OPEN COURT: Another snoozer

On March 8, 1971, Joe Frazier defeated Muhammad Ali for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

When those two men fought, the entire world stopped to watch. This was more than a sporting event. It was a cultural landmark.

The same thing applies to the rematch (won by Ali) and the rubber match (also won by Ali). Back in these days, the heavyweight title meant something.

It meant something when Joe Louis held the title, too. Same thing with Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsy, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, all the way up to Mike Tyson.

Being the heavyweight champ meant you were the toughest guy on the planet. It commanded an unprecedented level of respect and admiration.

Boy, how things have changed. And not in a good way.

Did you know that the heavyweight championship of the world was on the line yesterday? My guess is that you probably didn’t. The sad thing is that I wouldn’t expect anyone in America to care about it.

Broadcast on ESPN Classic (not even ESPN!) at 2 in the afternoon, Wladimir Klitschko defended his IBF, WBO, IBO, IHOP, AARP, NAFTA and probably 900 other different versions of the heavyweight belt against Ruslan Chagaev and his ridiculous WBA “champion in recess” title.

Chagaev was originally supposed to fight the enormous Nikolai Valuev, but Chagaev reportedly tested positive for hepatitis B. That didn’t seem to bother anyone sanctioning this bout.

Klitschko was originally supposed to battle brash British cruiserweight David Haye in the first truly interesting heavyweight title bout in years, but Haye — who spent the weeks leading up to the fight verbally abusing Klitschko at every turn — pulled out of the bout two weeks ago, due to an injury suffered in training camp.

Make no mistake, the mammoth Klitschko likely would’ve pounded the much smaller Haye, but at least the fight figured to be interesting.

Instead, Klitschko and Chagaev battled for nine ridiculously one-sided rounds. Outside of one stiff punch Chagaev landed near the end of round seven, it was all Klitschko, pummeling Chagaev with left jabs and straight right hands until the referee mercifully called an end to the fight.

The 60,000 screaming fans inside Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany loved every minute of the bout, but this bout didn’t do anything to help the heavyweight division. Chagaev was rated No. 3 by Ring Magazine, and he was made to look like an amateur by the highly skilled (if dreadfully boring) Klitschko.

The sad thing is that Chagaev absolutely deserved to be ranked third. That’s how desolate this division is right now.

The only heavyweight fight of any consequence would be if Wladimir were to square off against his older brother, Vitali, but that fight will never happen for obvious reasons.

This is precisely why a talented, yet extremely raw prospect like Deontay Wilder has people within boxing circles so excited. Even though he’s taken part in only four professional bouts, Golden Boy Promotions is investing a great deal of hype into Wilder, thanks to his natural athleticism and punching power. We’ll have a chance to see him in action this Friday at the Desert Diamond Casino, but he has a long way before he can even think about taking on one of the Klitschkos.

Meanwhile, the heavyweight division continues to flounder in this country. On the other side of the world, a lopsided Klitschko victory might mean something, but over here, it’s barely a blip on the radar. Most of America’s best heavyweight hopefuls play professional football instead.

Will the heavyweight title ever matter like it once did? Not likely. I suppose we just have to get used to the idea of uninteresting title fights happening in the middle of the afternoon.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747