With the dominance of the Klitschkos, the heavyweight division is running out of worthy challengers. Not only are fighters losing to Vitali and Wlad, they are doing so in such a way, that their credibility is shot for quite a while. Their are some tournaments going on to establish new challengers, but they are mostly being done with the wrong contenders. What has Dimnitrenko done to deserve inclusion? And don't get me started on Jonathon Banks and Jean-Marc Mormeck... men with chin problems at cruiserweight! Let's do a tournament the right way... MY WAY!
Alexander Povetkin vs. David Haye
There was no point in Povetkin avoiding Klitschko, if he's just gonna dive right in with him, right after collecting some hardware. The fight will eventually be mandated by the WBA, if they don't create 8 new belts in the interim. Whoops, "Interim". Shouldn't give any ideas. Haye lost a lackluster decision, but went the distance, and won a couple rounds, so he is not fully shamed away from boxing. Plus, he is not going to retire before October, so this fight would give him a chance to get a belt back, and get people talking about him again. They'll only talk for as long as it takes him to be beaten by the V. Klitschko - Adamek winner, but they'll talk, nonetheless. Haye is a live underdog here, but something tells me he will get caught by something early, that renews his cycling membership. Povetkin by decision.
Robert Helenius vs. Denis Boystov
Boystov has long been a question mark, but Helenius is starting to look like an exclamation point. He not only beats durable fighters like Sam Peter, Lamon Brewster, and Sergei Lyakhovich... he knocks them out, brutally. I certainly would love to see him against Cris Arreola, and no matter the winner, that fight would be one for network TV on a Sunday afternoon. Who wouldn't turn off golf for that? I need to know more about Boystov to make an intelligent pick here, but something tells me he'll look good until caught, which will happen around round 7. Helenius by KO.
Cris Arreola vs. Eddie Chambers
They are both still in ESPN's bottom of the top ten. While they are both vital contenders, they have already lost to a Klitschko, which renders them much less interesting. However, if Haye gets another shot, so do they. Chambers counterpunching skills make him a live underdog, but after suffering his first knockout to Wladimir, we know what can happen if his temple gets tagged, which Arreola will do, repeatedly, no matter how sloppy it looks. Arreola by late round TKO.
Tony Thompson vs. loser of Adamek - Klitschko
I am assuming a lot in this analysis, so I will assume a loss for Tomasz... but unless it's one-sided, he will deserve another shot... but for a man who has been coasting, he will need to take on an avoided fighter in Thompson. If Vitali loses, he will likely retire, but if not, I actually would make the same pick. The loser of Vitali-Adamek is going to be a bit gun shy, and Thompson will be motivated. Thompson by UD.
The winners of these four fights should face each other, and Wladimir should fight the winner. Vitali should have retired by then. If he beats Adamek, he has taken out the biggest threat, and he is approaching 40. Wladimir will have to coast with some useless mandatory like Dimitrenko in the interim, and if they can get the whole cruiser mess sorted out between Huck and Cunningham, maybe even collected a payday against one of them.
I'd pick Povetkin to out box Helenius, and Thompson to upset Arreola... both by decision. But Povetkin would beat Thompson, and we may finally have Wladimir vs. Povetkin. This should be Wladimir's last fight, and I believe he will beat Povetkin via unanimous decision. If only it could happen this smoothly.. but between mandatory demands, as well as promotional coincidences, it may not be that far fetched an idea.
Possible fill-ins: Deontay Wilder, Bermane Stiverne, Odlianer Solis, Ruslan Chagaev
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
