BEST OF THE BEST
Klitschko’s fury over who is pound-for-pound king
WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO would like Tyson Fury to know that come Saturday night in Dusseldorf he will be up against the man who really is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
The flames of that debate have been fanned by Floyd Mayweather’s retirement but Klitschko insists that he, not ‘Money’, is the rightful holder of that crown.
The Ukrainian, who has dominated heavyweight boxing for more than a decade, is intent on proving his point by knocking out Fury when he defends his multiple world titles against him.
Klitschko figures in most lists of top 10 fighters on the planet but mostly around fourth place, not No1. He disputes that assessment, saying: ‘I became tired of hearing that Mayweather was the best. The heavyweights should be separated into a super-pound-for-pound category above the rest.
‘Why? Try to imagine what would happen if I had fought Mayweather. I would have knocked him unconscious in a minute. So would any of the leading heavyweights.’
A mental picture of the 6ft 5in Klitschko landing one of his monster punches on the 5ft 6 ½in Mayweather is scary. Having allowed his audience to contemplate that prospect, he said: ‘If we did not have the weight limits separating the divisions in boxing the heavyweights would overpower all those from the lower and middle sizes, even the most skilful.’
Klitschko admits to having been irritated at being denied the No1 slot by the likes of Ring magazine but said: ‘It has been going on so long that I don’t care any more.’
What does exercise his thoughts is beating Fury and going on to complete the full set of heavyweight titles in a unification battle with Deontay Wilder next year. Klitschko has held at least one version of the heavyweight championship for 11 years and his collection now includes the WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring magazine belts.
Wilder, the great new hope of American boxing, picked up the WBC crown after it was vacated by Klitschko’s elder brother Vitali when he retired to become mayor of Kiev. But at 39, Wladimir remains in phenomenal condition. If anything, his huge frame looks even leaner than in his recent fights. It suggests that, up in his training camp in the Austrian Tyrol, he has been focusing on speed as well as power as he prepares for the rarity of fighting an opponent taller than himself.
Fury is four inches higher at 6ft 9in and, although Klitschko (left) is unimpressed by the Gypsy King’s skills or the quality of his preceding opponents, he said: ‘Fury’s size does complicate this fight for me but I relish the challenge of adjusting. It will be interesting.’
Klitschko appreciates the flamboyant showmanship with which Fury has built public interest in the fight, even the Batman impersonation stunt at the press conference in London. ‘I would genuinely like to thank Tyson for doing all the hard work in selling the promotion.’
But in terms of Klitschko’s standing among the world’s best, Fury is damning. ‘It’s not for the money or the world titles that I want to beat him. It is to end the reign of the boring Klitschkos who have ruined the heavyweight division,’ he said. ‘I am going to bring back the fun and excitement of Muhammad Ali.’
Opinions as to who is currently the greatest tend to vary between Manny Pacquiao, middleweight Gennady Golovkin and one of the smallest men in the ring, undefeated world flyweight champion Roman Gonzalez who is just 5ft 3in.
Can Klitschko overtake them by beating Fury, then Wilder? ‘Tyson says he would prefer to be knocked out than lose a boring decision on points,’ he said. ‘I’m going to oblige.’