Talk of Wladimir Klitschko's comeback to boxing won't go away. The former world heavyweight champion, known as "Dr Steelhammer," hasn't fought since 2017, but fans and fighters alike keep bringing up his name.
Klitschko ruled the heavyweight division for years until Tyson Fury beat him on points in 2015. His last fight came in 2017 against Anthony Joshua. The two battled for world titles in what turned out to be a historic clash. ESPN even named the fifth round of that fight as their Round of the Year. Joshua won by knockout in the late rounds, sending Klitschko into retirement.
Recently, Klitschko showed up ringside for the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. Usyk won that fight, cementing his place as the top heavyweight in boxing right now.
Despite being retired, Klitschko's name keeps coming up in conversations about potential fights. Current IBF champion Daniel Dubois even mentioned the possibility of facing the Ukrainian legend. In an interview with BoxNation, Dubois said:
"Yeah, whoever wants it. Wladimir, whatever makes the most sense with the team and all that but yeah, Wladimir Klitschko, the legend Wladimir Klitschko, that would be something else wouldn't it."
Dubois has his hands full at the moment. He's set to fight Joseph Parker on February 22. After that, he's got his sights set on a rematch with Usyk to try and become the undisputed champion.
While fans might dream of seeing Klitschko lace up the gloves one more time, a comeback seems unlikely. The former champ, who racked up 65 fights with 53 knockouts in his career, has been out of the ring for nearly seven years now.
As for the current heavyweight landscape, Usyk stands at the top after beating Fury for a second time. Fury, who took time away from boxing after beating Klitschko and didn't follow through with a rematch, is now looking to bounce back from his loss to Usyk.
For now, talk of Klitschko's return remains just that - talk. But in the world of boxing, you can never say never.
