34-year-old heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon, last seen in a ring in a August of last year when he scored a TKO win over an 11-2 Nick Guivas, returns to action tomorrow, against a relatively “safe-looking” foe in the five times beaten Mike Marrone. The big Philadelphian looked for a time like a top prospect/contender, back in 2008, until he ran into Chris Arreola and lost his unbeaten record. There have been other setbacks for the cousin of former two-time heavyweight titlist Tim Witherspoon, such as his stoppage loss to the cagey Tony Thompson and, in a far less acceptable defeat in a fight he was winning, a stoppage loss to Seth Mitchell.
But Witherspoon, 34-3(26) and known as “The Gentleman” has refused to go away, for good anyway, and he could yet prove to be something of a player in the heavyweight division. Big enough at 6’4” and a solid enough puncher, Witherspoon, with a few momentum regaining wins under his belt, could get himself a shot at one of the unbeaten heavyweight prospects around today or maybe, if Lady Luck is really with him, a shot at a title of some kind. Witherspoon hasn’t lost since being halted by football player/turned boxer Mitchell, but he hasn’t faced anyone of real note since then either.
Marrone, 21-5(15) was last seen being taken out by Shannon Briggs, who halted him in the 2nd-round back in September of last year. Stopped in four of his five defeats, the 30-year-old has reached journeyman status already. It would be a big shock if Witherspoon did not win tomorrow, most likely by quick KO. The plan for Witherspoon is to remain active and work his way back into contender status. At age 34, he is not old for a modern day heavyweight and if he has kept himself in good shape wile he’s been inactive, maybe Witherspoon can get himself some big fights.
Speaking with RingTV.com recently, Witherspoon said he feels the heavyweight division is “exciting again,” and that he will “fit in somewhere and then get a shot at one of these titles.” Back when he was an unbeaten hope, Witherspoon was looking at the two Klitschkos as the world force, now, as he says, he has as many as five world champions to aim for. Witherspoon, an honest fighter with plenty of heart, is, or was, always in good fights.
Maybe a return with Arreola would appeal to the fans? Or how about Witherspoon against an up and comer like Jarrell Miller? In the meantime look for ’Spoon to get Marrone out of there inside 5-rounds tomorrow night
