Its pretty insane that Ring still ranks Klitschko as their “No. 1 contender.” At what point do they just say, “OK, let’s start a new line.” Are they waiting for Klitschko vs. Peter II? Or god forbid Klitschko vs. Valuev / RuizzzZZZzzz? Or, does V.K. get the Ring belt back if he beats “The Nutritional Nightmare?” This sort of sorcery is normally the thing I atturibute to the sanctioning bodies, but I am honestly confused about Ring’s heavyweight picture. Does anyone remember an article that clarified it?

...Not that I’m completely ruling out Tony’s chances here either. Well, I sort of am. But, hey, tall southpaw, one good left uppercut could do the trick.

Klitschko TKO R4

One thing I’ve realized is that Wlad continues to be underrated by people who know jack sh*t about boxing. Wlad has a better KO percentage than either Tyson or Lewis, and Lewis is just as “chinny” as Wlad. Lewis is one of the best heavyweights I’ve ever seen and Lewis/Klitchko would be a pick ‘em fight. Wlad’s era stinks but he is an all-time great heavyweight. I wish Tony luck, but nobody better sound surprised today when he is being broomed off the canvas after four rounds.

The European promoters will give the American promoters a lesson in presentation. The American promoters, as always, will not notice.

Is it just Jim and Lennox today?

Oh no, there’s Larry.

And we go to a video feature on Wladimir and Emmanuel.

If Jim Lampley says “summit” one more time tonight I’m going to shit.

Here comes Lamply waxing poetic again. Get ready for some Manny’isms too.

“If I had a dollar for every hand I wrapped I’d probably be a billionaire”

“I want to see ocean. I want to see black people. I want to see palms.”

...to have a “SAP” like option to turn off these guys’ blow-by-blow, but still hear the punches and the crowd. Like ten dollars extra.

... would they play this sort of song in an arena before the fight. This or David Hasselhoff.

Did we really need to go live with this show at 4:30? It’s 5pm and they’re still talking about the same shit they talk about every time Klitschko fights. And Larry’s got his bifocals on now.

JIM!!

There’s Felix Sturm, commentators don’t acknowledge his presence.

Man, Thompson steps over the top rope like he’s the Big Show.

Wladimir Klitschko leads his team to the ring like a general. Tony Thompson walks surrounded by others.

Well, here we go. Let’s get some action tonight.

Thompson slaps his jab out, and Klitschko paws his left hand. Klitschko comes with a hard right hand, but it doesn’t make it there. Thompson is constantly working, but from a distance and not landing anything. Klitschko comes with power again, and again Thompson smothers the attack.

Nice left and a short right to follow by Thompson. Wlad with a body shot, and Tony’s keeping his hands high. Right hand from Klitschko, nice punch.

Thompson works the body while Wladimir holds onto him. And he does it again. He refuses to just clinch up, which is a great gameplan.

Not an exciting round, but would’ve been the best round, by far, of Klitschko’s last fight. Tough to score, as Wlad probably landed the best punch of the round, but the pacing seemed to be to Tony’s liking.

Klitschko 10-9

And Thompson’s down? I think that was a short punch, but hey. It’s called a slip.

Manny thinks Tony won the first round and so does Hurrld, and Compubox has him landing more punches, but none of them were anything to get excited about besides the left hand, which wasn’t THAT impressive. Sneaky punch that landed.

Anyway, here comes Wladimir. He’s beating on Thompson with big shots, and backs him into the corner. BIG right hand! He’s just measuring Thompson with the right hand now. I think we’re now seeing what this is going to look like until it’s over.

Klitschko has a cut above his right eye—that brought out the monster in Wlad against Brock. Thompson has some blood, too.

Klitschko’s blood is flowing pretty damn well, much worse than Thompson’s.

Klitschko 10-9
Klitschko 20-18

Cortez rules Wlad’s cut due to a punch from Thompson, and not a clash of heads.

Lampley missed Cortez talking with Wlad’s corner about the cut.

First minute and a half of this round is awkward, with Wlad seeming to be caught in between coming forward and moving back all the time, and Thompson unable to get any real offense going.

With a minute left, Wladimir lands a couple of big shots that tilt the round toward his side. They swat at one another the rest of the round.

Klitschko 10-9
Klitschko 30-27

HBO replay shows Klitschko already opened up a little bit, then a clash of heads making the blood rain out. They think it was JUST the clash of heads. I don’t.

Thompson’s eating that right hand really well, and Wlad really has little else going for him. He’s landed a few decent left hooks.

Chopping right from Tony. He’s made a nice accounting of his style tonight. He calls it effectively clumsy, and that seems about right. Klitschko hasn’t been able to sustain a rhythm at all besides those right hands in the second round.

Sneaky left hook from Klitschko stuns Thompson while Tony tries to make an offensive move forward. Thompson with four body shots in a row. Stinging straight rights from Wlad after the rare attempt at an uppercut from the titleholder.

This is really not a bad fight, though it’s hardly excitement personified. More competitive than I feared it could be, and Thompson is taking shots really well.

Thompson 10-9
Klitschko 39-37

What I do like is Thompson is making Wladimir work hard, and he might be wearing him down. He’s pot shotting every time he has the chance, and while those aren’t power shots, they do wear on anyone, even someone in the immaculate shape of Wlad Klitschko.

Another body shot from Thompson. Wlad with a couple of rights, mostly blocked. There’s a nice one that powers through the guard. Wladimir is not jabbing at all, but he is throwing. He really needs the jab to set his power shots up, though. It’s notably absent.

Body shots from Thompson look good, and that one especially seemed to get at Klitschko. He winced a small bit.

Thompson 10-9
Klitschko 48-47

The Thompson corner thinks Wlad is wearing down. They might be right. This is a tiring style of fighting for both.

Thompson’s using his reach very effectively in the first minute of the round, and it doesn’t seem like Wladimir has his hands as high as he did earlier. Thompson flurries on Klitschko, and he’s still throwing on him. Body shot and a right from Wladimir. Hard body shot from Wlad, and Thompson tries to answer in kind.

Hard left from Thompson, but Klitschko fires back with a nasty combination that hurts Thompson a little. This is an intriguing fight so far.

Klitschko 10-9
Klitschko 58-56

Klitschko stalks Thompson into a corner, but then does nothing. Big body shot from Klitschko with Thompson backed into the ropes. Thompson seems tentative all of a sudden.

Left hook to the body by Klitschko, then he gets staggered off balance by a quick Thompson left. Now Klitschko pounds him through the gloves with the right hand. This round is all Wladimir. Thompson has done nothing.

Left hook misses, right hand DOES NOT. Wow, that was a clean shot. Bell sounds.

Klitschko 10-9
Klitschko 68-65

Thompson seems to think he’s found an opening he’s ready to exploit. Manny is Manny in the Klitschko corner.

Round opens with Thompson looking like he sees an opening, then failing to pull the trigger. Klitschko working to the body more than usual today, and he does it again there. Wlad is seeming a little TOO loose now. He’s throwing reckless shots.

Thompson keeps taking the odd shot that makes him think twice, though. There’s a combo with about 30 seconds left that all but seals another round for Klitschko. Thompson better be right about his trap, because he’s failing right now. Big right hand puts a ! on the round for Wlad.

Klitschko 10-9
Klitschko 78-74

Klitschko is in firm control. A nice left from Thompson, but Wladimir just absorbs it. Big right from Klitschko. Tony Thompson’s got some real whiskers, give him that. But he’s being shut down now. Nothing is going his way.

Klitschko 10-9
Klitschko 88-83

Yet another round of Klitschko control. Right hand remains the star. Thompson has been thoroughly discouraged, though he has landed some more body shots this round. Too little, probably too late.

And they fall. Klitshcko just tackled Thompson, and Tony does not feel good at all. You can easily hurt your leg like that. And it appears he has.

The crowd thinks Tony is acting. It looked awkward and didn’t sound good. Bell sounds to end the tenth just after he decides to resume fighting.

Klitschko 10-9
Klitschko 98-92

Replay shows Thompson’s foot was stepped on and they tripped up. Thompson’s corner is all over his ass.

Thompson and Klitschko both come out firing for the 11th, and Klitschko runs in on him again. Thompson looks tired, because he just fell down again.

Up, and Klitschko is just kicking Thompson’s ass now. Thompson looks frustrated, angry, and hurt. Almost sad. Klitschko won’t take the clinches, he just wants to knock Thompson out. He might do it.

Wlad is even reckless again, throwing big shots without abandon. Down goes Thompson, left hook and right hand.

Thompson appears hurt, and he’s up at nine but Cortez waves it off.

You know what’s bothersome about Wlad Klitschko? He could’ve done that in any round. Really. When he decides to turn up the heat, he slaughters guys.

Wladimir Klitschko TKO-11

This fight went on much longer than it needed to, I suppose. Still Thompson made a good account of himself early on. Harold’s card was 100% insane.

Are we gonna get the David Haye post-fight “theatrics?”

“Maybe he (Arreaola) can become that first, big Hispanic heavyweight threat.” Somewhere, the Quiet Man is gently weeping.