A Closer Look at Four Heavyweight Matchups that Include a Champion & Several Challengers

By Dave “Madcap” Mroczek

If you are a younger boxing fan and are discussing the heavyweight division, without fail some older gent will overhear and chime in with his unwanted and poorly informed opinion. This opinion usually contains some variation of “there hasn’t been any good heavyweights since Ali, we had legends in my day like Foreman, Frazier, Shavers, Norton and others, all these heavyweights nowadays are bums…” If you are a boxing fan you have likely heard this song and dance before. I say “hold on just a minute there, old timer, have you even seen a heavyweight boxing match in the last thirty years?” As much as I would like to view Ali as some ten-foot-tall mythical giant of the prize ring too, the way the next generation might view Mike Tyson, I have watched all the same fights you have, they were great men and boxers, but were still just men and nothing more.

So instead of dismissing an entire present and future based on the fact there was a great era forty years ago, why not tune in? I have news for you, gramps – we are on the verge of another Golden Era now.

Yes, it is true that there have been entire decades where the excitement factor was at a minimum in the top division. There was nothing exciting about watching Wladimir Klitschko jab, clinch and grab his way to dominance. Credit to him for sitting atop the world for so long, but only his family and those from his hometown would dare use an adjective like ‘exciting’ to describe their feelings about his reign. But this is heavyweight boxing. And it is cyclical. Just as fans had marveled at watching fighters like Dempsey, Louis, Ali and Tyson operate, I’m sure 110 years ago fans were dozing off watching James J. Jeffries grind and wear down his opponents one by one. Heavyweight boxing will rise to prominence again, just as it always has. Since Wladimir Klitschko lost to Tyson Fury, the division is seemingly wide open.

Those who are enlightened about the current state of the heavyweight division know that we have been getting some great matchups lately – Fury Vs Klitschko, Chagaev Vs Browne, Adamek Vs Molina, Pulev Vs Chisora – All produced very good contests. Challengers have renewed vigor. The top ten is clamoring to position themselves for a run at the top. Now the boxing gods have given us one of the best overall days of heavyweight action in decades. May 21 is fast approaching, and it is a heavyweight fan’s dream come true. It features a pick ‘em top three matchup, a great pairing of a talented but untested youngster against a formidable and serious top fifteen opponent, an ageing and outspoken former champion desperately clinging to the limelight against a very good and solid foe, and for good measure your classic mismatched demolition job to round things out. Who is for real in this new era of heavyweight boxing? We don’t know yet, but once the dust settles May 21 will certainly be looked back upon lovingly as the first great milestone.

Deontay Wilder Vs Alexander Povetkin – Moscow, Russia

This is the biggest matchup of the day, and boy is it a terrific one. Deontay Wilder owns the WBC trophy. Alexander Povetkin has proven his class to the boxing world. While he lost to then champion Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander has made short work of many top ten opponents and is a proven commodity. He has good power, speed, defense, and accuracy. His only drawbacks may be his lack of great size, and his slight tendency to stand flat footed. Wilder on the other hand, has good size, moves well, has power, speed and for the most part looks like a terrific rangy boxer.

He came out strong and clearly stepped his game up a level in his win over Bermane Stiverne. The drawbacks with Wilder are the air of controversy that surrounds some of his fights, as well as whispers of a glass chin that simply wont go away. His choosing of thirty to fifty world ranked opponents for his first three defenses of the WBC strap is certainly suspect. His best two victories have been marred by controversy.

Malik Scott appeared at the weigh in for the fight with a bag over his head, then he promptly fell over in the first round seemingly not having taken any punch of consequence. The Stiverne win, as great a performance as it was, is still mitigated by the questions over Stiverne’s conditioning, as well as some other persistent rumors which are not worth repeating here. Whatever you think of his career, there are certainly more question marks than there are exclamation points. Against Alexander Povetkin we know he is in with a top opponent, who will be in shape, and certainly wont fall over without being hit. The boxing faithful are looking forward to this one in a big way, for finally some questions will be answered, and with a little luck we will get a great fight to remember.

Joseph Parker Vs Carlos Takam – Manukau, New Zealand

This is just as good a matchup as Wilder Vs Povetkin, although a little lower down in the top ten to fifteen range. Joseph Parker is a terrific undefeated prospect. He shows good pop to his punches, and terrific hand speed. His speed and ability to land punches in combination, and even his looks, lend a comparison to Jack Demspey. Parker certainly looks the part. He is a pressure fighter, he is there to stand and trade punches, and with his speed chances are he will beat his man to the punch. His failing could be a spotty defense, though he has showed good chin, and has had some difficulty adjusting to different styles of his opponents. Parker still looks great though and has a chance to emerge as the best of this era. Carlos Takam can be summed up in one word – solid. He lives in that 10-15 world rank of heavyweights. He is a very tough out, losing only twice in his career. Once many years ago, and more recently after giving top three operator Alexander Povetkin all he could handle.

Takam is durable. He is crafty, he has good defense, efficiency of movement, and terrific counterpunching. He seems a bit smallish for a modern heavyweight, and seems to just cover up under duress which may play into Parker’s hands. Takam, however, has only been beaten lately by the very top level talent and has a great chance to win this fight. If he does he will be right back in the top ten mix. If Parker wins then we can be sure he is for real.

Shannon Briggs Vs Alexander Dimitrenko – London, England

This is a sneaky good fight. Situated on the David Haye undercard, perhaps this one should be the headliner. Briggs is 44 years old, in terrific shape, and louder than two megaphones. Good for him for landing himself something big, he is self-promoted. Briggs was once a pretty decent heavyweight, having at least a touch of class. Nowadays, no one can be sure what to make of this guy, is he cartoon character or is he a prizefighter? His recent resume includes only guys not found in the first two centuries of heavyweight world rankings, so it is impossible to tell how good he really is.

He looks like he has retained some of the skill he once had, but father time tends not to be forgiving of fighters in their mid-forties, at least not at the top levels. What stands between Briggs and his big money showdown with David Haye is a towering Russian. A solid one-two punching fighter, Dimitrenko has beaten journeymen easily while dropping two contests to higher ranked fighters Kubrat Pulev and Eddie Chambers. He is a gatekeeper, and a very tall and rangy one to boot! If Briggs is to reach the greener pastures of a big Haye fight, he will be in tough to get by Dimitrenko.

David Haye Vs Arnold Gjergjaj – London, England

While technically a heavyweight contest, this one is hard to see as much of a contest. Gjergjaj is an undefeated heavyweight, plucked from relative obscurity to face Haye. While he has size, he doesn’t seem to have the power, speed or defense to give Haye any trouble at all. While nearly impossible to envision anything but a very early demolition of Gjergjaj, perhaps it would serve someone like Haye right to lose to one of these dismal mismatches. While there is a lightning bolts chance of winning the lottery involved here, I grow weary of these lopsided fights where they truly don’t belong in the same ring. I will be cheering for Gjergjaj all the way. The only upside of a fight like this being made is that it will satisfy the blood thirst of the fairweathers.

Fight fans, maybe print this off and show it to your granddad, or old pappy, or gramps. And by all means, sit him down in front of the television and show him what these ‘bums’ have to offer. If he still can’t give these guys any credit after a jam packed day of action like this, well then fight fans, it’s time to send him out to pasture.

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