Jack Welsh
www.ringsports.com

Whether it’s by decision or knockout, should Vitali Klitschko shock Lennox Lewis when they meet
Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Ukraine import becomes boxing’s man of the hour and then some.

Going in as a 6-1underdog, the 32-year-old Klitschko would not only put a lock on the WBC/ IBO heavyweight crowns but he would aslo become the first pro fighter to have a doctorate in sports science and
philosophy which he earned at Kiev University before coming to the United States in 1998.

If fate proves a plus for the 6’7”, 246-pound former WBO champion, it arrived in a round about way since Klitschko was originally scheduled to face Lewis in November. Kirk Johnson was the original challenger but he had to withdraw after partially tearing a chest muscle during a sparring workout Dec.5 in Dallas.

Jeopardy threatened Southern California’s first heavyweight title bout in 44 years when Floyd Patterson TKO’d Roy Harris Aug.18,1958 in Wrigley Field.

Cooler heads prevailed when Tim Leiweke, Staples Center president, and lead promoter Gary Shaw of Lion Promotions hustled to find an 11th hour replacement to keep June 21 alive.

There was no problem bringing Lewis and Klitschko together five months early, the 37-year-old incumbent from London was pleased the switch will give him a chance to negotiate for a mega-fight in November
while Klitschko was elated he was facing Lewis this early.

HBO is keeping the date with Lewis reportedly getting $5 million plus a percentage of the TV and gate revenue, which might lift his take another $3 million. Klitschko’s purse should reach $3 million, basically coming from TV money.

Leiweke also did some financial juggling, having a site fee of $8 million when it appeared Mike Tyson would fight in the semi-final. When Tyson withdrew, the Staples Center fee was cut to $3.4 million when Lewis-Johnson was still the main event.

According to the LA Times, Leiweke, determined to keep the fight as scheduled, eliminated the site fee and offered the 20,000-seat arena to Shaw gratis with a proviso rent would be paid only if gate receipts reach a specified level.

Staples Center, in its third world title fight in three years, has kept its ticket scale in tact at $950,
$700, $450, $350, $250, $150, and $75.
Kery Davis, HBO Sports senior vice-president of programming, considers Lewis-Klitschko as “a natural super pairing.”

“We are highly delighted to present the reigning heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis against Vitali Klitschko live on HBO. This is a giant test for Lennox, literally and figuratively, and we all know the
unpredictability of the heavyweight division. There is absolutely no question the entire world is going to be
focused on Los Angeles on June 21,” said Davis.

Lewis, who has been training in the Pocono mountains under Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward, will be making his first defense in 54 weeks since he routed Tyson last June 8 on an eight-round TKO in Memphis.

At 6’5”, the 248-pound Brit is facing a heavy-handed challenger for the first time who is two inches taller. Until now, Lewis has always been punching down in building an impressive 40-2-1, 31 resume since 1989, one year after he won the 1988 Olympics gold medal in Seoul, Korea.

Neither Lewis ør Steward are concerned about Klitschko’s height but they are respectful of his potent right hand which has been his key TNT in building a 32-1, 31 KOs log since 1996 when he turned pro in Germany.

“There is no way I’ll be taking Klitschko lightly. Plenty of peøple really want to see me fight him and I’m very excited about this fight. It’s hard to stay focused on a fight where there was a no-win situation. Now we have a fight. Klitschko is a big guy who has told everybody he is going to knock out Lewis. He may not have the experience of other fighters but when you get hit on the chin by a 250-pound man, especially somebody who is as big as Klitschko is, you have to be careful,” Lewis advised.

Steward, who also moonlights on other nights as an HBO fight analyst, feels it’s good
for boxing to have a big fight in Los Angeles.

This is a fantastic opportunity. We are very excited about it. We have been in LA on many other occasions and really enjoyed it. Being here is different than being in Las Vegas or some-where else. Celebrities will come out to see this fight, and there is a big international interest. It’s a true heavyweight championship fight and people can come out to see one of the last fights of Lewis’ career.”

Lewis didn’t dwell on the only two spectacular losses of his superb career when he was the victim of over-confidence and improper training but his intense demeanor lets you know it is not likely to happen again.

Lewis won 25 in a row as a pro and then won the WBC crøwn the first time with a 12-round decision over Tony Tucker on May 8, 1993 in Las Vegas.

After two kayo riskings, Lewis returned to London and suffered his first pro loss against Oliver McCall, then WBC’s top contender, on Sept 24,1994.

Lennox got caught with a quick over-hand right which McCall laid on the champion’s jaw. Lewis was flat on his back in the second round and struggled to his feet but the referee would not let him continue. Lewis won the belt back from Mcall on a five-round TKO in 1997 and did not lose again until his misadventure with Hasim Rahman Apr.5, 2001 in Brakpan, South Africa.

Lewis ignored his training and Rahman while making a cameo appearance in a movie, “Ocean’s Eleven,” filmed in Las Vegas in the spring and he wasn’t fit when the bell rang in South Africa. Rahman knocked him stone cold wth a big right hand in the iifth-round and Lennox couldn’t beat anybody’s count.

Seven months later Rahman proved to be a one-fight wonder when Lewis kayoed him in four rounds with a mean right of his own tø get the WBC/IBF titles back in Vegas.

The Brothers Klitschko---Vitali and Wladimir--are steeped in tradition and dedicated in their approach to careers as professional fighters. Wladimir, the youger at 26, and considered the more naturally talented, hit a detour earlier this year when he was knocked out by Corrie Sanders n Germany.

Now it’s big brother, Vitali, who is in the driver’s seat and feels he is getting the chance of a lifetime in challenging Lewis.

“I’ve been thinking about this almost all my life. I’m ready now but I cannot fight my entire life, so I must make a move now but I didn’t think it would come until November. Time is running out. Beside Lewis, I want to fight Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson and John Ruiz. Along with my brother,
Wladimir, those are names that count the most in my division.They are in the past. My brother and I, we are the future,” Klitschko reflected.

“For me, it’s not just fighting Lewis but to win the championship. Wladimir, it was not so easy for him (after the Sanders fight), but he will be alright and he will have some fights in Germany and the United States. People were surprised that we made this fight so quick after Johnson got hurt, but
negotiations had been going on for some time and the contracts were pretty much set.It was just to change the fight date. Lennox was in shape, and so was I, so everybody said,’let’s do it’.”

Klitschko admits he had to take some raps from the public when he lost the WBO heavyweight title to Chris Byrd on a ninth round TKO Apr.9, 2000 in Berlin.

Although he was quick out of the gate, Vitali tore a rotor cuff in his left shoulder during heated action in the fourth round. The champion was well ahead on points by the end of the ninth round with scores 89-82 and 88-83 twice, but the pain was unbearable as he continued to punch.

After conferring with the ringside physician, Klitschko knew he could not come out for round 10 and irritated some ringside fans when he quit on his stool.

The gutsy fighter ignored the criticism but he proved detractors wrong when he returned to the ring by winning five straight bouts, including his last Nov.23, 2002 in Dortmund, Germany where he TKO’d Larry Donald in 10 rounds.

“People are entitled to their opinion. They can believe me when I say I was very hurt, or they do not have to. But I fought as hard as I could as long as I could. I did not want to stop but I had to.

If i had continued my shoulder could have been irreparably damaged and then my career seriously threatened. Then what do I do? I wouldn’t be fighting Lennox.”

The huge warriors are both confident of victory, keeping the details under wraps.

Klitschko lauded Lewis as a “very strong fighter, the very best heavyweight out there.

But I see some weaknesses I want to capitalize on because I’m still thinking a knockout victory.”

Lewis was philosophic in reminding “Klitschko wanted this fight so much, but like they say, be very careful what you wish for, because Vitali is going to get it full force.”

WELSH RARE BITS:.....It doesn’t make any difference whether Lennox is punching up or punching down, working behind the jab should be enough to wrap up the night in eight rounds.”

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Las Vegas.)