Scoop Archives: Is Wladimir Klitschko The Next One?

By Scoop Malinowski

Sullivan…Johnson…Dempsey…Louis…Marciano…Ali…Holmes…Tyson…Lewis. This is the linear line of boxing’s nine dominant heavyweight champions. The question now is who will be the next and tenth man to join this exclusive brotherhood? There are many indications that suggest it could very well be Wladimir Klitschko.

“He’s the one,” says top trainer Tommy Brooks. “Everyone better look out for that guy.”

“My brother is the future of boxing,” smiles older brother Vitali Klitschko, himself the mandatory contender for Lewis’ WBC title.

“There’s a rapidly growing bandwagon of those who believe that Wladimir Klitschko is the future of the heavyweight division,” said HBO’s Jim Lampley. “Count me as a front-row participant on that bandwagon.”

Wladimir ‘Dr. Steelhammer’ Klitschko first made his name known worldwide in 1996 when he won Olympic gold for Ukraine in Atlanta – as a superheavyweight. His career was progressing along in the proper direction with 23 straight wins as a pro. But then all of a sudden, there was a crash. An unexpected TKO loss in Germany to American journeyman Ross Purrity in December of 1998. This defeat did severe damage to his momentum and reputation. He was only 22.

Klitschko’s explanation of the loss was, “I lost to myself. I was too young for that fight. I didn’t have much experience.” Klitschko admitted he wasted too much energy working on the promotion in Germany the week of the fight. Little known is that Klitschko was well in control of Purrity until he simply ran out of gas in round 10, as a result of throwing too many power punches. His corner stopped the fight. Klitschko had not yet learned the ability of pacing himself for the full distance. It was just a rookie mistake, they told us.

However, that shock loss to Purrity was widely interpreted as doomsday. ‘Oh well, he must’ve been overrated. He must be a fraud. Just another over-hyped prospect put in his place.’ The experts wrote him off. An embarrassed Klitschko vowed to learn from the defeat. And he did just that, with four straight stoppage wins. But the boxing world was still very skeptical.

I have to admit, I was doubtful as well. I mean, anyone who loses to Ross Purrity…do they have the burning ambition that it takes to become heavyweight champion? Do they have that extraordinary, almost supernatural willpower?

We would learn Klitschko was not your typical prospect. He has that special capacity to return – even mightier – after disaster strikes. And, interestingly, he has the natural ability to leave an indelible impression on those he encounters.

The boxing media was in Las Vegas in November of 1999 for the Lewis-Holyfield rematch. The night before that battle, Klitschko was facing former WBC heavyweight title challenger Phil Jackson at the Orleans Hotel on espn2. Dr. Steelhammer easily scored the second-round win, his sixth straight. Afterwards, I was talking with former WBC Super Featherweight champion Cornelius Boza Edwards. Boza was telling me about how, a couple of days earlier, Klitschko approached him to ask some technique questions, about how to properly turn over the fist on left hook power punches. “Then later in the week I was talking with (Vegas-based trainer) Kenny Adams,” Boza revealed. “And he told me Klitschko was asking him the very same questions!”

Boza Edwards expressed great pleasure in telling this story of Klitschko, about how he is a determined and serious student of the sport. It was pretty clear now that Klitschko was not just a manufactured prospect, using boxing like a businessman with the intent to make a lot of money. Like so many of the others. This is a man who obviously yearns to be the best.

The next time I saw Klitschko in person, was just a few months later. It was at the final press conference – four days before the Lennox Lewis-Michael Grant heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden in April of 2000. Klitschko was on the undercard of the card which was being billed as “Two Big.” When it was Klitschko’s turn to step up to the podium and speak a few words, he had a presence that commanded your attention. Klitschko spoke with an easy smile. “I think the title of the promotion is mistaken,” Klitschko announced, as he turned around and pointed to the huge poster. “It should read ‘Four Big!.'” Everyone laughed or smiled. Preliminary fighters rarely shine like that on the big stage. They are not supposed to. It is not their place, not their domain. Not yet anyway. But Klitschko got everyone’s attention that day. Surely, the very alert and intuitive champion Lennox Lewis was listening as he was seated right next to the podium. Three days later, Klitschko stopped David Bostice in two, for another impressive win.

But, still, the perception about Klitschko was generally more negative than positive. Okay, he looks good. He has size advantages. He has power. He has charisma. But he lost against Ross Purrity! Further complicating his reputation was the fact that his most important win since that loss was not witnessed by American audiences, as it was unfortunately not shown on TV. In that fight, Klitschko dominated Chris Byrd over 12 rounds in October 2000. The win was significant for two reasons – Klitschko proved he could easily box the 12-round championship distance, and he won the WBO title from Byrd. (Byrd had taken it from brother Vitali under dubious circumstances – Vitali tore a rotator cuff and had to retire on his stool, though winning the fight comfortably). Byrd has since proven his formidability. He is the current IBF champion, after outpointing Evander Holyfield.

Four more astoundingly easy TKO wins followed – against Derrick Jefferson, Frans Botha, Charles Shufford and Ray Mercer. By now Klitschko had proven himself as the leading challenger for Lennox Lewis. And many highly-respected boxing people were paying Klitschko some heavy compliments.

“I trained with almost all the big boys in boxing,” said sparring partner Corey ‘T-Rex’ Sanders. “But Wladimir’s punch is far beyond. He beats like a horse, he could run a marathon and he moves like a ballerina.”

“I think that Lennox is ready to go up against anyone right now, ” said Tommy Brooks, who previously worked with the two brothers before the Mercer fight. “He can beat Lennox. He’ll clean his clock.”

“This guy’s got the skills,” George Foreman said. “This guy will be heavyweight champion of the world. He’s just waiting and biding his time.”

Klitschko’s fight against WBO mandatory Jameel McCline was the one that really impressed. Klitschko completely tamed the giant 260-pound powerhouse – as McCline’s corner stopped the mismatch after the 10th round. McCline hardly landed a glove on Klitschko. Many in the media blamed McCline for lack of effort, and this criticism almost overshadowed just how magnificent Klitschko’s dominating performance was. Maybe, a more accurate summation of the fight was that McCline suffered a broken spirit when he realized very early that he was thoroughly outclassed. And he simply ran out of ideas on just what to do to penetrate through Klitschko’s elusive defenses.

Many boxing writers have a tendency to prefer the negative angle in a disappointing match – and they condemn the loser rather than credit the victor. For examples, when Spinks froze against Tyson and Tua was completely mastered by Lewis, what are the lasting impressions of those fights? That ‘Spinks was scared to death’ and that ‘Tua didn’t come to fight.’ This is grossly unfair. Let’s give some major credit where it is due. Iron Mike was able to intimidate a great, unbeaten champion like Spinks. He didn’t do it with smoke and mirrors and words. He did it with his mental and physical superiority. And Lewis didn’t completely outbox and outskill Tua with a weak jab and cumbersome footwork did he? No. He achieved victory over a dangerous threat with an intelligent exhibition of boxing mastery.

Maybe instead of ridiculing the losers, the critics should celebrate the winners more. And instead of bombarding McCline for being a class beneath Klitschko, how about focusing more on the excellence of Klitschko’s style and technique? Like McCline said about Klitschko, “He’s awesome.” McCline would know.

Former champ and noted boxing historian Mike Tyson witnessed Klitschko vs. McCline from ringside. “I’m even more impressed than I was before the fight,” said Tyson.”I would like to fight against him. In any case, I’m convinced Wladimir is a future champion.”

Max Schmeling watched the fight on television back in Germany and wrote his kindred friend a congratulatory note, saying, “You defended your title with a high amount of aesthetic. It was a convincing and impressive performance. You paved your way to America.”

George Foreman: “What we saw tonight was scary. What we saw tonight is scary. It’s scary. It’s scary for other opponents to fight Wladimir Klitschko.”

Larry Merchant: “He is for real. When top American trainers like Tommy Brooks, Emanuel Steward and Ronnie Shields all agree that he is the future of the heavyweight division, attention must be paid. Not all the questions have been answered…can he take a punch? Can he deal with serious adversity? But sometimes a phenomenon is so good, that no one can ask those questions inside the ring.”

“I hope the show was good,” Klitschko said after beating McCline. “I hope they had fun watching the fight. The fight was maybe a little boring at times, I’ve heard, and I apologize for that. But this is the heavyweight division where one punch can change a fight. Jameel McCline is a very strong fighter. I had to be careful. I don’t want to prove my head (is strong) because I want to use my head for the future.”

Klitschko is a gentleman. In the sport where trash-talking and self-glorification are the norm, Klitschko’s humble politeness is a welcome addition. His pleasant manner is more reminiscent of a champion golfer or tennis player. At the pre-fight press conferences, Klitschko displays no trace of malice or hate for his rivals. He often smiles and shares a friendly word with them. On fight night, he walks to the ring completely relaxed, stoic. Seemingly absolutely unaffected by any feelings of apprehension, fright or pressure. His expression conveys a supreme confidence, like he just knows for certain that victory will be his.

And after the fight, he is all class. He always makes a point to praise his opponent in some way. And Klitschko’s words are spoken with sincerity. In his disposition you can detect not even a hint of arrogance…well, except for his ring entrance musical choice of Tina Turner’s ‘Simply The Best.’ All in all, Klitschko represents himself as a great ambassador for the sport, like the embodiment of the perfect sportsman.

“I don’t like to hear how good I am or how smart I am,” says Klitschko, who earned his doctorate in sport science at the Univsersity of Kiev. “My parents raised me to be more easy-going, to have respect for people. To say ‘Thank you’ and ‘please.’ They didn’t raise me to say, ‘I’m the greatest.’ Maybe it’s hard (for people to accept me) because America likes showman. But that’s not me. They said Michael Grant was the future. Now he’s downstairs. There were a lot of guys they said that about. I don’t want to hear this. It’s better to achieve it first.”

If you consider how easily Klitschko defeated the highly-touted McCline, who else is out there to threaten Klitschko, aside from the now 37-year old Lewis? It seems reasonable to believe that Klitschko may dominate boxing for many years – or at least for as long as he’s interested in the game. He may possibly even achieve a reign of greatness comparable to Larry Holmes, which lasted nearly eight years.

But one man has been rather unimpressed by this rising force of a newcomer. Lennox Lewis was confronted about the idea of fighting Klitschko. This was a few days after Wladimir first challenged him publicly – following the Mercer win. Klitschko suggested – in a jesting yet serious tone – that he and Lennox could play a chess match first. With – as the special referee – his friend, the chess world champion Gary Kasparov. Then a few days later, the two would fight for the world heavyweight title. This would be a first for boxing, said Klitschko, revealing an Ali-like promotional acumen. Lewis was not amused by the sporty offer though. He responded that it would be a… “Waste of time. Wladimir Klitschko, he’s not tough enough. It would be a waste of my time to fight him. I would knock him out.”

But you have to wonder. Could Lennox really have such low regard for Klitschko as a boxer? These two combatants spent time together while filming the movie ‘Ocean’s 11’ a few years ago. You have to wonder. Did their egos collide? Did the competitive natures of the the two boxers reveal themselves when they were together? Did they challenge each other on some kind of mental or intellectual level? Did one maybe even assert and establish his superiority over the other?

Its been said that the alpha male of a wolf pack always is the first to recognize who his successor will be. And rather than putting up a vicious fight to ward off his rival, the vanquished alpha wolf just surrenders and quietly leaves the pack.

Think about it. If it would be so easy for Lewis to beat Klitschko, why not just do it? Perhaps Lewis would rather keep to himself, at this time, what his true opinion of Wladimir Klitschko really is.