Vitali Retires

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

Source

 

FRANKFURT, Germany -- WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko has retired because of a knee injury, a statement on his former promoter's Web site said Wednesday.

 

The 34-year-old Klitschko pulled out of Saturday's title defense against Hasim Rahman in Las Vegas because he tore ligaments in his right knee last week in training. The WBC said earlier this week that Rahman would be given Klitschko's title should the Ukrainian fail to defend within three months.

 

The knee injury would require six months to heal. Klitschko's statement said the knee was examined Tuesday, and that he underwent surgery in Inglewood, Calif.

 

"Unfortunately, I've been fighting injuries recently more than facing rivals in the ring," Klitschko said in a statement released by Universum Promotions. "The decision to end was hard to make, but I would like to end my career on top."

 

The 6-foot-8 fighter sometimes had an awkward, stiff style, but packed a powerful punch, especially in his right hand.

 

His retirement means the Klitschko brothers won't realize their ambition to share the heavyweight championship.

 

Wladimir Klitschko, Vitali's younger brother, got back into contention when he beat Samuel Peter in a unanimous decision in September in an IBF elimination bout. The victory made Wladimir the mandatory challenger to IBF champion Chris Byrd.

 

Vitali, who hadn't fought since stopping Danny Williams in the first defense of his title last December, was first supposed to have met Rahman in April.

 

But the fight was postponed when Klitschko pulled a thigh muscle, and initial attempts to reschedule it were stopped when he sustained a back injury.

 

WBC president Jose Sulaiman said earlier this week that the latest cancellation was the fourth time Klitschko (35-2, 34 knockouts) has backed out of a fight with Rahman (41-5-1 , 33 KOs), and hinted that he might be looking for excuses to stay out of the ring with the American.

 

Rahman, a former heavyweight champion, grew so tired of waiting to meet the Ukrainian that he fought Monte Barrett in August. He won on a decision to become the WBC interim champion.

 

Klitschko is the second WBC heavyweight champion in a row to retire while holding the title. Lennox Lewis quit in February 2004 after beating Klitschko in his last fight. Klitschko's other loss, when he also was forced to quit because of an injury, came in April 2000 to Byrd.

 

Lewis was the first reigning world heavyweight champion to quit since Rocky Marciano in 1956. The only other fighter to do so was Gene Tunney in 1928.

 

Klitschko stopped Corrie Sanders in the eighth round in April 2004 to win the WBC belt.

 

Klitschko was involved in a steroid controversy that prevented him from taking part in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Instead, Wladimir took his place and won the gold medal for Ukraine.

 

In his biography, released in Germany in 2004, Vitali said he used steroids after aggravating a leg injury sustained during a kick-box bout. He tested positive and was thrown off the Ukrainian team.

 

The HW division is looking REALLY bad right about now...

[jwpeer 0]

I follow boxing as a matter of course in my following of all sports in general...but is it really relevant to anyone under the age of 30 at this point. There's so much corruption, no centralized or even meaningful championship/ranking system and all the top fighters duck anyone remotely competitive, that it's not even a sport as much as old-folks hype/gambling machine.

 

Which is sad, because a boxing fight can be really engrossing to watch.

 

 

This applies doubly to heavyweight boxing which doesn't even really exist anymore imho, there's nothing relevant or notable about it at this point.

[Lei Tong 0]

Good riddance.

[snuffbox 0]

I follow boxing as a matter of course in my following of all sports in general...but is it really relevant to anyone under the age of 30 at this point. There's so much corruption, no centralized or even meaningful championship/ranking system and all the top fighters duck anyone remotely competitive, that it's not even a sport as much as old-folks hype/gambling machine.

 

Which is sad, because a boxing fight can be really engrossing to watch.

 

 

This applies doubly to heavyweight boxing which doesn't even really exist anymore imho, there's nothing relevant or notable about it at this point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Try watching the under-250 pound set...

 

Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao, Diego Corrales, Barerra, Castillo, Tszyu, Judah, Hatton, Mayorga, Winky Wright, etc etc.

 

Most people who actually watch boxing are agreeing that 2005 was one of (if not the) best year for great fights ever.

 

Fuck Vitali...this was the fourth time he postponed a fight with Hasim, chicken kiev needed to head to the garbage disposal.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

It's also never on free TV, even low level stuff, which kills it for me, I can at least get MMA on DVD, but these guys sounded like decent fellow,s so it's sad to see one go out like that

[razazteca 0]

Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao, Diego Corrales, Barerra, Castillo, Tszyu, Judah, Hatton, Mayorga, Winky Wright, etc etc.

Showtime and HBO exclusives?

 

Whatever happened to ESPN's Friday Nite Fights and USA's Tuesday Nite Fights? Too bad there was little to no follow up to the boxing reality shows.

[snuffbox 0]

Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao, Diego Corrales, Barerra, Castillo, Tszyu, Judah, Hatton, Mayorga, Winky Wright, etc etc.

Showtime and HBO exclusives?

 

Whatever happened to ESPN's Friday Nite Fights and USA's Tuesday Nite Fights? Too bad there was little to no follow up to the boxing reality shows.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah...those guys require either HBO/Sho subcriptions and/or ppv to watch. But to say all boxing is in the shitter because its not on free tv is the same as saying theres no good pro wrestling in the world just because the wwe blows dogs for quarters.

 

Friday Night Fights is always hit or miss...and isntback on the air until Jan. USA hasnt had boxing on Tuesdays in at least 5 years...but ESPN2 does a TNF run every summer. Also, Fox Sports Net has fights as well on free tv.

 

Espn recently had a a show of rematches from the first Contender live from Staples Center on a Sat night. The next installment of that series is starting to hold auditions now.

[jwpeer 0]

I understand the 250 pound and under sect has some great fights (heck i even get HBO and have an opportunity to see some of those fights, though most of them are ppv only)

 

But I'd rather watch an mma fight than a boxing fight any day. (I go around DVR-ing mma events on INHD whenever they're on, even if they are kinda old). It just seems to be a more credible sport in my eyes.

 

Combine that with the different styles in a K-1 or MMA fighter, rather than just punching and it becomes a more dynamic event.

 

 

Eh but that's just my opinion, I do like Erik Morrales

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

wow, there went my giving a shit about the heavyweight division. Come on new flesh, PLEASE.

 

After thinking about it for a minute, it'd make sense that there's someone young and clever out there who realizes that this division is WIDE open. Perfect time for a new Mike Tyson. Boxing NEEDS a dominant young heavyweight killing machine.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The real problem is that the nature of sports has changed over the last 30 years. Football and Basketball especially have become dominant in terms of recruiting young athletes, and virtually any youth in the country has the opportunity to play some kind of youth sport. When it comes to a choice between those sports or fighting, they are more attractive alternatives. The lighter weights are more immune because no 130 pound kid is going to make the NFL or NBA, so there is less competition for talented athletes.

[razazteca 0]

Is Vitali's brother still boxing?

[Lei Tong 0]

Is Vitali's brother still boxing?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes. Wladimir just won an IBF/WBO eliminator bout against formerly unbeaten Samuel Peter via unanimous decision.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

The real problem is that the nature of sports has changed over the last 30 years.  Football and Basketball especially have become dominant in terms of recruiting young athletes, and virtually any youth in the country has the opportunity to play some kind of youth sport.  When it comes to a choice between those sports or fighting, they are more attractive alternatives.  The lighter weights are more immune because no 130 pound kid is going to make the NFL or NBA, so there is less competition for talented athletes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Right, the whole point of my post. Were I an athletically gifted individual who could fight as a professional, why not try my luck in a wide open sport that could wreck my body as much as much as something much more competitive, like football? I'd still be stinking rich, famous, and an individual champion. I'm hoping there's someone out there who realizes that, and decides to make becoming a dominant heavyweight champion a goal instead of playing OLB for the Chargers or whatever.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Sounds good but you need to think about five years behind. Gifted young athletes can earn athletic scholarships to major universities playing football or basketball. Professional boxing does not offer that kind of side benefit, and does not pay off tremendously except for maybe the top 20 or so.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Eh, forget it, I was going to derail the thread there

Edited November 10, 2005 by Masked Man of Mystery

[snuffbox 0]

It would be nice if 'Sportscenter' would cover championship fights instead of staging faux news conferences and bowling results.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Sounds good but you need to think about five years behind.  Gifted young athletes can earn athletic scholarships to major universities playing football or basketball.  Professional boxing does not offer that kind of side benefit, and does not pay off tremendously except for maybe the top 20 or so.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

There's a lot of prisons out there. That's the kind of young hungry athlete I'm talking about. Someone who fights because they have no other options to hit the big time. Like Tyson.

 

That's a good point though. How come collegiate boxing is nonexistant?

[Precious Roy 0]

How come collegiate boxing is nonexistant?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

PR nightmare?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Sounds good but you need to think about five years behind.  Gifted young athletes can earn athletic scholarships to major universities playing football or basketball.  Professional boxing does not offer that kind of side benefit, and does not pay off tremendously except for maybe the top 20 or so.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

There's a lot of prisons out there. That's the kind of young hungry athlete I'm talking about. Someone who fights because they have no other options to hit the big time. Like Tyson.

 

That's a good point though. How come collegiate boxing is nonexistant?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The obvious answer is that it is not really a team sport. There are however several noteable amateur boxing events, such as the Golden Gloves boxing tournament and the Olympics.

 

When I get some time, I should take a look at the background of boxing's better heavyweights. Might shed some light on the subject.