Klitschko vs Mormeck Results: Round-by-Round Reaction and Analysis

In a fight few had expected to be competitive, WBA, WBO, IBF and RING heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko retained his assorted title belts by stopping challenger Jean-Marc Mormeck at 1:12 of the fourth round in Dusseldorf, Germany on Saturday, March 3. 

Round 1 was uneventful. Mormeck had success at using head and shoulder movement to finesse his way inside of the much taller champion's range, but he refrained from throwing any punches himself, instead opting to clinch and hug.

Klitschko began to find his jab in the second, using it to create the space for his big overhand right. He buckled Mormeck's legs a little more than midway through the round and dropped him shortly afterward.

In the third round, Mormeck was a little more effective at his strategy of smothering Klitschko's range and hugging him. With about 30 seconds left in the round, Mormeck secured a bear hug on Klitschko and the champion muscled him to the canvas. It was not ruled a knockdown, but Mormeck appeared a bit roughed up in the exchange and it demonstrated that even playing the clinch-and-hug game has its dangers against a much larger opponent.

Between the third and fourth rounds, Klitschko's trainer, Emmanuel Steward, reminded the champion to maintain his range, telling his fighter that he was getting "sloppy" with his punches.

Klitschko came out for the fourth round looking like he was ready to finish the fight. Just over one minute into the round, he measured the French challenger perfectly for an overhand right, sending Mormeck to the canvas and ending the evening early.

Klitschko improves to 57(50)-3(3). While he added another KO to his impressive total, it is not a fight that did much for his overall reputation or legacy.

It is really hard to understand how Mormeck ever even qualified for a fight against the heavyweight champion of the world. A former cruiserweight champion (he dropped that title to David Haye in 2007), he fought three marginal heavyweight contenders in 2009 and 2010 and nobody at all in 2011. 

I realize the Klitschkos have to fight somebody and that there are few worthy contenders left for them, but I have a difficult time believing Wladimir couldn't have found a livelier opponent.

RIngtv.com is giving Mormeck's punch totals as landing 3-of-19. This has got to rank as one of the worst performances in the history of heavyweight title fights.