Ten years ago when the Klitschko Brothers were emerging as top 10 heavyweight contenders, you would have thought the notion that both would one day rule the sport of boxing to be an impossible task.
Today Wladimir and Vitali have not only completely conquered the heavyweight division, they are dominating it with a one-sided violence and brutality that is remininscent of Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis and Mike Tyson, Jack Johnson and Larry Holmes at their very best.
They are so above and beyond the field that there are no challengers to threaten their supremacy. Nicolay Valuev’s promoters would never allow him to face either Klitschko and this year David Haye backed out of fights with both Vitali and Wladimir.
The Klitschko domination is so absolute that the only heavyweight fight everyone most wants to see is Vitali vs. Wladimir, which would be fascinating if the two weren’t very close and abhored each other, but they do revere one another and this fight naturally will simply never happen.
So the next battle on the horizon of the heavyweight planet will take place this weekend in Switzerland where Vitali Klitschko will defend his WBC title against Kevin Johnson. If you want to call it a battle, as likely the only man in the world who thinks Johnson has a remote chance to win is Johnson himself. And we’re not even sure if Johnson himself truly believes he has any chance.
But because this is heavyweight boxing and we know sometimes anything can happen in heavyweight boxing, we all will tune in and watch to see how Vitali will try to terminate Johnson. And if it is another one-sided thrashing by Dr. Iron Fist over another overmatched challenger, all viewers should not ridicule Johnson but appreciate and respect the fact that we are in a heavyweight era where two brothers just happen to be so far and away superior to every other heavyweight boxer on the planet.
Like the magical uniqueness of Ali, Tyson, Holmes, Johnson, Joe Louis and Lennox Lewis, the sport of boxing should feel privilged to have the chance to see such an amazing special phenomenon as two brothers totally dominating the heavyweight division together with their own unique brands of style and technique.
It may not be the manner of heavyweight boxing we have grown accustomed to watching and enjoying, but Vitali and Wladimir are bringing something new and different to the sport which no expert or pundit ever could have imagined or predicted ten years ago.
The Klitschko brothers have shocked and stunned the world in their own special way. It was never easy to get there, it required a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication, but they are on top of the boxing universe and for that everyone should respect and admire them for accomplishing such a marvelous achievement with such class and dignity.
And we should all wish the courageous and determined Kevin Johnson some luck as he takes on the difficult task, which ten years ago, no expert or pundit would have thought he had any chance at achieving.