Aftermath of the Klitschko vs Mormeck Title Fight


Wladimir Klitschko hardly broke a sweat. He said he got hit by a jab that stung his eye, but no one actually so it. Jean-Marc Mormeck was way out of his league, as the younger of the Klitschko brothers retained his IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles by knocking out the 39 year old Frenchman early in the fourth round.

Mormeck didn’t really show up, or didn’t really want to fight. He just kept sliding in below Klitschko’s chin and clung for dear life. Maybe he had some sort of fatiguing strategy behind this game plan, but it looked pathetic most of the time. It’s not that the Heavyweight division is loaded with potential serious contenders. The only one still not beaten by one of the brothers, Alexander Povetkin, doesn’t really want to fight them. Still, Mormeck showed nothing in the ring on what was clearly nothing more than a pay day for him.

For Wladimir Klitschko, it was just another rather easy title defense, his 11th, as he walks down the path of other great champions. It was his 50th win by knockout, moving to fifth all-time for most knockouts by a heavyweight. Anything waiting on the horizon? Nothing much, not a real challenge.

But still, there has to be something – Maybe a fight in America? There’s no real depth in the heavyweight division, and there’s no need mentioning there’s no American fighter in the division really creating any public interest, maybe the biggest problem with the division, and the low public in interest today. Still, Chris Arreola, who lost to Vitali in 2009 and later to Tomasz Adamek, has won his last seven fights, including two weeks ago against Eric Molina by knockout.

Saying Arreola might prove to be some demanding challenge? Probably not. But Klitschko hasn’t fought in America since his 2008 win over Sultan Ibragimov, and hasn’t fought an American in the United States since DaVarryl Williamson in 2004. Klitschko’s American inspirations, even at 36, might mean he’ll try and land a fight with Arreola after a probable July fight with mandatory challenger Tony Thompson, the same Thompson who got knockout out by Wladimir in 2008.

Yes, the division is that weak. Hey, Jean-Marc Mormeck hasn’t fought in 15 months and got the shot. Tony Thompson, at 40 years old, makes just as much sense as Mormeck, who proved once again that the Cruiserweight shift doesn’t make for good fights against the Klitschko brothers.

Even bigger? Joe Louis holds the record for 25 title defenses, while Wladimir is standing at 11. At 36, is it possible to tie this record? The Klitschko brothers don’t get much respect in the all time rankings due to the weak opposition, but there have been few dominant defense runs such as this. The chances of Wladimir fighting 14 more fights in his career and winning them all into his 40’s isn’t that great, but with the current crop of opposition, who knows.

And how about winning all the major belts? Vitali and Wladimir won’t fight each other, never. Vitali Klitschko will retire at some point. His fight against Chisora was more proof that maybe he doesn’t have much left in the tank. I’m pretty sure his brother would love to own all the belts, being the undisputed heavyweight champion, something that hasn’t happened since Lennox Lewis beat Evander Holyfield in 1999.


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