Fitzsimmons...Schmeling...Carnera...Johansson...
Lewis...Klitschko?!

By Janne Romppainen

25.10 - I was surprised when I gathered the list of the undisputed European heavyweight champions of the history. Ever since the first championship bout was fought under the Queensberry rules between John L. Sullivan and James J. Corbett in 1892 there has been no more than five kings fighting out of Europe. From those mentioned, Bob Fitsimmons was born in England but he lived most of his life being U.S citizen. Max Schmeling was a very good fighter in his day but he won his title with a controversial foul decision against Jack Sharkey and today he is best remembered from the beating that Joe Louis gave him in their classic rematch. Primo Carnera was guided by Mafia most of his career and some are willing to dispute his title-winning victory over Sharkey as a bribery. Ingemar Johansson won the title fair and square by knocking out Floyd Patterson but he lost it in his first defence and like Carnera, the ‘One-punch Swede’ is considered to be one of the weakest champions of the history. Lennox Lewis is the first champion from Europe who can be considered great and many experts hail him as one of the greatest ever. And European is also his next challenger, Vitaly Klitschko, whom he has planned to face in next March.

It’s the first time in the history, in over hundred years, that two European fighters fight for the undisputed heavyweight title (it is universally recognized, who cares about WBA anyway?). So whatever happens in the ring it is certain that the title stays away from the United States. But how much chance does Klitschko have against Lewis?

Honestly, even though the fight in considered to be an interesting one, the truth is that Vitaly Klitschko is only thought to be a warm-up type of an opponent before his more deserving brother Wladimir gets his chance. But Vitaly is not a bad fighter himself and he is not to be taken lightly by the champion. Not if he wants to keep his belt.

Of course Lewis should have the experience already that he knows to respect all his opponents. He didn’t do so the first time around against Hasim Rahman and we all know what happened there. If Lewis fights as lazily as he did then in the March, the title may well change hands. And even if Lewis has learned his lesson from South Africa, he might not have the hunger left. In his last two fights he looked sensational, knocking out Rahman and Mike Tyson respectively. Those were the fights that cemented his place in the history. Can he get himself to the mental level again when he has nothing to prove anymore? It is not an easy thing to do as we have seen from the champs of the past. Another danger is that he might already be looking over to his career final against Wladimir Klitschko and not concentrate to the job at hand. We shall see if that is the case.

Lewis has the tools over Klitschko, that’s for sure. He is more athletic, he is faster, has a better rhythm in the ring and more versatility in his punches. Klitschko has the edge in size and probably in power. He is certainly a bigger puncher than Rahman who stretched Lewis so at least the big Ukrainan has a puncher’s chance. Klitscko has also good reflexes in defence and his chin seems to be a solid one. Of course Klitschko has never faced a fighter who could really punch at the world level. It was frustrating to see how the feather-fisted Chris Byrd drove him back in their fight. What happens when it is Lewis coming forwards? As we have seen, he can be deadly aggressive when he decides to. Klitschko is supposed to face Larry Donald later this year. After that fight we know again something more about him. Even though Donald is not nearly Lewis’ calibre, he has a good jab and reach. If Klitschko can cope well with that, he might be ready for Lewis.

It’s the first time Vitaly is in a really big fight. The moment that you look over the ring to the opposite corner to the champion, when Michael Buffer yells you to rumble and the audience roars around the ring, that moment can swallow a man up, even a man as big as the 6’8 Klitschko. How well can he handle the pressure which crushed for example Andrew Golota, another talented fighter who tried to challenge Lewis? That also remains to be seen.

comments/questions: janneromppainen@hotmail.com