OnThEGRiND BOXiNG

Saturday October 31st, 2009
by Jack Johnson Presscot

I just got off the phone with the IBF. I was only able to get through to a machine, but I have basically demanded that if Wlad Klitschko is unable or unwilling to defend the IBF Championship against “Fast” Eddie Chambers within a 7 month period, the Title should go up for grabs, and that “Fast” Eddie Chambers should fight none other than reigning IBA and NABO Champion James “Lights Out” Toney for the interim belt. Currently, Toney is ranked number 9 by the IBF and has fullfilled all criteria for a title shot, in this case it would be a title unification, as none of the other 7 fighters “above” Toney has a belt.

It seems that Wlad Klitschko has had to have some tendon surgery on his left arm! Very interesting, as this is his jab arm. In 2010 things should start getting very interesting in the heavyweight division. Wlad Klitschko is going to find out that the post surgery shoulder is never going to be the same again. Even if it heals properly, and “rehab is going well,” surgery usually means that the injury was serious. I have always maintained that if you take the jab away from Klitschko, you have a very weak fighter. If Wlad starts throwing 40 to 50 jabs per round begining in the 1st, he is going to start feeling pain in the shoulder, and as the paranoid fighter that he is, he will probably stop throwing the jab fearing a re-injury.

Without the jab he has no way of avoiding an inside fight, besides running. Does anyone remember Mayweather-de la Hoya? Oscar “abandoned” the jab by about the 2nd round, and was virtually worthless inside the ropes without it. Could this have been an old shoulder injury acting up for Oscar? Hmmmm. If Wlad does what I am guessing he’ll do, he will file for some kind of medical extension with the IBF, thereby retaining “Champion emeritus” status like his brother did. This would make an IBF Interim Championship up for grabs.

“Fast” Eddie Chambers and James Toney would be an interesting mesh of styles, and as Toney proved in his last fight, he is fighting fit and as sharp as ever. “Lights Out” is doing what he does best, and making his naysayers and doubters ram crow down their own throats after each Toney “W.” In addition to his IBA Heavyweight Championship, James Toney is the recognized NABO Heavyweight Champion as well, making him a double title holder. Soon enough I will be contacting the WBO Offices, with regard to Toney’s status as the current NABO Heavyweight Champion, and if Wlad is not able or willing to defend his WBO belt, that title should go up for grabs as well.

And in other news, Oleg Maskaev is keeping busy, and is still hot on the trail of the man that he owned in the amateurs, Dr. “Avoid the Fist of Oleg” Vitali Klitschko. If David Haye is able to somehow outpoint Andre the Giant, the Heavyweight Division could really start heating up again in 2010.