Klitschko Winds Down With Gimme Against Sosnowski
After a recent run of bouts, which in today’s much maligned heavyweight division actually qualifies as having been a tough one, world titlist Vitali Klitschko kicks back and takes a gimme this weekend against the unheralded Pole, Albert Sosnowski.
Here are a few other examples of the better big men of the last 50 or years or so, boosting their win columns along with their coffers against heavily overmatched opposition.
George Foreman v Jose Roman
In between Frazier, Norton, Ali and Lyle, a peak Foreman took a soft first title defence against the Puerto Rican, Jose “King” Roman. Foreman had mugged the gallant Joe Frazier in the winter of ’73 and in Japan’s first ever heavyweight title fight in Tokyo, he took on the lightly regarded Roman, obliterating him within a couple of minutes.
Foreman’s strength and power never looked more imposing than on this night, as he bullied Roman to defeat. Foreman floored his quarry three times in all and left him face down and unconscious on the mat.
Riddick Bowe v Michael Dokes
In the first defence of the title he ripped away from Evander Holyfield in November ’92, Bowe was fed the remnants of former titlist Mike “Dynamite” Dokes in New York. It was a pitiful occasion, one spawned from the overly prudent matchmaking of Bowe’s manager, Rock Newman.
Bowe clubbed Dokes to defeat in the third minute of what had been a dangerous mismatch. Oddly, the stoppage was roundly booed and both Dokes and his co-manager Sterling McPherson lambasted referee Joe Santarpia post fight. Santarpia did the right thing.
Evander Holyfield v Bobby Czyz
After a gruelling and brutal knockout loss to arch rival Bowe in the autumn of ’95, Holyfield returned against former light heavyweight and cruiserweight titlist Bobby Czyz. The fight co headlined a Madison Square Garden card alongside Lennox Lewis’s non-title match-up with Ray Mercer, and Holyfield looked out of sorts despite meting out a one sided pounding.
With Holyfield’s frustration growing at his inability to flatten an opponent he dwarfed in size, Czyz complained of a burning sensation in his eyes and was pulled out by his corner after five rounds.
Lennox Lewis v Frans Botha
After finally becoming world heavyweight champion, Lewis knocked up a quick win over the highly regarded American challenger Michael Grant. Post fight, Lewis talked of a homecoming bout and the chance for British fans to see him defend the championship in the flesh. The opponent selected was the tough but limited Frans Botha and Lewis made light work of him in London.
Lewis spoke post fight about how his aim had been to throw speedy combinations like his idol Ali, only with power, and this he did, almost removing Botha clean from the ring in the second round to record an effortless but highly impressive victory.
Muhammad Ali v Brian London
“The Blackpool Rock” was 35-13 when he found himself roped into facing Ali, then at the peak of his considerable powers. Durham born London, had fallen short against the likes of Henry Cooper (three times), Thad Spencer, Ingemar Johansson, Eddie Machen, Floyd Patterson, Nino Valdes and Willie Pastrano and was, therefore, seen as nothing more than cannon fodder for “The Greatest”.
Ali toyed with the limited Brit for two rounds before jabbing and feinting him into a corner where he unleashed a fuselage of blindingly fast punches. London fell and was counted out, later admitting that he had let himself down badly by failing to give his best effort.
Floyd Patterson v Pete Rademacher
After Patterson took the title, defeating the aged Archie Moore in 1956, his manager and trainer Cus D’Amato plotted a path to maximise his young charge’s earnings whilst minimising his risk in the ring. D’Amato refused to deal with the IBC (International Boxing Club), which conveniently veered Patterson away from many of the top contenders of the day.
In his second defence, he took on the ’56 Olympic heavyweight champ, Pete Rademacher. Incredibly, it was the Washington man’s first professional contest and the bout faced much derision, yet Rademacher managed to floor the fragile champion in the second round. Patterson regrouped to stop the challenger in six, with Rademacher visiting the canvas seven times throughout his ordeal.
Mike Tyson v James Douglas
The most famous failed ‘gimme’ in history unfolded in Tokyo in 1990, when colossal underdog James “Buster” Douglas, at that point sporting a patchy 29-4-1 record, starched the self styled “baddest man on the planet”.
The sustained beating Douglas was forced to administer to derail a seriously unmotivated Tyson, has become somewhat overlooked as time has passed. Many revisionists since, have formed a false impression of the Catskill man’s toughness, based on his second career after release from incarceration. Douglas fought like a man possessed in order to halt Tyson’s run, a once in a lifetime effort and an irresistible performance.
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