Finally, a heavyweight unification bout comes to fruition.
There almost seems to be a foregone conclusion as to who will win this Saturday. But in a real scheme of things, it’s safe to say that there’s nothing foregone or conclusive about anything in this mumbo jumbo heavyweight jungle.
Be that as it may, if there are any promises to be made, it’s those engaged by the giants who hail from the Eastern hemisphere across the globe. As if they hold all the major hands like in a game of poker, the Russians have already marked their presence, but they have yet to have consolidated on their bets.
Treat it as a card game if you will, but if it were the world class series of poker, it’s been a damn long one, and soon and wishfully enough, there shall be a crowned victor somewhere down the table.
In this semi-final’esque matchup, Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov will respectfully put their IBF and WBO straps on the line when they meet this Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden. For Ibragimov, it’s his mission to declare legitimacy. In Klitschko’s case, it’s his time again to reaffirm his top standing in the division. Since there is no clear front-runner as far as the consensus ranking is concerned, Ibragimov could certainly pose as the leading candidate of the mix. At the very least, we are looking at a bout that could marginally spell heavyweight supremacy.
Of course that is, if the fight itself isn’t somehow marred by an inconclusive disaster such as a controversial draw or a no-contest. Oddly enough, it’s been nine long years in the same exact venue where Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield fought for twelve rounds to end in a dubious three-way split draw. Nine years it’s been, yet ironically, Ibragimov’s last fight came in against an aged and hopeless Evander Holyfield. That surely does not say much about the current state of the heavyweight division, but enough of that. For once, we have a significant heavyweight title fight on hand. In New York, nonetheless, and above all, there’s both intrigue and significance on both fighters’ origin and background that comes along with it.
HBO’s Larry Merchant once ineffably or perhaps mistakenly misjudged and misevaluated the limited talent of Dominick Guinn on air as he described the never-was now turned journeyman as ‘the best American heavyweight since Riddick Bowe’. Right then and there, I had no choice but to disagree considering there were actually well accomplished guys like Chris Byrd and Michael Moorer. But enough with Jack Daniels, so pour on some vodka.
Provided we see one of the two combatants emerge as a victor this Saturday, there are further implications as to who’s the best heavyweight in the world. It might not necessarily be the case should Klitschko win as expected, but there will certainly be some reshuffling if the smaller Ibragimov somehow manages to pull the upset. But regardless of the matter, whose it to say that unbeaten co-contingent Ruslan Chagaev doesn’t have the reputable resume to be considered the best?
In addition, take a look at the remaining players. The massive Nicolai Valuev recently showed in his win over former WBO champ Sergei Lykahovich that he’s got more than just his size. 2004 gold medal winner Alexander Povetkin displayed work rate and tenacity worth banking on. In case you forgot, Oleg Maskaev holds the last remaining belt.
As of now, Sam Peter is the only non-former-Soviet standing in the way. Provided from his recent less than stellar performance against perennial contender Jameel McCline, I’m not too sure if he’ll still be standing by the time he’s done with Maskaev.
Whatever happens or may happen, what boxing needs is some form of consistency. The heavyweight division may or may not appeal to the mainstream as it did even during the Lennox Lewis era. It might not be inadvertent any longer. In retrospect, it’s a beginning of a new era. And perhaps it’s a wishful thinking, but maybe there is nothing really wrong with that.
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