King wants a tournament and Klitschko is the key

Monday, Dec. 13, 2004 | 9:08 a.m.

A tournament of heavyweight title fights would satisfy the public's hunger to see a unified championship -- but only if it includes WBC champion Vitali Klitschko, flamboyant promoter Don King believes.

Pledging to put aside petty business rivalries, King has called on Klitschko -- who has been reluctant to work with The Donald -- to participate in such a tournament.

"I don't want any options (to promote Klitschko's fights) whatsoever," King said Saturday night after he watched Klitschko dismantle Danny Williams at Mandalay Bay to retain his WBC belt. "They try to say I want options. That's an excuse they use not to deal with me. I will deal with anybody.

"If Klitschko thinks he is the best fighter out there, he can show he's the best by beating all the rest of these guys, without me standing in the way."

A heavyweight tournament, which King said he hopes to have launched by March or April, would likely include IBF champion Chris Byrd, WBA title-holder John Ruiz, WBO champ Lamon Brewster, former champ Hasim Rahman and perhaps several others.

Byrd, Ruiz, Brewster and Rahman have ties to King, and all would be "100 percent on board" for a tournament, King said.

"I'm willing to gamble all three of my titlists," King said. "Let's throw (Klitschko) in there with them and see who comes out on top. The guy who's left standing will get the respect of the public because he did it with his talent and skill, not because of the maneuverability and machinations of the promoters."

It's not clear how the brackets would shape up if the tournament becomes a reality, but King was calling for Klitschko to meet Rahman, who's coming off a fourth-round stoppage of Kali Meehan last month.

"The only way I can get Klitschko in the ring is by a mandatory (defense) with Rahman," King said. "If Klitschko wants to get in the tournament, then he can get in the tournament. But I predict he won't get past Rahman."

Klitschko, for his part, was noncommital about his next step.

"Right now I'm not ready to give you an answer about who's next," Klitschko said early Sunday morning. "I'll have to speak with King, or with another promoter, but I'm not ready to give an exact name or date for my next fight."

Klitschko (35-2, 34 knockouts) knocked Williams down four times Saturday before referee Jay Nady called a halt to the bout at 1:26 of the eighth round. The final knockdown came on a combination of punches capped by a heavy straight right from the champion.

Williams (32-4, 27 KOs), who knocked out Mike Tyson in July, showed plenty of courage, but not much else in the one-sided fight. Klitschko administered a brutal beating right from the first round as Williams remained game, despite his right eye swelling shut from a cut above it. The challenger grew increasingly wobbly as the bout wore on.

Both fighters were taken to Valley Hospital afterward -- Williams for a CT scan, Klitschko to have his hands examined. They were badly swollen, though not broken, from pounding Williams so hard and for so long.

"He has an iron chin and a big heart," Klitschko said. "I was surprised he was able to take so many punches."

Klitschko dominated the punch statistics, landing 296 of 519 punches (47 percent) and 197 of 283 power punches (66 percent), according to CompuBox.

A replay of the fight will air on HBO at 6 p.m. Saturday. The broadcast will be paired with the live showing of the light heavyweight showdown between Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson from Los Angeles.

Klitschko, who dedicated the victory to the battle for democracy in his native Ukraine, was scheduled to travel to his homeland Sunday with his brother Wladimir.

Williams, before he left for the hospital, said: "He didn't hit as hard as Mike Tyson, but he was more consistent."

King, who watched from ringside, was less generous in his assessment.

"He was hitting him with everything but the kitchen sink, and (Williams) wouldn't go down," King said. "Then he hit him with the kitchen sink, and he still didn't go down. Then he hit him with the whole house, and he still didn't go down.

"He should have taken this guy down in the first or second round, the third round at worst."

Byrd, the IBF champ, beat Klitschko in 2000 in Berlin. He would welcome a rematch, but suggested Klitschko might try to duck him.

"Everyone says Don King is in the way," said Byrd, a Las Vegas resident. "Come on, it's a major fight. Nobody's in the way. They'll back him; HBO will back him. He can fight anyone he wants.

"They don't want to fight me because they know I'm a little guy who's going to fight back."

Klitschko, declining to address any specific opponent, said: "There are many fighters who want to beat me. It's not so easy."

Rahman, who lives and trains in Las Vegas, also was on hand Saturday. He said if a match could be made, he'd make a bout with Klitschko a memorable one.

"It's going to be something to see," Rahman said. "I'm prepared to get hit real hard, then come back real hard."

On Saturday night, Danny Williams lived up only to the first part.