Wladimir Klitschko Tries to Defend Jean Marc Mormeck As December 10 Opponent
by Scott Christ on Oct 6, 2011 10:10 AM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko is trying to defend his choice of former cruiserweight champ and current washed up heavyweight non-contender Jean Marc Mormeck as his December 10 opponent, but I don't think it's going to work for the people who are criticizing the fight:
"Mormeck is one of the most experienced opponents that I've ever had. During his career he won many championship fights, he is technically strong, has excellent boxing skills and he's a very intelligent fighter. To underestimate him would be fatal."
This is all cute-speak. Mormeck is experienced; he's also a 39-year-old blown up light heavyweight who did well at cruiserweight but was even small for that division. At 5'11" with a 74" reach, Mormeck has no physical chance at getting to, let alone beating, Wladimir Klitschko.
This is a truly awful fight. I generally try to find the good in any fight. There's no good here.
Here's what Mormeck has done since David Haye knocked him out to win the cruiserweight championship in November 2007:
- Sat out for two years.
- Came back as a heavyweight, winning a close eight-round decision over club fighter Vinny Maddalone.
- Got a bit of a gift against Fres Oquendo.
- Beat Timur Ibragimov by split decision.
I'm sorry, but there is no defending this fight. I like Wladimir Klitschko. I think he's an admirable guy, a terrific boxer, and clearly dominant in his time. But this fight actually makes me think a bit less of Klitschko, and his attempt to defend the choice is weak and a bit dramatic. Mormeck has no chance whatsoever to win this fight. Other than getting a fight in and staying active, there is no point to this and it's a waste of time. Wladimir would have been taking a tougher fight and a bigger risk against 48-year-old Evander Holyfield at this point.
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"To underestimate him would be FATAL!"
“To underestimate him would require a training regimen consisting entirely of being battered with a tack hammer.”
While your analysis is true,
who the hell else is there? Helenious? Arreola? Shit, the man has to stay active. I guess in other fights there was a glimmer of hope that the inevitable would not happen. Not so much in this fight, I suppose.
Wear something sexy to my funeral.
This is the first Wlad fight I wont watch live
Since Castillo. I wasn’t a big fan then so I didn’t watch live.
The fight is turrible but I rather see him stay active. As far as him defending it, what is he supposed to do? Say this fight blows? I don’t losr any respect for him doing that. Just a fighter fighting.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 11:16 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
As far as him defending it, what is he supposed to do? Say this fight blows?
What am I supposed to do, say it’s good?
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Oct 6, 2011 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions
No its your job to say it sucks.
I don’t lose respect for you because you say it sucks. That’s what your supposed to do.
And part of his job is to hype it. I just don’t agree with losing respect for him.
Fighters aren’t going to say this fight blows and I’m fighting a bum. It’s a stay busy fight at its finest.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 11:34 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I don’t lose respect for Wladimir for hyping the fight. I lost a little for him signing this tragedy. Mormeck has no business here. Far less than Sosnowski had against Vitali. This isn’t a case of “well who else?” This is just a terrible, rotten fight. There were a lot of bad fights he could have made that are better than this.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Oct 6, 2011 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Okay I can agree with respect and the fight.
But it’s funny that this happens all the time and fighters are given a pass. This is no worse then what every Thai fighter does.
The fight does suck but this is something that will always happen in boxing ans always has.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 1:29 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The thing is , Klit has set our level of expectations at a point where we expect him to do pass up
dreadfully easy fights (ie, mismatches) and as least get in the ring with someone who stands a chance—no matter how slim. Mormeck is not at that level. For me, it’s more about protecting Klit’s rep and legacy than it is giving him some slack for an easy outing.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
The fact that he has set the expectations so high should tell you all you need to know.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
The freak show continues. This would be a disgrace.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
freak show?
His opponents have been okay up until now. Not his fault the choices suck.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 1:01 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Sorry, mate, but fighting this guy is just bplain awful. What do you think the odds will be?
Try 50-1. I’m not talkin abot Wlas, I’m talking about THIS fight and this fight is a digraceful mismatch and bad for boxing if it gets made. There are any number of better oppoenets. The best fight the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Okay I get this fight is a freak show.
The best fight the best? He has wiped out the best since 2005.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 2:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Mormack is not the best out there. Even Marco Huck makes more sense.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
So wiping out the best since 05
And taking an easy fight means he doesn’t fight the best? Laughable.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 3:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
And taking an easy fight means he doesn’t fight the best?
Your words, not mine.
Now then time to stop the tea bagging here and simply recognize that this is not one the fans will either buy or appreciate. Most fans don’t like first round stoppages. Are you suggesting that this is a worthy fight? If not, are you suggesting that Wlad needs a walk over? If not, what is it you are saying here except that you REALLY like Wlad as do most of the posters here?
This fight is totally meaningless. But lets just assume for the sake of discussion only that Wlad loses, then what happens? Total “chaos,” mayhem and insanity which is further proof that this fight is totally insane.
And taking an"easy fight" (your words) when he could be taking a much tougher fight does in fact mean that he does NOT fight the best.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
I am saying that this fight sucks.
If you want me to I will list champions that have taken an easy walk over automatic fight. Guess what, almost every fighter that holds a belt will be on there.
I don’t get how you are going to say he doesn’t fight the best. He has fought nothing but ranked fighters for 6 years. 6 YEARS! Taking one garbage fight doesn’t mean you don’t fight the best. If one fight means you don’t fight the best then nobody fights the best because everyone takes an easier fight at some point.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
Just because Wlad doesn't usually do it.
Doesn’t make it okay when he does it, I hate it whenever a fighter does this, be it Wladimir Klitschko, Juan Manuel Marquez, Orlando Salido, or Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. While I understand that not everyone out there has access to fighting the “best” (i.e. Sergio Martinez), this Mormeck nonsense isn’t even in the same universe as the Darren Barker fight was in terms of walkover. I’d rather see Mormeck try to get back into some fighting shape and fight Marco Huck than see either of them fight Wlad.
For God's sakes, quit moving the debate. It's not about his level of opposition.
It’s that theis fight sucks to the max and just about everyon in boxing knows that.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Brdaley is doing the same thing with an old and done Casamayor.
It happens and I don’t much care for it.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Yeah that’s another turd of a fight on the schedule. Same kind of fight really: Top guy faces overweight, old, shot fighter who can barely get past club-level guys anymore.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
Lets cut the politness and BS
He picked the easiest opponent possible.
Say it, Wlad fans. Say it.
And dont make excuses. Just say it and live with it.
biggest Wlad fan around
And yes he did pick an easy opponent but what else is there? He has beaten every Ring top 10 fighter that will fight him and Helenius and Boystov aren’t much better.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 1:16 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Helenius is not much better than Jean??? Povetkin, Drago, Arreola, the Brits,
At 5’11" with a 74" reach, even Haye beat this guy. It’s afreak show when we have mismatches like this.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Povetkin and Drago won't fight him.
Arreola is his best option and it’s being discussed for next year. Can’t a guy take one easy fight?
As far as fighting ranked fighters goes he has probably kept the best schedule in boxing. Not the best ranked fighters but ranked fighters nonetheless.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 2:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Can’t a guy take one easy fight?
Sure, but not an autoamtic.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Wlad is automatic against everyone
He could fight.
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 3:24 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
True, but this one is really, really, really automatic. Jean is small for a small guy.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Helenius and Boystov aren’t much better.
I…disagree.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
I would, and without problem doing so — if someone else would have stood up and commented on the result of the last fight of WK after being so very sure that he’d go down without any chance against a David Haye in the foretime. Easy to bash WK, not so easy to admit his achievements, eeh?
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
This is such a bad fight. I wouldn’t even pick Mormeck to beat Michael Sprott or Audley Harrison, let alone Wlad. Just bad. Really bad.
Nobody will read this and care and why should they?
I wouldn't pick Mormeck against Audley
Having said that, it would be betting suicide to pick Audley Harrison against anyone with half a pulse
by Sweet science on Oct 6, 2011 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Well... he could have picked a heavyweight.
Right?
As Scott noted, Mormeck was a small cruiser. He would come in at 188 when the division limit was 190 lbs, man. Cmon…
This may be the least dangerous opponent I have ever seen him in against. And right after getting the win of his career. Its a slap in the face of his fans, really. You should be way more annoyed with it than I am.
Tiny, powerless, old, chinny…
Gimme a break.
most fighters take a gimmie
After their biggest win. This is a common boxing practice. He is taking an extremely easy fight to stay busy.
If he does this again then I’ll have an issue. He has fought almost nothing but top top 10 fighters since 2005
http://www.kissingthecanvas.com
"Look at this body, ... Do I look like I use steroids?"
-James Toney
by tylerrcurtis on Oct 6, 2011 2:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Rahman? Thompson? Austin? A softened up Peter (pardon my choice of words)?
I am a great Klit fan. But Mormeck does not help his legacy.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Unfortunate for Wlad he is literally head and shoulders above everyone else in the HW division, not only in size but more importantly in skill (discounting his brother of course).
I think his possible opponents can be classified in 3 types:
1) Those with some skill, still less than him, but enough to make you think they could compete, but with not enough physical tools (size/strength) to match Wlad’s.
2) Those with enough physical tools to go against him but very limited skill.
3) Those with neither skill nor size
And although I’ve never seen Mormeck fight, reading this and the comments posted here I assume he falls in the third category. Is that a fair assesment?
No, Haye waxed him so he goes into a 4TH category of old and done
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Even Dimitrenko would be far more compelling given his size.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
There’s this problem with Universum who are promoting Dimitrenko. They are struggling financially, have a weak basis for negotiations. And there’s still the feud between the Klitschkos and Universum who split controversially. No good chances for Dimitrenko to get a shot at (a beating by) a K.
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
That’s too bad. Not saying D-man would have a decent shot at beating a Klit, but it always sucks when a promotional company gets in the way of a fight.
Universum’s specialty is getting in the way of a fight
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
He is beginning to come off as a strange dude. Like a dumb Ivan Drago.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
Maybe he just wants to give an old fighter about to retire a good payday. It’s the only quasi-respectable motive I can come up with.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
Assuming it’s a philanthropy fight, which is assuming a lot, no doubt he’d let Mormeck out the ring upright.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
I’m a Klitschko fan, but there is no excuse for this.
I can’t understand why either of them keeps fighting, because I assume that they don’t need to, and have futures. And they’re both too old to wait a few years until someone plausible as an opponent pops up, which would otherwise be the respectable thing to do.
who actually watches these klitschko fights @ heavyweight? what about it can people even enjoy? do people actually spend money to see these?
i’m being completely serious.
Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei. Basillio. Harry Greb.
by theworldsoldestsport on Oct 6, 2011 5:41 PM EDT reply actions
The walk-ins are cool and the crowd noise is kind of neat and I dig systamtic slaughter.
All in all, it’s more spectacle than sport. But I must admit to liking it.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
I’d never pay for one, but if you think of the fights as demonstrations of skill, clinics, the K’s are great to watch.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
Like Skilled Galdiators in ancient Rome.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
I meant their fights, not all fights. I usually—not this time—cut them some slack because there’s really no one who can beat them, and very few who can give them much of a fight, even. There’s never any question who’s going to win. But, they are good, and they pretty much are the HW division as far as real skill is concerned, so for free I’ll watch them.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
same actually goes for Pac, May, and for a long time, Ivan Calderon—pretty much foregone conclusions. The only “if” is have they suddenly got old. But both Pac’s and May’s fights for at least 3 years have been foregone conclusions, really—you watch to see masters work, not expecting them to lose, or really be anything but onesided routs.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
at least he is staying busy
also im pretty sure helenius won’t fight him yet neither will tyson fury or povetkin i guess you can make a case for toney being a better challenger
kinda feel sorry for wlad, he shouldn’t have to go out of his way to fight a semi-decent challenger
i guess you can make a case for toney being a better challenger
I reckon Toney is making his move. Seeing as how the Klitschkos now fight only former top cruiserweights, he is going back down to 200 for Lebedev, to remind the Klitschkos that he himself was also once a top cruiserweight, and can be again. It’s sort of like when a fella changes the way he dresses because a girl he desires has a thing for polo shirts and khakis.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
Mormeck quote -
“I’ve longed for this opportunity. I know I can take it. Unlike against David Haye, when I had him on the ground before losing, I will finish the job now. Wladimir has a glass chin that I will break. He can’t take punches.”
by Shitali Klitschko on Oct 6, 2011 9:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Dementia pugilistica speaks.
There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939
He isn’t an English speaker… He is French.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
Translated via skysports.com
by Shitali Klitschko on Oct 7, 2011 12:46 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Not Stiverne, but Boswell makes more sense than Jean.
"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry
If you purely look at the record of his last 10 fights, Mormeck is not an embarrassment or anything. He’s the first guy to unify any cruiserweight belts in something like 20 years when he did it. Then while he lost to O’Neil Bell, he returned and beat him for the true cruiserweight title of the world before losing it to David Haye. Has wins over Timur Ibragimov and Fres Oquendo on paper – the realities of those fights are absent to those who never saw it.
What I’d say is this; 25 years from now, people will look at Wladimir Klitschko and say, “hey, how many title defenses did he make?” There’s not going to be anyone sitting around wondering why he didn’t get in the ring with the likes of fringe contenders like Cedrick Boswell, Franklin Lawrence, or whoever. This is a stay busy fight for a champion against a guy who has managed a ranking and has a significant fanbase in his home country. Klitschko is not hurting himself by not chopping down prospects instead. All the best conceivable contenders being offered up as an alternative are guys who haven’t even approached their 20th professional bout. And they should get in the ring with Wladimir right now? 56-3 Wladimir Klitschko?
Its Mormeck’s physical attributes that make it a mismatch, not really his record thats being questioned (although he has had a poor few yrs prior to this)
Its as close to a sure thing as yr gonna get.
The only positive I can see from this fight is a more aggressive Wlad, knowing he has no chance of losing.
by Shitali Klitschko on Oct 7, 2011 10:29 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The Klitschkos are really running out of places to go. Helenius would be a nice opponent, but he shows flashes of notable skill interspersed with periods of nothing much. Povetkin moves like an aircraft carrier; he couldn’t even come close to beating either one of them.
The Klitschkos are not only big enough to fight the biggest current heavyweights, but they are always in great shape, not relying on fat to add to their weight, and they can also fight. It’s a winning combination.
They’re collecting money from no-hope wannabes. I don’t think this is ethical, and I think they should just retire. Then, imagine a HW world with Helenius, Povetkin, Arreola, etc., fighting each other with real chances, or at least talking chances, of becoming champion.
They’re collecting money from no-hope wannabes. I don’t think this is ethical,
Well, they are not only collecting money, they are dishing out money as well. Mormeck is quite probably getting a payday here he only could dream about normally. I’m rather sure that he wouldn’t call this chance “non-ethical”.
Anyway, I’m for sure not happy about this fight. But probably there are reasons why this fight happens that we might understand but just don’t know about. I doubt that it’s WK “ducking” a “more worthy” opponent out of fear.
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
Meant for DrRck
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
Wladamir could give me that money to fight him
I Won’t call it unethical.
I think your missing the point
Mormeck could be as skilled as Floyd Mayweather. He could be in his prime and Wladamir could be on the slide. The sheer size difference would mean Mormeck is a Turkey at thanksgiving. (Not going to end well for him)
by Sweet science on Oct 9, 2011 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree that there’s about no legitimate way Mormeck is winning this fight. It’s certainly not an exciting fight, and probably not a “fair” fight either.
I just don’t see that this is unethical in any way. Maybe I just got a different understanding about “ethics” here. Mormeck isn’t forced into anything here, he does it for the payment (and maybe, maybe – and hopefully – he got a little spark of hope regarding a truly great upset here).
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
The K’s won’t fight Evander, because they have too much respect for him and know he is a shell of his former self. But why fight Mormeck then? He probably is worse than Evander in that regard
by Sweet science on Oct 10, 2011 7:02 AM EDT up reply actions
The gap between prime and now is certainly wider for Holyfield than for Mormeck. It would feel more like feeding on a corpse.
Anyway, the fight discussed here is a really bad matchup and I am not really trying to defend it. Except from the point that in their last three fights, the Ks fought the best opponents available. I hope Mormeck is just a slip in that sense and there is more spectacle to come (maybe against one of the newcomers of the division in a year or two).
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
The gap between prime and now is certainly wider for Holyfield than for Mormeck. It would feel more like feeding on a corpse.
Agreed. But Holyfield’s corpse could probably beat this version of Mormeck
by Sweet science on Oct 10, 2011 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
The Klitschkos aren’t avoiding anyone; I think that’s certain. And yes, they are distributing money.
But, I think that they are both so good (and do not mistake me here, I think they are both terrific, the best heavyweights I’ve seen in several generations), that they simply swamp the rest.
I think that they are so extraordinary, in fact, that I think it’s time for them to go away, into better futures, and let the “ordinary” guys have a real shot.
I get your point. And yes, probably this is about the perfect time for them to retire. No questions unanswered except for the inner-familiar one.
But hell, I’d miss them. Plus, there wouldn’t be a legitimate champion for a long time. Which would be different if the Ks keep onf fighting, start to fade at some point of time, finally loose and pass over their crowns to the next generation.
"Sure, there have been injuries and deaths in boxing – but none of them serious." Alan Minter
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