Klitschko v Wach: Has Wladimir met his match in the shape of Wach?

Klitschko is meeting a fellow big man this Saturday

Wladimir Klitschko has been heavyweight champ for eight years but all reigns come to an end and the Betfair markets may be underestimating the challenge of Poland's 6ft7in Mariusz Wach, says Ralph Ellis

Start a debate on boxing history and there are names that trip off the tongue when you are trying to decide the The Greatest.

Ali, of course.  After all, 'The Greatest' was his title. But there are those who would tell you Joe Louis, who held the world heavyweight title for almost 12 years, is more deserving. Once you start getting nostalgic the memories revolve around the likes of Larry Holmes, Joe Frazier, George Foreman. For a bit of controversy throw in the animal fighting instincts of Mike Tyson.

You could discuss their relative merits all night, and one name that will never come up - except maybe by pale comparison - is Wladimir Klitschko. And yet the giant Ukrainian is now nine months away from taking over from Holmes as the second longest reigning world heavyweight champion in history. He has not lost for eight years.

At what stage does that turn the 6ft 6ins giant into a genuine boxing legend? Or will he always be thought of as the dominant force in a weak era - the best of what's around but with no claim to greatness?

He fights again on Saturday night against Poland's Mariusz Wach, and while in Germany they will be paying close attention to the contest in Hamburg's O2 Arena, next door to the football stadium where David Haye's challenge was tripped up by his big toe, nobody else is getting too excited. Most are assuming another formality - on Betfair's early market Klitschko is as short as 1.071/14 to add another win to his current 16 fight unbeaten run. 

But this might not be so straightforward, and at the very least it's a big opportunity to support Wach with a bargain back-to-lay bet at 17.016/1.

The Klitschko brothers have a reputation for managing their opponents to make sure nobody comes along that might take away their titles. That was certainly true of the two opponents since Haye, Jean-Marc Mormeck and Tony Thompson, both fighters at the end of their careers in search of a payday.

But Wach looks a different matter. For a start, 'The Viking' is an inch taller than Klitschko. With memories of Haye needing to take a stepladder into the ring to land a punch, that's worth remembering. He is also a genuine heavyweight rather than a cruiserweight stepping up in class.

I know that good managers can handle a boxer's career to help manipulate an unbeaten record, but 27 wins in as many fights with 15 knock downs is a good background for a 32-year-old who should be hitting the peak of his physical strength and endurance.

At the risk of taking over from the Betfair Contrarian, there's another big question mark against Wladimir. This will be his first fight since the sad death, aged 68, of his legendary trainer Emanuel Steward, whose expertise has been so important to Klitschko. And if Wach can land one of his huge punches early in the fight, the lack of a calming, experienced voice in the corner could prove crucial.

To go back to where we started, Klitschko has a great record but he isn't a great fighter. This might just be the fight that saves us from having to add his name to the debate about the best.