Povetkin - Sykes on July 19

I don't know...isn't Povetkin's biggest step up in class to date...Chambers? (Byrd and Donald were non-factors by the time he fought them).

Shouldn't he be slowly but surely escalating his level of competition, rather than taking the long vertical leap to a WK? Isn't that what developing a fighter's all about? Or is everybody somehow convinced that the Chambers fight version of Povetkin has worked out all the kinks he possibly can and is now a ready-for-prime-time player? :think

 

To call Byrd and Donald non-factors is disingenous (sp), especially seeing as how Donald gave Valuev hell, and Byrd held a title only two fights earlier. The fact that he dominated both says a lot about him.

Chambers is a very different fighter than Wlad, quicker on the inside, emphasis on short punches, and more defensive. Add to that that Povetkin was sick going in and you still have a very impressive win, certainly better than anything but Klitschko and Chagaev's resumes. Has he fought anyone that would prepare him for Klitschko, no, but he is doing the sparring and has shown himself to be an excellent talent thus far.

 

Some more experience against big heavyweights might be advisable. What's the rush? Klitschko isn't going anywhere. Thompson's not going to disrupt anything.

 

They are confident in his ability to beat the big man, and it isn't as if Klitschko hasn't lost to less accomplished fighters.

 

EXCUSE THE HELL OUT OF ME THEN:fire