlie Strong who went on to become the head coach at the University of Texas. Lacy was never comfortable with Strong’s successor Bobby Petrino and transferred to San Jose State. Having earned his degree in only three years (a BA in communications) he was eligible immediately but never played a down because of injuries.

Returning to Indianapolis where he was raised by his truck dispatcher father, a single parent, Lacy gravitated to Pat McPherson’s IBG (Indy Boxing and Grappling) Gym on the city’s east side where he was the rare college graduate pounding the bags alongside at-risk kids from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.

Lacy built a 12-6 record across his two seasons in Team Combat League while representing the Las Vegas Hustle (2023) and the Boston Butchers (2024).

For the uninitiated, a Team Combat League (TCL) event typically consists of 24 fights, each consisting of one three-minute round. The concept finds no favor with traditionalists, but Lacy is a fan. It’s an incentive for professional boxers to keep in shape between bouts without disturbing their professional record and, notes Lacy, it’s useful in exposing a competitor to different styles.

“It paid the bills and kept me from just sitting around the house,” says Lacy whose 12-6 record was forged against 13 different opponents.

As a sparring partner, Lacy has shared the ring with some of the top heavyweights of his generation, e.g., Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was one of Fury’s regular sparring partners during the Gypsy King’s trilogy with Deontay Wilder. He worked with Joshua at Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and at Ben Davison’s gym in England, helping Joshua prepare for his date in Saudi Arabia with Francis Ngannou and had previously sparred with Ngannou at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas. Skylar names traveling to new places as one of his hobbies and he got to scratch that itch when he joined Whyte’s camp in Portugal.

As to the hardest puncher he ever faced, he has no hesitation: “Ngannou,” he says. “I negotiated a nice price to spend a week in his camp and the first time he hit me I knew I should have asked for more.”

Lacy is confident that having shared the ring with some of the sport’s elite heavyweights will get him over the hump in what will be his first 10-rounder (Brandon Moore has never had to fight beyond eight rounds, having won his three 10-rounders inside the distance). Lacy vs. Moore is the co-feature to Claressa Shields’ homecoming fight with Danielle Perkins. Shields, basking in the favorable reviews accorded the big-screen biopic based on her first Olympic journey (“The Fire Inside”) will attempt to capture a title in yet another weight class at the expense of the 42-year-old Perkins, a former professional basketball player.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce

Published

4 days ago

January 18, 2025

David A. Avila

Mizuki-Hiruta-Dominates-in-her-U.S.-Debut-and-Trinidad-Wins-Too-at-Commerce

Japan’s Mizuki Hiruta smashed through Mexico’s Maribel Ramirez with ease in winning by technical decision and local hero Omar Trinidad continued his assault on the featherweight division on Friday.

Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs), who prefers to be called “Mimi,” made her American debut with an impressive performance against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) and retained the WBO super flyweight world title by unanimous decision at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

The pink-haired Japanese southpaw champion quickly proved to be quicker, stronger and even better than advertised. In the opening round Ramirez landed on the floor twice after throwing errant blows. On one instance, it could have been ruled a knockdown but it was not a convincing blow.

In the second round, Ramirez again attacked and again was met with a Hiruta check right hook and down went the Mexican. This time referee Ray Corona gave the eight-count and the fight resumed.

It was Hiruta’s third title defense but this time it was on American soil. She seemed nervous by the prospect of getting a favorable review from the more than 700 fans inside the casino tent.

For more than a year Hiruta has been training off and on with Manny Robles in the L.A. area. Now that she has a visa, she has spent considerable time this year learning the tricks of the trade. They proved explosively effective.

Though Mexico City’s Ramirez has considerable experience against world champions, she discovered that Hiruta was not easy to hit. Often, the Japanese champion would slip and counter with precision.

It was an impressive American debut, though the fight was stopped in the eighth round after a collision of heads. The scores were tallied and all three saw Hiruta the winner by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72.

“I’m so happy. I could have done much more,” said Hiruta through interpreter Yuriko Miyata. “I wanted to do more things that Manny Robles taught me.”

Trinidad Wins Too

Omar Trinidad (18-0-1, 13 KOs) discovered that challenger Mike Plania (31-5, 18 KOs) has a very good chin and staying power. But over 10 rounds Trinidad proved to be too fast and too busy for the Filipino challenger.

Immediately it was evident that the East L.A. featherweight was too quick and too busy for Plania who preferred a counter-puncher attack that never worked.

“He was strong,” said Trinidad. “He took everything.”

After 10 redundant rounds all three judges scored for Trinidad 100-90 twice and 99-91. He retains the WBC Continental Americas title.

Other Bouts

Ali Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) blasted out Malcolm Jones (17-5-1) in less than two rounds. A dozen punches by Akhmedov forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the super middleweight fight.

Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco (3-0) bloodied Lindsey Ellis in the first round and continued the speedy assault in the next two rounds. Referee Ray Corona saw enough and stopped the fight in favor of Verduzco at 1:34 of the third round.

Gloria Munguilla (7-1) and Brook Sibrian (5-2) lit up the boxing ring with a nonstop clash for eight rounds in their light flyweight fight. Munguilla proved effective with a slip-and-counter attack. Sibrian adjusted and made the fight closer in the last four rounds but all three judges favored Munguilla.

More Winners

Joshua Anton, Tayden Beltran, Adan Palma, and Alexander Gueche all won their bouts.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Published

5 days ago

January 16, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Best wishes to the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires that took place last week and are still ongoing in small locales.

Most of the heavy damage took place in the western part of L.A. near the ocean due to Santa Ana winds. Another very hot spot was in Altadena just north of the Rose Bowl. It was a horrific tragedy.

Hopefully the worst is over.

Pro boxing returns with 360 Boxing Promotions spotlighting East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 13 KOs) defending a regional featherweight title against Mike Plania (31-4, 18 KOs) on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

“I’m the king of L.A. boxing and I’ll be ready to put on a show headlining again in the main event. This is my year, I’m ready to challenge and defeat any of the featherweight world champions,” said Trinidad.

UFC Fight Pass will stream the Hollywood Night fight card that includes a female world championship fight and other intriguing match-ups.

Tom Loeffler heads 360 Promotions and once again comes full force with a hot prospect in Trinidad. If you’re not familiar with Loeffler’s history of success, he introduced America to Oleksandr Usyk, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and the brothers Wladimir and Vitaly Kltischko.

“We’ve got a wealth of international talent and local favorites to kick off our 2025 in grand style,” said Loeffler.

He knows talent.

Trinidad hails from the Boyle Heights area of East L.A. near the Los Angeles riverbed. Several fighters from the past came from that exact area including the first Golden Boy, Art Aragon.

Aragon was a huge gate attraction during the late 1940s until 1960. He was known as a lady’s man and dated several Hollywood starlets in his time. Though he never won a world title he did fight world champions Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Carter and Lauro Salas. He was more or less the king of the Olympic Auditorium and Los Angeles boxing during his career.

Other famous boxers from the Boyle Heights area were notorious gangster Mickey Cohen and former world champion Joey Olivo.

Can Trinidad reach world title status?

Facing Trinidad will be Filipino fighter Plania who’s knocked off a couple of prospects during his career including Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer and Giovanni Gutierrez. The fighter from General Santos in the Philippines can crack and hold his own in the boxing ring.

It’s a very strong fight card and includes WBO world titlist Mizuki Hiruta of Japan who defends the super flyweight title against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez. It’s a tough matchup for Hiruta who makes her American debut. You can’t miss her with that pink hair and she has all the physical tools to make a splash in this country.

Mizukii Hiruta

Two other female bouts are also planned, including light flyweight banger L.A.’s Gloria Munguilla (6-1) against Coachella’s Brook Sibrian (5-1) in a match set for six rounds. Both are talented fighters. Another female fight includes super featherweights Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco (2-0) versus Lindsey Ellis (2-1) in another six-rounder. Ellis can crack with all her wins coming via knockout. Verduzco is a multi-national titlist as an amateur.

Others scheduled to perform are Ali Akhmedov, Joshua Anton, Adan Palma and more.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Boxing and the Media

The sport of professional boxing is currently in flux. It’s always in flux but no matter what people may say or write, boxing will survive.

Whether you like Jake Paul or not, he proved boxing has worldwide appeal with monstrous success in his last show. He has media companies looking at the numbers and imagining what they can do with the sport.

Sure, UFC is negotiating a massive billion dollar deal with media companies, as is WWE, both are very similar in that they provide combat entertainment. You don’t need to know the champions because they really don’t matter. Its about the attractions.

Boxing is different. The good champions last and build a following that endures even beyond their careers a la Mike Tyson.

MMA can’t provide that longevity, but it does provide entertainment.

Currently, there is talk of establishing a boxing league again. It’s been done over and over but we shall see if it sticks this time.

Pro boxing is the true warrior’s path and that means a solo adventure. It’s a one-on-one sport and that appeals to people everywhere. It’s the oldest sport that can be traced to prehistoric times. You don’t need classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, judo, kick boxing or wrestling. Just show up in a boxing gym and they can put you to work.

It’s a poor person’s path that can lead to better things and most importantly discipline.

Photos credit: Lina Baker

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 0

Share The Sweet Science experience!