Klitschko Successfully Defends Titles

style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: 600;"Mon 12th Nov, 2012

World heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko notched up yet another win in a largely one-sided affair at the O2 Arena in Hamburg this weekend.

The younger of the Klitschko brothers put in a rock solid performance against Polish challenger Mariusz Wach to outpoint the challenger without losing a single round on two of the three judges scorecards.

Whether the strategy came from his new trainer and fellow professional heavyweight Johnathan Banks or Emanuel Steward's former number two James Ali Bashir, the plan was as well executed as the champions' arrow straight jab.

Much was expected from Wach who is the only challenger to the Klitschko reign of dominance. The Pole brought superior height and reach to the ring, alongside plenty of heart but pivotally he lacked enough boxing ability.

The early rounds were dominated by Klitschko, who was facing an opponent with a defence you could have driven a double decker bus though. Wach could do nothing but get hit over and over again by Klitschko's jab. His punch resistance was extraordinary though, and the relentless head punches seemed to affect him very little. The champion drove his jab through the gloves of Wach on countless occassions and was often followed up with a right cross of equal venom. Wach had simply no answer for the speed and accuracy of Dr Steelhammer's leading hand.

There was only one moment throughout the entire bout where it looked like the Ukranian was in trouble and that was at the end of the fifth. Klitschko, with his hands low, felt a big lunging right from Wach which rocked him back and onto the ropes. Only seconds remained of the round so Wach starting swinging desperately but it was to no avail. The bell sounded to end the round and with it the slim chance Wach would have of claiming multiple world championship belts.

Klitschko was back out on the front foot in the sixth and resumed pawing away at the challenger. By round eight it seemed as if the referee would step in to end the contest. Wach was absorbing an almighty punishment and although offering little in attack, the referee stayed clear and the bout entered it's ninth round.

From here on in experience told. Klitschko simply had to keep dancing around the ring and jab his way to a points victory. As long as he keep Wach from replenishing his energy and avoid getting hit, there would be no upset on the night.

By the time the bell rang to end the 12th and final round only the poor sighted needed to look to the judges scorecards. Nevertheless, two judges scored it 120-107, the third 119-109 unanimously in favour of Klitschko.

The question on everyone's lips now is who will step up next? None of the top prospects claim to be ready and the best established heavyweight out there is the WBA regular champion, Alexander Povetkin.

Perhaps if Seth Mitchell get's past Klitschko's trainer, Johnathon Banks, this coming weekend it'll be him we see travelling over to Germany to become the 63rd opponent of Wladimir Klitschkos' professional boxing career. It would mean a big pay day for the highly rated American but few will expect him to have the tools to prize the belts away from the champion's clutches.


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