Wladimir Klitschko Meets The Latest Great American Hope

In the wake of Manny Pacquiao’s shut-out of Joshua Clottey, Wladimir "Dr. Steelhammer" Klitschko (53-3, 47 KOs) and "Fast" Eddie Chambers (35-1, 18 KOs) square off this Saturday. Unlike Pacquiao-Clottey, not many folks seem to care too much about this fight between the best heavyweight in the world (Klitschko) and his top ten-rated challenger (Chambers). Yes, the heavyweight division has fallen that far.

Not even being the best American heavyweight contender has helped Eddie Chambers drum up interest for his title challenge. Combine his slick counter-punching style that only a purist can appreciate with his lack of charisma, and you have the makings of a poor man’s Larry Holmes. And to put it in perspective, Larry Holmes, despite all of his greatness, was not exactly adored by millions.

Through no fault of his own, Wladimir Klitschko continues to batter top-ranked opponents into submission. He’s doing it so easily that some fans are hearkening back to the magnificent reign of Lennox Lewis. And I say magnificent with a hint of sarcasm. For those who do not remember, Lewis’s often cautious and measured fighting style led to many detractors and haters. And at times, Klitschko makes Lewis look like a young George Foreman on HGH. Yes, he can be that dull at times.

I apologize for the negativity but I simply can’t get too excited about this fight. Shoot, I had a hard time getting excited for Pacquiao-Clottey. And if you saw that fight, you now know why. The hope here is that the underdog Chambers does not go out like Clottey – fighting just to survive. The other hope is that Klitschko puts the pedal to the metal and seeks an early knockout.

Who am I kidding?

Look for the Eddie Chambers to live up to his nickname and start fast, but he will not end so furiously. Klitschko will blunt Chambers’s speed with his steelhammer left jab. Eventually, the jab will set up thudding right hands that will prevent Chambers from seeing the final bell (Klitschko by TKO10).