Vitali Klitschko, long regarded as the toughest heavyweight in boxing today, is second only to his brother Vladimir in the rankings.
However, he has had an injury-prone career which included a layoff of more than four years. At 38 years old, he may be beginning to feel his age.
The heavyweight division in boxing, unlike most others, has often been home to older fighters who rely on their experience and punching power to hang with the young guns. But when a once-dominant fighter crashes to earth at the end of his career, the end can come with a finality that leaves us breathless. Look no further than Vitali's fight against once-invincible Lennox Lewis for proof. Even though Lewis won that fight on an injury stoppage, he took a humiliating beating and his career was demonstrably over the second he stepped off the ring apron.
Vitali's last fight performance was mediocre
Vitali Klitschko's last fight -- against a one-time contender named Kevin Johnson -- was both boring and frustrating for boxing fans. Although Klitschko pressed the action during the entire fight, Johnson obviously didn't come to fight. He spent the duration running, playing rope-a-dope, and acting out peculiarly in a futile attempt at getting the champ to lose his cool.
Astonishingly, Klitschko was unable to do anything about these tactics. At no point during the boxing match was he able to hurt Johnson. This would have been inconceivable a few years back, and we have to assume that his brother -- also a champion -- would have managed to score a knockout victory against such a cowardly opponent.
Is Vitaly Klitschko's boxing career drawing to a close?
One has to wonder what this sort of underwhelming performance says about the once-feared champ. Can he handle the speed and pinpoint punching of a dynamic fighter like David Haye? Or are his days of frustrating opponents with his unconventional but effective defensive counterpunching over once and for all?
Odds are, we'll never see Vitali tested by a true, world-class opponent, simply because so few of them seem to exist these days, and the one obvious test who does exist won't fight his brother. But when a relative nobody like Kevin Johnson can go 12 rounds with impunity against the champ, something is amiss.
However, he has had an injury-prone career which included a layoff of more than four years. At 38 years old, he may be beginning to feel his age.The heavyweight division in boxing, unlike most others, has often been home to older fighters who rely on their experience and punching power to hang with the young guns. But when a once-dominant fighter crashes to earth at the end of his career, the end can come with a finality that leaves us breathless. Look no further than Vitali's fight against once-invincible Lennox Lewis for proof. Even though Lewis won that fight on an injury stoppage, he took a humiliating beating and his career was demonstrably over the second he stepped off the ring apron.
Vitali's last fight performance was mediocre
Vitali Klitschko's last fight -- against a one-time contender named Kevin Johnson -- was both boring and frustrating for boxing fans. Although Klitschko pressed the action during the entire fight, Johnson obviously didn't come to fight. He spent the duration running, playing rope-a-dope, and acting out peculiarly in a futile attempt at getting the champ to lose his cool.
Astonishingly, Klitschko was unable to do anything about these tactics. At no point during the boxing match was he able to hurt Johnson. This would have been inconceivable a few years back, and we have to assume that his brother -- also a champion -- would have managed to score a knockout victory against such a cowardly opponent.
Is Vitaly Klitschko's boxing career drawing to a close?
One has to wonder what this sort of underwhelming performance says about the once-feared champ. Can he handle the speed and pinpoint punching of a dynamic fighter like David Haye? Or are his days of frustrating opponents with his unconventional but effective defensive counterpunching over once and for all?
Odds are, we'll never see Vitali tested by a true, world-class opponent, simply because so few of them seem to exist these days, and the one obvious test who does exist won't fight his brother. But when a relative nobody like Kevin Johnson can go 12 rounds with impunity against the champ, something is amiss.
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