More Laughable Klitschko "Opponent:" Tarver or Hopkins?

Ok, let me start here: I'm a HUGE fan of Bernard Hopkins and a very big fan of Antonio Tarver.

That said, the search for a credible "opponent" for the Klitschkos has gone from desperation to farce.

First, a few statistics:

Wlad -------- 6' 06.00" ---- 81" ---- 245 ---- 35 years old
Vitali -------- 6' 07.50" ---- 80" ---- 247 ---- 40 years old
Haye -------- 6' 03.00" ---- 78" ---- 212 ---- 30 years old
Adamek ----- 6' 01.50" ---- 75" ---- 215 ---- 34 years old
Tarver ------ 6' 02.00" ---- 75" ---- 205 ---- 42 years old
Hopkins ----- 6' 01.00" ---- 75" ---- 175 ---- 46 years old

Ok, that should help to focus the discussion.

Haye and Adamek are both younger, bigger and stronger than are Hopkins and Tarver. Now, are Haye and Adamek better than Hopkins and Tarver? No, definitely not better all-around fighters than Hopkins, certainly.

And that's good, except for one overwhelming factor: Size Matters.

Of all the fighters listed above, Haye is the youngest and the fastest. How much did his speed and movement help him against Wladimir Klitschko and Wlad's chin?

Not much. Haye was dominated in the bout and reduced to making remarks about his bad toe after the fight.

Is Tarver faster than Haye? No.

Does Tarver hit harder than Haye? No.

Is Tarver younger than Haye? No.

Is Hopkins faster than Haye? No.

Does Hopkins hit harder than Haye? No.

Is Hopkins younger than Haye? No.

Now, let's turn to Tomasz Adamek and his performance against Vitali Klitschko.

Adamek is a former two-division world champion who is regarded as extremely durable and hard-hitting. He has destroyed well-regarded men who weighed 195 pounds or more several times. Coming into the Klitschko bout, Adamek had lost just once in 45 professional fights.

Adamek himself admitted afterwards that his fight with Vitali Klitschko was over after Adamek got drilled by an overhand right in the second round.

So this sturdy, once-beaten, hard-hitting fighter was essentially made into a punching bag for 10 brutal rounds by a 40-year-old Vitali Klitschko.

Is Tarver tougher than Adamek? No (don't start with the "he's never been knocked out;" the guy got dropped by Eric Harding and Hopkins at 175 lbs).

Does Tarver hit harder than Adamek? No.

Is Tarver younger than Adamek? No.

Is Hopkins tougher than Adamek (as a heavyweight)? No (just ask Pascal).

Does Hopkins hit harder than Adamek? No.

Is Hopkins younger than Adamek? No.

The last two guys that come to my mind that fought the Klitschkos who had a 75" reach or less were Chris Byrd (74") and Herbie Hide (75"). Unless you think that Vitali is due for another rotator cuff injury, those references shouldn't be too soothing.

Now, I don't think Hopkins has called out the Klitschkos. That's good. He needs to stick with someone more his own size, like Chad Dawson. Hopkins is like 2-4 sizes smaller, as a human being, than either Klitschko. You may be able to get away with that if the heavyweight doesn't have many skills or abilities and you're young, but any combination of Hopkins and Klitschko now is a colossal mismatch, to say the least.

Could Tarver last a few rounds against Wlad, maybe? I guess so. There's no way Tarver could come in the shape he was for the Aguilera fight (221), though. He'd have to be more in the 205-210 range, max. If not, he would be a stationary target and Wlad would batter him at will, especially at Tarver's age.

Look, if Tarver wants to get a payday and Wlad agrees, I'll watch it. For as long as it lasts. But I like Tarver and Hopkins; I don't want to see them brutally dispatched by younger, bigger men whom they shouldn't be fighting.

There is someone or someones out there that can either challenge the Klitschkos now or soon will be able to do so, as the Klitschkos age.

The name of that person or persons, however, is not Antonio Tarver nor Bernard Hopkins.

 

I like Tarver a lot, and if he wants to get paid and thinks he can get out of a Wlad fight without too much damage, more power to him. I'll watch it, and it would have more appeal (at least to me) than a Mormeck fight.

Except -- and this is the big catch, I think -- in France, which is probably why the fight is being made with Mormeck. It's like fighting Adamek in Poland. Cha-ching $$$.

 

Too late or I'd change it.

Believe me, I'm with you on Mormeck. If Tarver were French, he'd probably already be signed.

 

If Toney were younger and had taken the time to properly get his frame up to around 205-210, that could have been an awesome fight.

HUGE, HUGE Toney fan here.

 

:good

The Klitschkos seem to be doing the whole European Tour thing right now. It makes sense, from an economic and exposure perspective.

If Tarver can get a shot, I'll be happy for him! :thumbsup