Beyond The Hype...a Great Fight

Beyond the Hype...a Great Fight: Klitschko vs. Chagaev 

 
How many historical examples come to mind of a fighter in preparation for a particular opponent who gets upset by a last minute substitute?  Or looking past a particular opponent.  Tyson-Douglas comes to mind. 
 
David Haye has done a job of calling out Klitschko that would make Don King proud.  The beheading skit angered Klitschko and aroused the sort of pasions remniscent of WWF and the Octagon.  Sometimes the event lives up to the hype and sometimes the event itself becomes legend - hype notwithstanding.  I for one believe this is the reason boxing will be around long after MMA has gone the way of WWF.  One may think only of 'Dempsey through the Ropes'; 'Louis - Schmelling'; 'Walcott - Marciano'; 'Ali - Frazier'.  It is talent and raw athleticism that brings boxing back and keeps it around - from 'Sugar Ray' Robinson to Mohammad Ali...to...Ruslan Chagaev?  It may be that Klitzchko has taken on the more formidable opponent in Ruslan Chagaev.  The little man against  the giant Valuev proved to be the 'giant-killer' - showing apt defensive skills, neutrlaizing Valuev's size and getting inside most whenever he wanted.  Against Rob Callaway, Chagaev showed crunching power.  (One of youtube's best 'knockouts'.)  Callaway said it was the hardest he had ever been hit.  These combinations could spell trouble for Klitzchko.  Can you spell "Purrity" and "Sanders"?  Legendary trainer Emmanuel Steward has helped Klitschko deal with pacing himself and fatigue as he exhausted himself against Ross Purrity and Lamon Brewster.  In their first fight, Klitschko seemed to have no answer against Sander's vaunted straight left.  As I recall, Corey Sanders is left-handed as is Ruslan Chagaev.
 
David Haye has charisma and flamboyance reminiscent of Ali, something that boxing is in need of.  Yet his only true test as a heavyweight has been Monte Barrett.  While Ruslan Chagaev may lack the intrigue and the hype of the heavily self/promoted David Haye there is every chance that this will be the better fight.  Boxing fans are the winners regardless of the outcome of the fight.  The toughness and resilience of Chagaev - think Purrity - plus his power - think Sanders - could be the Toughest Test for Vladimir Klitschko in the Heavyweight Division.
 
 
CD (Carey Don) Womack