Wladimir Klitschko's 'Time At the Top Is Well and Truly Up'

After being forced to withdraw from their scheduled December 11 bout due to injury, IBO, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine heavyweight champion “Dr. Steelhammer” Wladimir Klitschko will now defend his crowns against Zimbabwe-born Englishman Dereck Chisora April 30 in Germany.

Klitschko (55-3, 49 KOs), a Ukrainian who captured a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, hasn’t lost a bout since he suffered a fifth round technical knockout against Lamon Brewster in April 2004.

Chisora (14-0, 9KOs), a 26-year-old who won a Four Nations gold and captured the coveted 2005 ABA super heavyweight title, is an unknown talent and it is entirely unjustified that he has been afforded a chance to battle “Dr. Steelhammer” at this juncture.

Nevertheless, Chisora contends he is prepared to dethrone the dominant Klitschko this spring.

“I’ve earned my opportunity,” said Chisora. “(Klitschko’s) time at the top is well and truly up.”

Mike Cappiello, a native of Brockton (Mass.) who once fought for the IBO super featherweight championship and retired with an impressive mark of 33-6, is also certain Klitschko can be trumped.

“Wladimir Klitschko can be beat,” said Cappiello, the owner of Cappiello Brothers Boxing gym in The City of Champions. “He is always on the outside not wanting to be hit because he knows his chin isn’t the greatest.”

Klitschko absolutely deserves more respect for the powerful, and precise, ring tactician that he is.

“Dr. Steelhammer” is 34 and, barring a flimsy upset, he will continue to devastate the competition for years to come.