Klitschko-Chisora: Better Be Better Than Pac Man or Money

This might be the only blow Chisora lands, if Vitali enters the ring in Munich in a mood to destroy. (Photo courtesy KMG)

FROZEN RINGPOSTS – There should be a lot of added pressure on Vitali Klitschko this Saturday evening in Munich, where the beer is somewhat warm and the air is somewhat frozen, andeach can snap yourbobbing head back.

For Klitschko, the medicine ball was already in his court tokeep the K2promotional juggernaut rolling. Now after DereckChisora'sblindside slap at Friday's weigh in,many people will be watching just to see if thesupremely composed but obviouslyfumingKlitschko can and will become the type of wrecking machine that once upon a time made heavyweight boxing special.

There should also be a lot of added pressure on Chisora, who wants a piece of the big paydays pie and looks willing to go to any extreme to get it.

Really though, the addedpressure should be on both Klitschko and Chisora not as autonomous opponents butas a performing pair, beyond the single scope of their scheduled 12 rounds. There should be pressureto do everything they can toregain respect for their weight division.

Klitschko – Chisoramight be a pretty big fight in this part of civilization, but it isn't really significant to mainstream, present day sportingimpact. The fighters and their teamsneed to aknowledge this. When a guy used to say he'd rather get knocked out than stink out the joint before booing fans, it was the kind of attitudethat made boxing a more popular distraction.

This fight should be about more than just Klitschko, Chisora and related bragging rights. This fight should spotlight the entire division, recognizing current inadequacies in relation to the fans.

This fight should announce the return of the giants. The return of blood, sweat, tears and inspiration, XXL sized.

Within the next 30 days, the heavyweights have a chance to regain at least a fair portion of lost glory.That means both Klitschkos, Chisora, Alexander Povetkin, Marco Huck and even generallydismissed long shot Jean Marc Mormeck should feel a sense of obligation to their livelihoods.A recovery mission at all costs.

Financial dataon boxing paydays is more hard to come by around here than in the States, but there's no doubt that Klitschko, Chisora and the restarecollecting some prettygood euros, pounds or bucks. Let's hope they earn as much newfound respect.

Style wise, the heavyweight fights should guarantee more splattering sprawls and highlight reel thuds than either Manny Pacquiaoagainst Timothy Bradley or FloydMayweather against Miguel Cotto. There's no reason that by mid-June, the 200 plus pounders shouldn't have taken a big step back toward respectability.

First up this Saturday, before a sell out crowd of over 12,000, Klitschko and Chisora will try and do their parts. Vitali may be unspectacular in his approach, but hehas been so effective overall that every performance from now on is further evidence of hissolid historical status, debated not all that often these days but probably soon to be.

There is probably not afoe Vitali hasclobbered latelywho didn't enter with decent skills and a decent plan. There is probably not a man among thatgroup whose plan didn't start getting altered after the first or second overhand right slammed in, usually by the end of the first frame.

Consistent aggression is definitely the requisite starting point. Based on recent form, Chisoraseems torate pretty high on the scale of proven pluck. That won'tcount for muchunless he backs it up with an effective attack, but at least it gives hima fighting chance.

Whether he can prove more effectivethan Arreola or Tomasz Adamek, other boxers of similar size and strategy, is the question.

If Chisora, around a 4 – 1 underdog,somehow triumphs in any manner, the bout becomes a much bigger story and Chisora's low grade antics will be elevated toeffective cunning. If he gives Klitschko trouble but gets stopped early, Chisora will still be looked at favorably and with marketability. Klitschkoneeds to cream Chisora or explain what happened.

A week later, Povetkin and Hucktake the baton in a fight that widely favors Povetkin, but the swarm in Stuttgart won't care because Huck will press the action until it presses him.

On March 3rd,Wladimir Klitschko should promise to stop Mormeck within 5 rounds or donate a quarter of his purse to charity.

This is an election year in the US, once and maybe again somedaya lucrative market for heavyweight boxers. Any global heavyweightmulling around the K2/EU watering holeshould elect to let the punches flowmore freely and regain abandoned territory in the public consciousness.This three weekend stretch is likelythe division's biggest chance to shine in years.

What else”should” happen isobvious.

The pressure should be shared, not only to win, but to go for it. Spectacular knockout or out onthe crackedshield.

Never throw fewer than a hundred punches a round.

There's much more to it than just showing up in shape and going the distanceif you want fans to return. Still, rumbling redemption for the heavyweights could be closer than many critics claim.

Remember, although the Kbros actualy battling in aserious competition beyond game boards is beyond doubtful, they did go throughsparring motions togetherduring a workout, feinting and shadowboxing from a safe distance that didn't illustrate much in regard to an actual matchup.

It was only a training exercise, but they were in the ring, throwing punches, however restrained. That's already more thanPacquiao and Mayweather are likely to doin the same ring anytime soon.

The Klitschkos may never equal Mayweather's fluidity or Pacquiao's propulsion, but that doesn't mean they can't be inequally or evenmore exciting contests.

Chisora may lack class as a citizen, but he'sperforming at a first class level of boxingand backed up some previous boasts.At least he tries towalk the walk.

Chisora's slap at the weigh in was a cheap shot. Unfortunately, it may also besymbolic of the type wake up call heavyweight boxing needs.

Perhaps the immediate future will provide a tellingmicrocosm of the division for 2012 and beyond, better or worse.

If the next three weekends don't see significant strides by the big boys, they have nobody but themselves to blame. Ongoing audience derision, or worse, continued indifference, wouldcertainlybe deserved.

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