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Tenth title-fight win boosts Klitschko's all-time standing

By Lyle Fitzsimmons, Sports Network
The Sports Network

So...any questions?

To those who'd branded Wladimir Klitschko a safety-first, violence-second pretender since a three-knockdown escape from Samuel Peter five years ago in Atlantic City, I hope you were paying attention on Saturday afternoon.

Over 10 punishing rounds on his adopted German home turf, the increasingly confident and subsequently dominant Ukrainian made another flawless defense of the championship status he picked up one fight after overcoming Peter in 2005.

And while I won't pretend Thompson, Chagaev and Rahman are the Frazier, Foreman and Norton that Muhammad Ali dealt with four decades ago, it'd be hard to argue that Klitschko's done everything needed to be labeled among the best in the division since "The Greatest's" reign.

Just look at the numbers.

In 10 fights since the initial near-disaster with Peter, the 6-foot-6 "Dr. Steelhammer" has now gone 10 up/10 down, blitzing 10 unique foes with a combined 317-19-9 record, including six who'd either entered the ring -- or recently possessed -- a title belt deeming them a "heavyweight champion."

When examining the resumes of post-Ali flag-bearers Holmes, Tyson, Holyfield and Lewis, it's clear now that the post-2005 Klitschko stands at least shoulder to shoulder...if not a head above in some cases, their accomplishments.

Here's a champion-by-champion look:

LARRY HOLMES -- While Wladimir is not within quantitative range of the "Easton Assassin's" 20 title defenses, the quality of his foes has generally been a tick or two above the Alfredo Evangelista, Ossie Ocasio, Lorenzo Zanon, Leroy Jones and Scott LeDoux ilk that crowded the early part of Holmes' run between 1978 and 1980.

Should Klitschko add a David Haye or Tomasz Adamek to his victims list over the next few years while packing on overall numbers, the perception gap narrows significantly.

MIKE TYSON -- It's the opposite case with Klitschko and "Iron Mike." Where Klitschko has already equaled Tyson's nine consecutive defenses between Berbick and Douglas, his level of opposition may be a nudge down to most from the collection of incumbent/former champions and high-profile contenders Tyson mowed down in usually violent fashion.

One or two more defenses and Klitschko officially puts him in the rear-view mirror.

EVANDER HOLYFIELD -- Hard to believe, but the "Real Deal" never racked up more than four defenses in any one of his claims to heavyweight kingpin status. His initial run of Foreman, Cooper and Holmes probably exceeds the quality of reign No. 3 and Tyson, Moorer, Vaughn Bean and Lewis, which deserved to end at three defenses if not for an atrocious draw in the first go-round with Lewis.

He doesn't have the big-name cache, but Wlad's already pulled ahead.

LENNOX LEWIS -- The stunning loss to Rahman ended the longest of his three reigns at nine defenses in 2001, while his overall run was stopped by retirement following the bloody war with big brother Vitali in 2003. And while there's Tyson and a couple Holyfields and an unbeaten Michael Grant and a dangerous Klitschko, there are also a few Henry Akinwandes and Zeljko Mavrovics, too.

Similar to the Tyson comparison, give Klitschko another couple legitimate top five guys and it's advantage Wladimir.

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