It's bad for boxing that WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko will defend his belt against Juan Carlos Gomez instead of David Haye. But it's worse that this kind of thing goes on all the time in this sport.The two best heavyweights in the world are Vitali and his brother Wladimir Klitschko, who owns the IBF and WBO belts. Since the Klitschko brothers will never fight each other, boxing fans won't get to see a unified heavyweight title.
But the next-best thing would be for one of the Klitschkos to fight Haye, the former undisputed cruiserweight champ who is now a heavyweight. Klitschko vs. Haye is just the kind of heavyweight fight that boxing needs.
Unfortunately, the WBC has made Gomez the mandatory challenger for the heavyweight belt, and that means Klitschko is fighting Gomez next instead. Gomez isn't a bad boxer -- he's ranked No. 9 in the world according to Ring Magazine -- but he's not a thrilling slugger and powerful puncher like Haye is. Gomez is a step down in quality of competition for Klitschko. Haye would be a step up.
If you want to know the details of how this went down, Dan Rafael of ESPN has a good write-up. But the bottom line is that the powers that be in boxing have taken away from us a fight that we want to see. Although we might get a pretty good consolation prize in the form of Wladimir Klitschko vs. David Haye, all of this is bad for boxing.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-11-2009 @ 9:16PM
Mario said...
Unfortunately, mandatory defences are a part of boxing. Hopefully Vitali will fight David Haye next.
Reply
1-11-2009 @ 9:49PM
chris buchanan said...
nah i like to think not.i think gomez will ko klitschko and send him back to retirment where he belongs.so to me thats a good thang cause i like to see a bomb bomb fight.that sparks intrest in my mind to see klischko take on some one with a record like gomez compared to the record of haye who has almost if not 20 fewer fights.
Reply
5-06-2009 @ 5:08PM
3276boxer said...
fyi...there are 2 mandatories ordered by the WBC: 1st is Gomez, 2nd is Maskaev. Haye can wait in line and earn his right to fight. just because one has a big mouth doesn't mean one qualifies to jump into the heavyweight ranks and expect to fight the champ. Haye has only had 2 fights against heavyweights and they weren't even ranked.
Reply
1-15-2009 @ 10:44AM
grantlee1865 said...
If Vitali knocks him out in the first round is that good for boxing? So a fight with Vitali is may only be good for Haye's finances. In reality Haye has only 15 rounds in championship fights so he did not even dominate the cruiser division. What he does have is a big mouth and needs to earn his shot. But yet it seems that everyone believes that it is the Klischko brothers that have to prove something. And that makes no sense what so ever.
Reply
1-22-2009 @ 8:12AM
NORTH STAR said...
Excuse me, but Gomez was once a cruiserweight champion with a lot of thunder in his fist also? He was the cruiserweight champ for a longer time period than Haye was. Gomez has spent years fighting his way to the top of the heavyweight rankings. He deserves his shot. Haye just got here. He can wait his turn to get knocked out.
Reply