Klitschko vs. Thompson: 3 Things We Learned from the Fight

Incumbent Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (58-3, 51 KO's) successfully defended all of his titles Saturday, July 7 in Bern, Switzerland. 

His opponent, American Tony Thompson (36-3, 24 KO's), was no match for the Ukrainian giant. "Dr. Steelhammer," as he's known, scored a TKO in the sixth round after a dominant and graceful performance.

The result was no surprise, especially considering Klitschko hasn't lost since 2004, or in his last 15 fights.

If we are to take anything from this fight, it's these three things.

Thompson's Age Showed

The last time these two met, Thompson was 36 and lost in an 11th-round knockout. He claimed torn meniscus prior to the fight hindered his preparation.

Now, at age 40, the healthy American showed signs of fatigue from the outset.

This could be due to Klitschko landing a number of punches in Rounds 2-4, but nevertheless, it only took five rounds to knock Thompson down and six to finally end the fight.

Klitschko Has Grown Since His Last Bout with Thompson

On the other hand, Klitschko, who now is 36, showed signs of growth as a fighter since the two last met.

It looked as if the Ukrainian was stronger—noticeably stronger than his opponent—and didn't take much time to increase the pace.

Thompson struggled to keep up with the speed, and it clearly showed. In his previous five fights—including his prior bout with Thompson in 2008—Klitschko took over 10 rounds to defeat his opponent four times. 

This time around, for whatever reason, it only took six.

Another Calendar Year Will be Owned by Klitschko

It's not breaking news that Klitschko is dominant in the Heavyweight division. Nor is it a bold prediction that he will retain all five titles come next January.

It's fun to speculate who Wladimir could fight next, and some of the potential opponents would make for an entertaining bout. However, it could be fruitless to do so because not many Heavyweights are likely to challenge Klitschko in the near future.

His last fight was a mandatory challenge, and if the International Boxing Organization doesn't pick a prime fighter to test Klitschko before the New Year, it's more than certain he'll hold on to all of his belts.