Guardian.co.uk
Until the final 15 seconds of his sham participation in what was supposed to be a challenge for Wladimir Klitschko's collection of world heavyweight titles, I was of the view boxing should make an example of Eddie Chambers and withhold his purse.
There have been too many of these passive efforts in world heavyweight title fights in recent years, a lot of them featuring the Klitschkos. No wonder the Americans won't watch them.
Well, there was one American with a very good view of the action in Düsseldorf on Saturday night and he completely wasted the journey. "Fast" Eddie, he calls himself. Minnesota Fats would have thrown more punches.
He was round, cumbersome, unambitious and spent most of the night with his gloves around his ears and retreating towards the ropes, where he ducked under Klitschko's long-range, safety-first head shots. His most memorable act of aggression was to lift the champion off the canvas on his shoulders in round one.
Once he'd been tagged in round two, saved from a knockout there and then only by Klitschko's in-built caution, he ran like a rabbit, poking out the odd limp right hand to the body and pathetically waving Wlad forward.
Lennox Lewis used to cop flak for boxing like Klitschko, but he was a virtual windmill compared to the crane from Kiev. Klitschko should have been back in the showers after 10 minutes but he couldn't finish Chambers off.
Actually he could have. He just couldn't be bothered. Wlad was happy to poke out that telegraph pole of a left jab and keep his own right hand up to look after his dodgy chin.
You could compare this fight to David Haye's hit-and-run effort to bamboozle Nikolai Valuev in Nuremberg last November, because of the disparity in size, reach and height – but the Londoner actually won the rounds against a freak of an opponent with a brilliant if eccentric strategy. Chambers's only plan was not to get hurt. At no point in the "fight" did he try to win a round or even a single exchange.
It was one of the easiest fights of Klitschko's 57-fight career and probably one of the worst, although there are plenty of candidates on that list. Even his adoring German public must have been bored by this.
I'm coming round to the view that Haye will knock Klitschko out if they ever meet. The Ukrainian never does anything different. Jab, right cross and occasionally a left hook – that's it. The rest of the time he stands off, waiting to counter, legs spread for power but not mobility. If a fast puncher – and Haye is probably the fastest in the division – goes over the top of Wlad's jab, which dips after he throws it, the Klitschko chin and his titles are there for the taking.
The more of these fights the authorities allow – and there were representatives of three ruling bodies there, the IBF, WBO and IBO, as well as the man from The Ring – the more damage they allow to be inflicted on the sport. As long as they get their flights and fancy hotels paid for, they couldn't care less.
The end when it came was merciful relief for those of us foolish enough to expect some action. With about 15 seconds left, Wlad impaled Eddie on the end of a cracking left hook to the temple and left him in a heap, hanging over the ropes and seriously out of it.
Fast Eddie took his licks, then. So, let him keep his money. But we should never be tempted to watch such a poor world title fight again.
Amateurs with attitude
You rarely see such lack of action in the amateurs, and the Great Britain team, by the sounds of it, were involved in plenty of that at the Commonwealth championship in India last week, bringing home a swag of medals.
So, as promised, here is Scott Cardle's blog on what was another encouraging tournament for the national team. Cardle not only picked up a gold medal, but he got a call from his idol Mike Tyson and met up with him when he got home to the UK. Not a bad way to celebrate.
Hats off to Ricky
Ricky Hatton is coming out of hiding – to play football with Robbie Williams.
The singer has persuaded Hatton, who trialled with Manchester City in his youth, to play in a Unicef charity match at Old Trafford on 6 June, alongside Alan Shearer and Jamie Redknapp as well as the usual celebrities who turn out for these games.
The previous two Unicef matches raised £4m.
Say it ain't so, Manny
A report from the Philippines suggests Manny Pacquiao's mother is prepared to get down on bended knee and beg him to quit boxing.
And Manny is said to be considering it. I'm not so sure. There are so many rumours about Pacquiao in the Filipino media you don't know which to believe. A story picked up around the world last year said the little hero had seen God and was on a mission to do his work.
For all his religious fervour and respect for his mum, I can't see Pacquiao walking away from a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Source: guardian.co.uk
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