HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING IS BACK

A great heavyweight championship boxing match took place this weekend, and most Americans, missed out on what could possibly be the sports re-awakening. Wladimir Klitschko dominated the heavyweight division, for nearly a decade. However, his historic run was more notable for how uninspiring it was until his loss in 2015 to the unlikely Tyson Fury. Their anticipated rematch never took place due to an assortment of issues for Fury including allegations of failed drug tests and potential mental health issues and injuries. Fury has yet to fight since his victory over Klitschko. The Ukrainian who has fought predominately in Germany and other venues in Europe failed to inspire American boxing fans who yearned for the less cautious styles and volatility displayed by the likes of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.

The heavyweight championship in boxing had lost much of its luster during the Klitschko era and many Americans turned to MMA and the UFC , if the matches didn’t include the likes of Manny Pacquiao , Floyd Mayweather, Saul Canelo Alvarez or ‘Triple G” Gennady Golovkin. More recently boxing’s heavyweight division has developed increasingly interesting story lines including the re-emergence of a top American heavyweight, in undefeated WBC Champion Deontay Wilder.

London’s Wembley Stadium held more than 90,000 in attendance for the championship bout between, undefeated Anthony Joshua and Klitschko. Though Joshua won the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal  in his native Great Britain and was the IBF and WBA title holders, he remained largely unknown to Americans prior to the match. The epic match between he and Klitschko should change his recognition to Americans and improve the sports relevancy.

The two large heavyweights, nearly 250 pounds each and each standing at 6’6″ or more, traded monstrous blows throughout the night. In the fifth round the 27 year old Joshua knocked down  the 41 year old former champ. Klitschko was in trouble, but not only survived the round but managed to rally back before its end. This lead to a complete swing in momentum in the sixth when Klitschko knocked Joshua down. The younger fighter appeared totally gassed and struggled to survive the round. Klitschko remained in control for the next 2 rounds before Joshua showed the courage and will many doubted he had and eventually knocked Klitschko down twice in the 11th before the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

Joshua was the clear winner 19-0 (19 knockouts), but there were no losers. Ironically Klitschko probably gained more fans with his performance in a defeat then during his long tenure as champion. The calls for a rematch should be significant. I recommend, even the most casual fight fan find the bout on YouTube if you missed it… it is worth it. Admittedly most fights fail to live up to the hype. In America there was Zero hype for the fight, but do not take my word, it is worth viewing.

Beside the Joshua-Klitschko rematch there are a number of other fights that make the heavyweight division in professional boxing once again relevant. Joshua vs. Wilder, Joshua vs. Tyson Fury, Klitschko vs. Fury. It has been a while, but there are a number of storylines and characters in the division that can make the heavyweight champion compelling once again to the American public. Hopefully