"Play It Again, Sam"

No surprise here -it began in whispers- first precinct heard from was HBO's lead hack Jim Lamphead -was back when new arrivals Michael Grant, Deke Jefferson and Lance "Goofball" Whitaker were seen as the coming of the new century super-heavyweights.

"The Lamp" shouted the word like a yesterday crier -6-6, 6-7, 6-8 -and 240, 250, 260- much too big for the smaller past champions of days gone by -and then they fell- supermen or not they all went down much like a Friday nite street hooker on a good evening's work.

Enter Wladimir Klitschko -big enough in physical stature to have Lamphead bringing along a backup pair of Fruit of the Loom jockey shorts to the show -and so it was no surprise when after the big transplanted Ukrainian dispatched the ancient warrior Ray Mercer in six candles he was quickly declared as next likely challenger to Lennox Lewis.

Mattered not that Wlad baby is still a work in progress under the new American tutor Tommy Brooks -and while he has already shown signs of shedding the past iron-country rigid and stiff style there is much work ahead before he is a complete entity- and did I mention the need to show he can overcome the inevitable test of overcoming ring adversity?

Regardless, it is in the works -ready or not- a meeting with Lennox Lewis over HBO PPV -and likely a case of history repeating itself- as in the once likable Huntington, NY left-hooking bomber Gerry Cooney being rushed into that disastrous KO13 meeting with Larry Homes back on June 11, 1982.

But don’t touch that dial -there's more...like big brother Vitali -not as skilled as the younger Klitschko but listed #1 under WBC, #3 under WBA and #2 under WBO -so now we'll have a ready made label for the big Wlad vs. Lewis showdown. After Lewis spanks Vitali the Wlad meeting will be titled " Revenge!"

And that other precinct -Maxie-Boy Kellerman- self anointed fite historian of ESPN2 fame who has been beating Lamphead to the punch with silly cliches like "these heavyweights of today are not your Daddy's heavyweights" -and implying 220 pounds can no longer get it done.

Maxie baby has already gone on record as seeing Wladimir having the ol' time-tested punchers' chance - which translates to his more likely becoming a statistic.

So, play it again, Sam -as in Duane Bobick (KO by 1 Ken Norton), Marvis Frazier (KO by 1 Larry Holmes), Michael Grant (KO by 2 Lewis).

In closing I suppose I'd be labeled old-fashioned or worse by suggesting the Klitschko boyz first prove themselves with wins over the likes of the Ruiz-Kirk Johnson winner -or the Tua, McCline, Donald ilk.

Geo El

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