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Klitschko Defeats Povetkin
By Nathan Gottlieb Courtesy of HBO.com
The really scary part about Wladimir Klitschko’s destruction
of Alexander Povetkin on Saturday is that last month Dr.
Steelhammer called the Russian fighter “the best opponent
I’ve ever had.” If that’s true, then perhaps the only one
who will ever beat the long-standing Ukrainian champion is
Father Time. And even that fight looks like it would be a
tossup.
Povetkin, the former Olympic Gold winner and unbeaten
heavyweight, fought a game, aggressive fight, but Klitschko
adapted well an inflicted a sloppy beat-down on the Russian
to earn a huge, one-sided defeat, with all three judges
scoring it 119-104 before a sell-out crowd at the
Olimpiyskiy Arena in Moscow. Povetkin, who had never had
tasted canvas in 132 amateur fights and 26 as a
professional, was knocked down four times by Klitschko, once
in the second round and three times in the seventh.
For those keeping score, Povetkin is the 19th straight
opponent Klitschko has beaten in defense of his heavyweight
titles, a streak dating back seven years to 2006. Klitschko
is the second longest-standing heavyweight champion in
history. Only Joe Louis, who reigned for 11 years between
1937 and 1949, held the title longer.
This was far from a typical performance by Klitschko (61-3,
51 KOs), who usually looks crisp and almost machine-like as
he fights behinds his jackhammer jab, taking no risks. But
against Povetkin (26-1, 18 KOs), Klitschko looked
uncomfortable from the start, did not use his jab as his
predominant punch, and most interestingly, often plunged
into engage the Russian with a quick combo, only to then
clinch until the referee separated the two fighters.
Klitschko clinched more often in this fight than and any
previous one in memory, and it might have been part of a
strategy. Every time the champion clutched, he would employ
an illegal tactic by putting one arm behind Povetkin’s head
and leaning on him hard, a move designed to wear down his
opponent’s legs. Remarkably, referee Luis Pabon allowed the
tactic to go on and on without a single warning or a point
deduction.
Povetkin’s strategy from the start was undoubtedly part of
the reason why Klitschko looked ill at ease. The Russian
kept lunging in and throwing an overhand right as he came
forward in an attempt to catch the Ukrainian’s one known
weakness, his chin. As a result, Klitschko seemed wary of
throwing his jab, perhaps out of fear of getting hit with a
counter right.
Give Klitschko credit for adapting. Unable to keep Povetkin
at a distance, the champion cleverly converted his jab to a
short left hook, and with just under 15 seconds left in the
second round, knocked Povetkin down with that powerful
punch. For the remainder of the fight, Klitschko continued
to use short left hooks, and the more he did, the more
Povetkin seemed to get less aggressive, looking wary of
being tagged as he came in by that powerful hook.
Still, the aggressive attack of Povetkin, who has a powerful
right hand, produced a rare sight for a Klitschko fight: he
forced the champion to back pedal at times, particularly in
the fourth round when Dr. Steelhammer looked fatigued and
tentative, and did not throw his signature left-right
combos. Klitschko weighed in at 241.6 pounds, the lightest
he’s been in four years ago, and some wondered going into
this fight if he had over-trained, which often produces
fatigue.
But Klitschko seemed to get a second wind, and turned the
seventh round into a disaster for Povetkin. Klitschko
knocked the Russian down twice with his short left hook, and
once more with a right hand, a 10-6 round on the cards. Only
Povetkin’s heart kept him in the fight.
After his success inside with the short left hands,
Klitschko began lunging in often for the remaining rounds,
instead of laying back and trying to box circles around his
opponent, as he usually does.
One hand to wonder if the death of Klitschko’s long-time
trainer, Emanuel Steward in 2012, had something to do with
the sloppy performance by the Ukrainian. Without Steward,
Klitschko decided to turn over the training duties to
30-year-old Jonathan Banks, a long-time disciple of Steward,
and an active heavyweight contender himself. This was Banks’
third straight fight as Klitschko’s conditioner.
Although it was far from the prettiest fight turned in by
Klitschko, the bottom line is he did what he always does:
wins. And wins big.
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