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Eddie Chambers, #6 in the SportsRatings Heavyweight Top 100, takes on #1 heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko in Germany today (March 20th).
Chambers is 35-1 and recently defeated both Sam Peter and Alexander Dimitrenko to earn a title shot. His only loss is to undefeated Alexander Povetkin.
Klitschko has been #1 for over three years now, and is 53-3 overall. His last loss was in 2004, and last summer he defeated current #4 heavyweight Ruslan Chagaev in a one-sided bout.
Chambers, like everyone else, is considered a long shot to beat Klitschko. At 6' 1" he gives up 6 inches in height, and at 209 is vastly outweight by the 245 pound Ukrainian champ.
Introductions are being made. National anthems are play. The referee says "I am the referee, I am not your mama." Interesting...
Round One: Circling, Klitschko quick jabs. Chambers standing in front of him, trying to find range. Klitschko's jabs getting in before Chambers can move. Chambers lifts Klitschko into the air after a clinch. Chambers going for body. Klitschko's pawing jab getting through somewhat. Klitschko 10-9.
Round Two: Chambers' corner admonishes him to move his head. Klitschko's jabs getting in. Clinch again, and Chambers upends Klitschko again. Chambers trying to wrestle in the clinch again, probably wasting his strength. So far Chambers unable to get any good shots in, going for body as Klitschko jumps back. Eddie is still counterpunching. Klitschko hits him with a good combo, backs him against the ropes, Chambers is hurt. Klitschko 10-9; total: 20-18
Round Three: Klitschko being more agressive. Chambers corner yelling for him to let his hands go. He seems to be falling into the mode he did against Povetkin once he got tired in that fight. Decent body shot out of the clinch by Chambers. But he can't find the range in general. Now Klitschko is mad at the clinch-wrestling and tries to move Chambers around. Klitschko 10-9; 30-27.
Round Four: Klitschko jabbing with confidence. Chambers moving in spurts, mostly stationary until Klitschko acts. Two good jabs by Klitschko. Good jab and right by Klitschko, Chambers fights back. Showing a lot of heart if not much else. Klitschko 10-9; 40-36.
Round Five: Chambers' peek-a-boo defense is pretty effective, causing many blows to divert or miss, but he's still stationary most of the time and enough are getting through to do damage. Still doing the clinch strategy of taking Klitschko off his feet so he can't get set immediately. But other than that not much is working offensively. Too much height advantage, too much evasiveness from Klitschko. Klitschko 10-9, 50-45.
Round Six: Chambers corner really after him to get going, to "do what you gotta do." But there doesn't seem to be much else he can do since he can't close the distance without getting clinched or punched. Klitschko keeping the left hand low, the right hand cocked. Pawing and jabbing, winning rounds. Both fighters getting a bit tired now. Klitschko 10-9, 60-54.
Round Seven: Klitschko's jabs are getting through, & Eddie's face is showing it a bit. He also doesn't have the strength to elevate Klitschko in the clinch any more. Klitschko having no trouble keeping him at arms length. A few strong jabs from Klitschko get the crowd going. Klitschko jabbing less, but with more power. Klitschko 10-9; 70-63.
Round Eight: Chambers slips and gets hit; tries to be aggressive in flurries but it's reminiscent of Chagaev's attempts to get to Klitschko. Klitschko unloading the jab now, Chambers not evading at all. If he's waiting for an opening it's not coming. Klitschko springs back as Chambers lunges in, avoiding all contact. Chambers is fast but he telegraphs his punches. Klitschko 10-9; 80-72.
Round Nine: Chambers' corner wants him to "wake up." Eddie is surviving well enough, and seems to be in better shape than Chagaev was at this juncture, but like Chagaev, Peter, Arreola, Gomez, and the others who have taken many rounds of jabs from the Klitschko brothers, who knows when Chambers will gas out. He's still active in spurts; even the threat of a flurry causes Klitschko to back up. He should do it more often, keep Klitschko from getting the jabs in. Klitschko 10-9, 90-81.
Round Ten: Chambers buying time messing with cutting tape on his gloves, could be a sign that Eddie is tiring. Will they put the gloves back on? Klitschko is pacing, impatient as the start of the round is well overdue by a couple of minutes now. Now they're back in action. This has to be Eddie's last stand. He does look a little more active now, but so does Wladimir. Chambers is moving better this round than he has the whole fight, dodging side-to-side and dancing. Still not hitting Klitschko, though. Klitschko trying to set up the right hand, but the extra time Chambers bought has made him more elusive. Chambers typical offensive attempt: jab the face falls short, jab to the body misses as Klitschko jumps back. Even 10-10, 100-91.
Round Eleven: WK's corner saying he isn't punching enough, as he barely connected in round ten. Eddie's stalling may have prevented the knockout as it appears that Chambers has enough pep in his step to go the distance now. Chambers dodging WK's attempts to set up the right hand, ducking, dodging. But the jabs are still getting through here and there. Klitschko 10-9. Total: 110-100.
Round Twelve: Emanuel Steward is challenging Klitschko, saying there's no way he can get the stoppage now. Let's see if Wlad responds. Klitschko trying to be very aggressive, punching a lot which is what his corner told him. Eddie is keeping his distance, jumping back himself now when Wlad closes. Good shot from Klitschko. Chambers holding his ground, guard up. Slipping away from the action. Sudden left hook from Klitschko knocks Chambers out COLD!! With less than 0:30 left in the round. Klitschko by KO, round twelve.
Chambers made it almost to the end but fell against the post when he was caught, and knew he couldn't get up. Actually Wladimir hit him again as he was falling off the post, almost on the ground, and the ref stopped it. So it was officially a TKO.