Dr. Iron Fist will face The King Pin in December.

Dr. Iron Fist will face The King Pin in December.

Mike Cassell Fighting City Boxing Report

No, this isn’t the NEW sub-plot for Spiderman 4, although it would probably look better on the big screen, than the squared circle. In was announced that “Dr. Iron Fist” Vitali Klitschko 38 – 2 (37 KO’s) will face Kevin “Kingpin” Johnson 22 - 0 (9KO’S) in December. Undefeated is the new “chic” in the heavyweight division. It doesn’t matter that you haven’t fought anybody. It doesn’t matter that you only knocked out 9 of your 23 opponents. The “0” in the right column is all that counts, which anyone with half a “boxing” brain understands, means absolutely nothing. Having a really big mouth helps too, (i.e.) David Haye. Johnson is undefeated, and really likes to Yuk it up, so he becomes the number one contender. Someone needs to remind the powers that be, that styles make fights. Not records or belts. You need a seriously technically proficient heavyweight to beat the 6’7” Vitali Klitschko. Kevin Johnson is loud and mildly entertaining. He may be a lot of things, but technically proficient isn’t one of them.

 KEVIN JOHNSON QUESTIONS:

Has Johnson faced anyone in the top ten is his last ten fights? Answer, NO.

Has Johnson ever fought outside the Untied States? Answer, NO.

Has Johnson beaten any former world title holders? Answer, YES but it was 42 year old Bruce Seldon who last held a title during the Clinton administration 14 YEARS AGO.

Ok, how about a guy who possibly, may someday be a contender. Answer, MAYBE.

He faced Devin Vargas, another undefeated fighter with his same promoter. Devin recently went the distance with an 8-8 fighter. ENOUGH SAID. Johnson fought Terry Smith who lost 5 of his last 7. He fought Mathew Greer, who lost 3 of his last 3. And finally, he fought Jermell Barnes who lost 9 out of his last 10 fights. Ok. So Kevin Johnson will fly to Europe to fight an opponent, which he (Johnson) has never done before. Then with his 9 KO’s, climb into the ring with a man was has an almost 98% KO ratio over 40 fights.

This is not a “lets beat up” Kevin Johnson session. It is however a “lets beat up” the people who are making these matchups. Johnson may work his way into the position of a title shot someday, but shouldn’t he face some of the top guys in the division first? How about Eddie Chambers, Alexander Povetkin, David Tua, Lamon Brewster, Dennis Boytsov, Oleg Maskaev, Alexander Dimitrenko, John Ruiz, Sam Peter, Manuel Quezada, Ray Austin or Chris Arreola. Why the leap from Devon Vargas, who isn’t even ranked in the top 15, right to Vitali Klitschko? The heavyweight division is not full of bad fighters; it’s full of bad matchups at the wrong times. Chris Arreola is a very exciting fighter, but he never faced real world class competition until he face Klitschko. The division is in trouble, because it is not finding the styles and fighters that match up well, and when they do, it’s usually on TV in Europe, which does nothing for the American audience.

One American heavyweight has done more than any other to warrant a shot at the title, and that’s Fast Eddie Chambers 35 -1 –(18 KO’s). Chambers has one loss, because he did what Johnson and Arreola wouldn’t. He went overseas and fought tough undefeated contenders in non title bouts. He also is the only man, besides Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko to defeat former champion Sam Peter. He stands now as the number one contender in the WBO to fight Wladimir Klitschko, who incidentally has developed a shoulder injury preventing him from fighting this year. So Chambers gets to watch a cruiserweight who has not earned his shot, and multiple heavyweights who just aren’t ready to take the step up.

“It’s frustrating for keep me to be kept out of loop, but is like a feather in my cap that these guys are avoiding a fight with me. I have faced top competition here in the United States and around the world. They know where to find me. I’m not running from anyone.”

Heavyweight Eddie Chambers