Klitschko Has Title, and a Heavy Burden

It’s tough defending the heavyweight championship, even in this era when the talent level ranges from mediocre to embarrassing.

It’s tougher still when you’re World Boxing Council heavyweight titleholder Vitali Klitschko, possessor of an awkward, plodding style. Unable to throw effective combinations, Klitschko’s best asset is his capacity for absorbing punishment while relentlessly stalking his opponent.

So imagine how tough it has been for Klitschko to prepare for his title defense tonight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas while only partially focused on his opponent, Danny Williams.

While in body Klitschko is a Los Angeles resident and the generally recognized heavyweight king, in mind he is never far from his native Ukraine.

It is where he and his brother, Vladimir, a fellow heavyweight, were raised, where his parents still live, and it is where much of his focus has been in recent weeks because of a disputed election that has sparked 17 consecutive days of mass demonstrations and threatened chaos. The situation has calmed now that a second election has been scheduled for Dec. 26. The Klitschkos’ sympathy and support has been with opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, the pro-Western candidate.

“What happens in Ukraine is very close to us,” Vitali said of himself and his brother, “because our family and our friends all live in Ukraine. We are involved in Ukraine politics and it touches everyone.

“It is very painful to read some news and the way they speak about Ukraine like it is a poor country, like a banana republic. I support the democratic way.”

While Vladimir journeyed to Ukraine in the midst of the crisis, Vitali remained in training camp, taking out his concerns and frustrations on the punching bag.

As for Williams, his claim to fame is that he knocked out Mike Tyson on July 30. Of course, that was a Mike Tyson who, at 38, was long past his prime and operating on a knee that subsequently required surgery.

Beyond that, Williams (32-3, 27 knockouts) has shown little to deserve this title shot, having amassed victories against no-names. Williams, born and raised in England, was knocked out last year by Sinan Samil Sam and lost on Jan. 24 to Michael Sprott.

Williams said he wasn’t ready for an event such as tonight’s title fight a few years ago when he was being considered as an opponent for World Boxing Assn. heavyweight titleholder John Ruiz.

“The occasion and all this would have gotten to me,” he said.

He says he’s ready now.

In Klitschko (34-2, 33), Williams will be facing an opponent who has yet to demonstrate that he deserves to wear the WBC title belt. Although Klitschko was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards in his June 21, 2003, Staples Center fight again then-champion Lennox Lewis, Klitschko lost when the bout was stopped after six rounds because of a deep cut in his left eyelid. Klitschko won the title last April 24 by TKO over journeyman Corrie Sanders.

This much can be said for tonight’s match: It’s the biggest heavyweight fight ever.

The 6-foot-1 Williams weighed 270 pounds, the 6-7 Klitschko 250. Williams’ weight equals the most in a heavyweight title bout, matching Primo Carnera, who, at that weight in 1934, won a decision over 184-pound Tommy Loughran.

The 520-pound total breaks the previous mark for a fight, established when Klitschko and Lewis weighed a combined 504 1/2 .

Also on tonight’s card, Miguel Cotto (21-0, 17) defends his World Boxing Organization junior welterweight title against former two-time 140-pound titleholder Randall Bailey (28-4, 7).