Who Would Win in Klitschko vs. Klitschko
Wlad and Vitali Klitschko Rule Boxing but Who Is the Better Fighter?
Feb 17, 2009
There’s not a great deal of intrigue in the contests that the Klitshcko brothers are planning in 2009. Vitali now looks like he’ll box Juan Carlos Gomez in March, whose padded record shows a knockout punch, until mixing in world class (if a 43 year old Oliver Mccall can be called that). Wladmir meanwhile is deciding whether he’ll accept the challenge of either the American Chris Arreola or Britain’s David Haye, whilst he basks in the glory of a thrashing of the ubiquitous Hasim Rahman, who turned up to their fight as weak as a kitten.
David Haye's Arrival
Haye’s arrival on the scene commands attention, and he certainly has something about him, but doubts remain about his chin (fostered, it has to be said, by some shaky nights down at cruiserweight), and it may be that the Klitschko boys may be just that little bit too big for the Hayemaker, and cut him down. What Haye will bring is a touch of excitement and pizzazz, and his involvement is welcome, if only for that reason. The Hayemaker will win some fights, sure, but he’ll lose some too.
Chris Arreola Sluggish
Chris Arreola is an enigma. One has to question the commitment of a man who came into his last contest a stone overweight, looking as sluggish as, well, a slug – and expects to be granted a title fight on the back of a performance that saw him decked 3 times In 3 rounds. Of course, he’ll get a title fight: but only because he looked beatable, not because his challenge is credible.
So outside these two, the only heavyweight matchup that really gets the juices flowing (well, trickling possibly) is Klitschko v Klitschko.
Wladmir can actually point to a pretty impressive record. To somewhat of a surprise, he’s won 13 World Heavyweight Title contests, of either IBF or WBO variety, and done so pretty handily against the best opposition on offer. He was only taken the distance twice in those important contests, and beat up the likes of Sam Peter, Francois Botha, Ray Mercer, and Calvin Brock along the way.
Vitali’s fewer fights have produced a little more in terms of thrills and spills. Some of his career has been spent avenging little brother’s losses: he spanked Purrity and Sanders after they’d starched Wladmir, but came unstuck himself when he quit on his stool against the much smaller Chris Byrd at the end of the ninth round in 2000, citing a damaged arm. Critics were outraged at the time that a man could so easily give up a heavyweight title, and wrote the big man off as deficient in what the old-timers used to call “bottom”. It was perhaps poetic justice that Vitali recovered some of that damaged reputation in a gallant losing effort to Lennox Lewis in 2003, in a fight he was adjudged to be in control of before some vicious cuts saw him pulled out by the officials, despite his protests.
Wladmir Vs Vitali
Wladmir would open a fight with his brother warily - as ever when he’s up against anyone with a hint of game, and trying to keep it as long as possible. Around the third round, he’d realise that his opponent has every inch the physical advantages that he normally brings to bear on opponents, and shrink into a shell.
For much of the contest thereafter, Vitali would be looking to make use of better footwork and the negativity of his opponent to open him up and land some solid punches. He would do so somewhere around the 9th and 10th rounds, forcing a late stoppage or taking a very wide unanimous decision.
