Vitali Klitschko To Retire and Join Boxing Hall Of Fame In 2016
WBC world heavyweight champion Vitali “Dr. Iron Fist” Klitschko announced this past weekend that he will retire from the sport of boxing before 2010 is completed.
Klitschko (39-2, 37 KOs), the owner of the highest knockout percentage (94.9 percent) of any heavyweight boxing titlist ever, also stated that he would like to fight both WBA world heavyweight champion David “The Hayemaker” Haye (23-1, 21 KOs) and Nikolai Valuev (50-2-0-1, 34 KOs) before he hangs up his gloves.
“Dr. Iron Fist,” a Ukrainian who has incredibly never been knocked down or received a standing eight-count as a professional, is not exactly a youthful pugilist at the age of 38.
Nevertheless, Klitschko has emphatically won seven consecutive bouts and he hasn’t been defeated since he lost to Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KOs) in a controversial sixth-round TKO in June 2003.
In his matchup versus Lewis, Klitschko dominated the opening rounds and he was actually leading 58-56 on all three of the judge’s scorecards when the battle was stopped due to a horrific cut he suffered over his left eye.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Klitschko gained tremendous respect from analysts and fans alike for the courage and determination that he showed against Lewis.
“Vitali is not an all-time great,” said Ed LaVache, the owner of Boston Boxing Club in Allston. “However, he’s a rough and tumble fighter. If it wasn’t for the various injuries he’s had, he would have dominated for years. His brother (Wladimir) is more skilled. But, Vitali has more heart and sometimes heart is more important than skill.”
Valuev is physically an absolute monster and his enormous size will always create issues for his opponents.
Still, Klitschko will visibly outclass Valuev and win by a resounding unanimous decision if they do eventually meet.
Haye is scheduled to defend his crown versus Methuen’s John Ruiz (44-8-1-1, 30 KOs) April 3 in Manchester, England.
“The Hayemaker” should tactically overwhelm Ruiz and easily retain his belt in the spring.
Provided those scenarios do occur, a Klitschko-Haye matchup would likely be arranged for sometime toward the end of the year.
Haye, 29, a former WBA, WBC, WBO and The Ring magazine cruiserweight champion, would relinquish quite a bit of size if he encountered the mammoth Ukrainian.
However, Haye possesses tremendous ring skills and he could use those abilities to earn a decision victory over Klitschko.
In the event that Klitschko managed to tire Haye due to his absolute immensity, “Dr. Iron Fist” would inevitably emerge victorious by a late-round stoppage.
Hypothetically, if Klitschko quit fighting as a champion with nine successive wins and only two flimsy blemishes on his record, “Dr. Iron Fist” would deserve to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the year 2016.
