Slimmed-down Eddie Chambers Dominates In Germany

Michael Nelson gives his thoughts on Eddie Chambers' performance yesterday in his impressive victory over Alexander Dimitrenko.

"Fast" Eddie Chambers proved the naysayers wrong Saturday, thrashing the favored Alexander Dimitrenko. One of those naysayers being me.

He said he'd snatch the WBO title eliminator by winning so convincingly he couldn't be denied victory, even in Dimitrenko's backyard. Judge Paul Thomas tried his best to deny him anyway with an incomprehensible 113-113 card (more on him later), but his two colleagues made certain that justice prevailed with scorecards of 116-111 and 117-109. I was a non-believer, having heard Eddie say the same before, just to look hesitant and lackluster against Calvin Brock, Alexander Povetkin, and Sam Peter.

An indication that he wasn't selling wolf tickets this time was when he weighed in at 208 and 1/4th pounds Friday, the second lowest of his nearly nine year career. He didn't exactly have a six-pack, but he was clearly more defined in his chest, back, and shoulders. The man came to put some hurt on his much larger foe.

The first four rounds were competitive, though largely controlled by the Pennsylvania native. Dimitrenko found it difficult to hit his 6'1" inch target, as Chambers did a good job slipping jabs and ducking under right hands. And every time Dimitrenko left his left hand out as a measuring tool, Chambers didn't just slap it away, he nailed it with a left hook. Fast Eddie was showing wrinkles to his game that seemed to frustrate the 26 year old giant.

In round five, the beating began; Chambers would move Dimitrenko around with stiff jabs and counter right hands, and strafe him with him left hooks and uppercuts when he got him along the ropes. Compounding Dimitrenko's issues was the punishment he received whenever Chambers directed his attention towards the midsection. He turned his back to Chambers and doubled over in pain in the 7th while complaining about a kidney punch as Referee Genaro Rodriguez gave him a standing eight count. Alexander would react badly to a body shot at least two other times in the remainder of the fight.

Eddie punctuated the most impressive win of his career by knocking Dimitrenko down with a beautiful left hook in the 10th, and rocking him several times in the final stanza.

To be sure, while Chambers noticeably increased his punch output, he wasn't exactly '92 Holyfield in there. He had a hurt, gassed man in front of him throughout the second half of the bout and didn't apply enough pressure to stop him. He still lacks a certain blood lust. But he threw his hands enough to be dominant, and if he continues fighting at that pace against opponents more dangerous than Alexander Dimetrenko, he'll be a tough man to handle for anyone.

Indeed, something is in the air. 2009 has been a comeback year for talented fighters who have refused to let their hands go in the past. In the last four months, we've seen Brian Viloria, Rocky Juarez, and now Eddie Chambers give inspiring efforts against opponents who were sizable favorites over them. Each man has recently been through a rebuilding process with a new, highly acclaimed trainer. In Eddie's case, Rob Murray Sr., who trained Steve Little and Will Taylor, took over after the Povetkin fight to smooth some of Eddie's technical deficiencies.

It appears to have paid off. Now he's in line for a shot at Wladimir Klitschko. If he comes in similar shape, he may make it an interesting fight. He'd undoubtedly have to apply more even pressure, and learn how to work harder inside of the clinch against someone who would drape his arms over him as soon as he got close.

But for now the slimmed-down Chambers has introduced himself as a major player in the division. A David amongst Goliaths, he may be the best heavyweight America has.

113-113?

Judge Paul Thomas managed to score Saturday's fight 113-113. Think about that. He found seven rounds to give to Dimitrenko.

I've seen incompetence, and this is stretching beyond incompetence. To score seven rounds for Dimitrenko would mean to give at least two of Chambers' dominant rounds to the German in addition to the competitive ones. There weren't seven rounds anywhere near close enough to even feign legitimacy for a 113-113 scorecard.

Thomas, a man from the United Kingdom, seems to have become favored by the German promotion company Universum. This year, he's judged bouts involving Firat Arslan, Denis Boytsov, Ruslan Chagaev, and Andriy Kotelnik.

Make your own conclusions.

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Eddie Chambers vs Alexander Dimitrenko Preview

Michael Nelson previews tomorrow's heavyweight match-up between Eddie Chambers and Alexander Dimitrenko.

"Fast" Eddie Chambers is well aware that it will take more than speed to win the WBO Heavyweight title eliminator in Hamburg, Germany against Alexander Dimitrenko.

“I have to step on the gas the entire night and (force him to) fight at a pace he isn’t used to.”

Awesome - if he maintains a high punch output, not only will we have a good fight on our hands Saturday, but the talented Chambers may be able to present himself as a legitimate threat to the Klitschkos. Problem is, we've heard this before. He has said something similar prior to every one of his significant fights since, well, people started noticing he didn't punch as much as he should. Notably, he got outworked in Berlin by Alexander Povetkin after promising to throw more punches than he did against Calvin Brock, and looked timid against an out-of-shape Sam Peter for long stretches of their March 27 bout after insisting that the Povetkin performance was an anomaly.

It's clear that it's not an anomaly. It's how he generally fights, which doesn't bode well for winning a decision in the backyard of a relatively active, athletic opponent six inches taller than him.

Along with a strong work rate for a heavyweight, Dimitrenko has a few stones in his hands. He's stopped seven of his last eight foes; taking out Luan Krasniqi with a body shot in the third round in his last bout, blowing out Malcolm Tann three rounds earlier than the aggressive Chris Arreola (who was 20 pounds lighter than he's recently been), and being the only man to stop Timo Hoffman.

The 26 year old German is also a determined body puncher; a dynamic that's refreshing to see from a European fighter with the physical dimensions of Wladimir and Vitali, who fight as if shots below the chest are illegal punches. Similarly refreshing, he has an active inside game that revolves around uppercuts instead of automatic clinching and draping around a shorter opponents' neck.

Even so, while Alexander is the stronger, busier puncher, Eddie is much quicker, has the better jab, and is harder to hit with flush punches. But Chambers will have to pump his jab energetically and shoot his right hand more than a few times a round. Diminitrenko often moves around the ring, so control of the center of the ring can be maintained by the shorter man with a stiff jab to the chest and face and a right hand established more as a consistent threat than a rare nuisance.

If Chambers steps out of character a bit, he'll give himself a good chance to win the title eliminator and set up his dream fight against Wladimir. If not, he'll see flashbacks of his last visit to Germany, and fans will see more excuses and broken promises from a skilled but underachieving heavyweight.

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Chambers Tops Peter

Fans who came into last night’s FNF headliner, hoping the bout between Fast Eddie Chambers and Sam Peter might breathe a little life into the heavyweight division had to be disappointed with what they saw. Chambers got the win by scores of 99-91, 96-94 and 95-95, but it was an uninspiring performance, in what really looked like the perfect situation for him to impress.

Peter, who came in at a career high 265 pounds was huffing and puffing by the mid rounds, and seemed ready for the taking, only Chambers never put his foot on the gas. Instead, the slick Philly based fighter appeared perfectly content to do just enough to get the win, and in the process very nearly gave the fight away to his laboring opponent.

After the fight, he told Teddy Atlas that he was thinking too much. That’s a reasonable explanation, but it also begs the question that if he’s thinking too much with an overweight and badly gassed Sam Peter coming at him, what does that say about his chances against better opposition?

Atlas kept pointing out during the bout how many opportunities there were for Chambers to nail home his right hand. Whether it was countering after Peter brought his left back low after throwing a jab, or following up his own jab with a right hand – the chances for Chambers to snap home rights were there all night.

Yet, rarely did Chambers do anything other than fire off his jab – and not nearly enough of them - while circling out of the way of Peter’s ponderous attack.

Finally in the ninth round, Chambers raised the level of his intensity and opened up a little with very good results. Unfortunately, he couldn’t sustain that energy until the finish, and again reverted back to doing just enough to get by in the tenth.

While Peter's weight was embarrassingly high, he really worked hard until the final bell. Breathing heavily throughout, he kept plugging away, and nearly came away with a draw in a fight that shouldn’t have been close. If he brings that kind of effort into his training camp, he can beat a lot of good heavyweights.

As for Chambers, if his desire can catch up to his talent, he could make some noise against the very best in the division. But this kind of effort won't get it done.

e-mail Andrew Fruman
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Sam Peter vs Eddie Chambers Predictions

Sam Peter, weighing in at a career high 265 pounds, returns to the ring for the first time since his one sided drubbing at the hands of Vitali Klitschko back in October. His opponent, Eddie Chambers, who's on a three fight winning streak since losing to Alexander Povetkin last year, tipped the scales at a none too lean 223 pounds.

Check out what The Boxing Bulletin writers have to say on the match-up...

I give Peter very little chance of making this competitive. I liked Chambers the whole time, even before the weigh-in. Peter can get some things done against a banger, but he isn't good at cutting off the ring and I honestly don't see him landing cleanly with anything all night. Chambers by shutout decision. - Mark Lyons

I saw little reason to believe Peter would beat Chambers before news that he weighed in 12 pounds heavier than he did in his last fight. Now I see virtually no reason. His career high weight is just indicative of the downward turn his career has taken in recent years. Of course, Peter has a puncher's chance. But Fast Eddie is sturdy, and will dominate the fight down the stretch to win a wide decision. - Michael Nelson

The Sam Peter experiment has come to an end. Obviously he no longer has respect for himself, his opponent, his management (who never should have taken this fight anyway) or the sport, so good riddance to him. Even if he was in shape, Chambers would have given him Hell, but since he decided that discipline isn't really necessary in professional boxing, he could get embarrassed yet again. Chambers by wide, slow decision is my pick, but I wouldn't be surprised if Peter pulled the plug on his career. -Lee Payton

I've never rated the cumbersome Peter. I think Chambers will be too fast, strong and hungry for Peter to cope with. Chambers by wide decision. - Dave Oakes

Chambers can fight, and Peter needed to show up in shape to have a chance at winning this one. 265? Come'on Sam, what are you thinking? Unless the big guy lands something very damaging early, and I think that's far from likely, he's going to get beaten handily.

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