How do people think this division will pan out in 2009 ? I think that Povetkin may give Wlad a tough fight when they eventually meet.
i think the only boxer who could make a change in the divisions for 2009 is Povetkin or maybe Haye if could have a shot at Valuev in Britain (i doubt it) for the rest i think that the Klithshko's will dominate for another year.
nah i don't think pv can give vlad too much trouble. migtht be a yawner though. haye will make some noise, a LOUD call for valuev to fight one of the bros will be fun, arreola will be quiet, holyfield will fight a couple of nobodies, and vitali will continue to impress. there will be a new face from here or there, but nothing will come of that until 2010. that's my prediction. merry Christmas!
only if he comes in at 230 lbs not 260 , and even then its only a punchers chance against Wlad, I really cannot see him beating Vitali
Wladimir Klitschko/Alexander Povetkin will happen Wladimir Klitschko will have 2 other fights as well posibily against Matt Skelton or Eddie Chambers and Chris Arreola. he will finish the year 3-0. The bigest thret to him will be Arreola who has the size and power to hurt him but I think he is a year or two away from being an elete heavyweight. Vitali Klitschko/Juan Carlos Gomez will be a good fight with Klitschko wining by late stopage. Either one of them will beat Oleg Maskaev and David Haye. Ruslan Chagaev will be in good health long enough to face and beat Nikolay Valuev. Unforntunly Valuve will also defend against John Ruiz (yes again:tired) or/and Evander Holyfield (yes again:tired) I beleve that Vitali Klitschko will retire at the end of the year, setting up a Wladimir Klitschko/Ruslan Chagaev unifiction match as long as Chagave stays healthy. No 2009 won't be the best year ever but it will be a good year for the heavyweight devision.
I'd say another year of Wald on top. I think VitKlit will retire or get hurt by the end of the year which might at least set up Wlad's shot at another belt. Maybe Haye can inject some excitement in the division. I think Povetkin is pretty overrated. Not in a "he's going to get exposed and never win a big fight" kind of way, but just in that I think he's really unremarkable. Does a lot of things good but nothing great: destined for gatekeeper status. Or maybe Arreola will catch Wald with a nice shot and light him up, then take over the decision.
Wlad is supposed to fight Arreola in May and I heard he might fight Dimitrenko in Fall of 09. Vitali reportedly is going to fight Haye not JCG.
Dimitrenko is the WBO mandatory. Wlad has until mid 2010 to fight him. Wlad will have 1 or 2 voluntary defenses then the IBF Mandatory against Povetkin (if healthy) Look for Wlad to fight 1 or 2 of these guys before Povetkin: Areola Haye Valuev Toney
I think Valuev should cash in his chips now and make a fight with Wlad or Vitali early in 2009. It looks like he has a window of opportunity right now to make some good $$ and if he doesn't take it he's going to regret it because it's unlikely he'll still have the belt at the end of 2009.
One of the Klits will be out of the HW picture after 2009. Valuev will be a 1 shot wonder and lose a rematch to Chagaev again, the retire. The future of the division will look more bleek when a whole bunch of prospects like Dimentriko,Solis,Povetkin,Arreola lose badly.
