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By Mike C Ryan

 

Which of Four Champs?

Rainman Austin and Wladimir Klitschko at Mannheim
press conference. Our Kali has the call on Wladimir,
by way of middleman Lamon Brewster.

The Klitschko-Rainman occasion in Mannheim - promoted by Don King – sets intriguing prospects for Kali Meehan.

Three big Ifs. If DKP matches our Australasian big boy on the March card with a "name" heavyweight - if Kali wins impressively - and if Klitschko retains his title - Meehan could be the next IBF challenger!

Big IFs, but possible.

Meehan proved himself the equal of Lamon Brewster, only five months after Lamon made Klitschko surrender the WBO crown, April 2004.

And the same measuring stick would hold for a Kali Meehan vs Rainman Austin match, were Rainman to take Waldimir’s IBF crown.

The Ring and other raters consider Wladimir Klitschko the best of the Big Four titleholders. He has 42 KOs in 47-3. But Wladimir's three losses were all knockout losses, KOd by Ross Purtty, Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster.

The big hitter doesn’t take a big hit well.

Ray Austin’s stats are more modest (24-3-4). Rainman beat Owen Beck, he drew twice with Lance Whitaker and drew with the undefeated Sultan Ibragimov of Rostov on Don.

SO consider the other three. Lamon Brewster in his third defence lost the WBO title last April to Serguei Lyakovich, lasting the 12 distance in his usual brave fashion despite a torn retina.

At year's end, Lyakovich in his first defence lost the title to Shannon Briggs in the final seconds of the final (12th) round. [Archive Dec, Don Crown, 'One Second to Go']

Their inevitable World Boxing Organisation return match is set for May in the Garden.

For his part, Lamon Brewster is said to have gone free agent, minus Don King at his pending comeback.

The World Boxing Council Heavyweight Champion is not the usual WBC dominator. Oleg Maskaev has a card of 34-5 -- all five losses by knockout.
Hasim Rahman had held the title for a year (plus a second year de facto when Vladimir Klitschko was dodging him) when he went down to Maskaev by tko 12 in Las Vegas in August.
For his first defence Maskaev chose Peter Okhello. 'The Big O' took Maskaev the 12 round distance in Moscow on December 10.
The very same Okhello who'd been knocked out in three rounds by - KALI MEEHAN!

Fourth of the Big Four Heavyweight belt holders is the World Boxing Association's titleholder, Nikolay Valuev. The Russian Giant is probably the hardest of the Big Four to beat. Though some still demean him as a stumbling seven-footer in the mould of Primo Carnera, Niky is stomping on the WBA opposition [Don Crown, 'Valuev by a knee' newly online].

Allow me a dream match for '07 (It's all in the game). Let Magic Mark be right. it's Kali's year. Meehan wins big in Mannheim, bigger in New York in the autumn, and gets to sign with Wladimir or Rainman - Maskaev or his heir - Briggs or Lyakovich - or even the towering Nikolay Valuev.
Stage the Heavyweight Title Fight outdoors in Sydney (better Melbourne) on Boxing Day 2007, to commemorate Tommy Burns vs Jack Johnson ninety-nine years before.

Don King completes Hugh D McIntosh . . .