WBC Champ Vitalyi Klitschko Retires
@ 2005-11-09 - 15:51:38
Vitalyi Klitschko has announced his retirement due to a knee injury. Klitschko had been scheduled to defend his title against Hasim Rahman on 12th November 2005. This fight was postponed a few days ago due to Klitschko's injury. Klitschko who has not fought for a year was given 90 days to go ahead with the fight or be stripped of his title. It would appear that Klitschko saw no point in continuing.
The heavyweight division is now wide open Klitschko was considered the best of the current group of heavyweights. His departure hopefully will generate some form of unification tournament to identify the new World Heavyweight Champion, a title which has been vacant since Lennox Lewis retired at the end of 2003. With Klitschko retired I would expect Lamon Brewster the current WBO champ to emerge as the World's number one heavyweight if he fights Chris Byrd, the IBF Champ. I think Brewster and Byrd have the edge over the other title claimants John Ruiz and James Toney. Former champ Rahman, denied an opportunity to dethrone Klitschko is an outside bet as is Klitschko's younger brother Wladimir who recently defeated tough Nigerian contender Samuel Peter.
Brewster though has the inside track having previously defeated Wladimir Klitschko. My current prediction is that Brewster will be recognised as World Champ by Autumn 2006.
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