W.Klitschko vs Rahman today in Germany, but boxing fans still thinking Pacquiao!

The buzz and excitment over Manny Pacquiao's triumph last weekend still remain more than luminous one week later. In case you missed the live telecast last Saturday night, HBO subscribers will be able to view the replay today immediately following the live heavyweight title fight between champion Wladimir Klitschko and former two time heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.

Wladimir Klitschko was originally set to defend his title against undefeated 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Alexander Povetkin, but Povetkin had to pull out of the fight due to a foot injury. Enter Rahman, a former champion who is still best known for knocking out Lennox Lewis in South Africa on April 21, 2001. Lewis, however, would regain his title by knocking Rahman out in four one sided rounds several months later.

In his last fight on July 12 of this year, Klitschko was seen stopping Tony Thompson in the 11th round of a fight that was tougher than expected in the early going for Dr. Steelhammer. After the first five rounds, I actually had Thompson winning three of them, as a result of his awkward style and southpaw stance giving Klitschko all he could handle. Thompson landed some scoring blows, mostly to Klitschko's body, but it was Klitschko who began to pump his jab and target Thompson with the right hand as the fight went into the middle and late rounds.

A few years ago, Rahman was set to challenge WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, brother of Wladimir, on three different occasions, but Vitali withdrew each and every time due to injury.

Rahman was last seen in the ring against James Toney on July 16, days after Klitschko's successful conquest of Thompson, in what was a rematch of their heavyweight title fight from March of 2006. One could not really gain any solid insight on how that fight was going to turn out, due to a clash of heads that opened up a cut over Rahman's left eye and brought an end to the fight after inconclusive three rounds.

The initial result was a TKO win for Toney, after the doctor had stopped the fight due to the cut hindering Rahman's vision. The commission overturned the result of the fight and changed it to a no contest.

In a rather extensive career mixed with a few decent wins, one historic win, and a few bad knockout losses, this may in fact be Rahman's last chance to reach the top of the pinnacle where he happily resided for several months in 2001. Klitschko, who doesn't necessarily have the sturdiest beard in the heavyweight division or even boxing for that matter, is one of the better tacticians of the sport.

When Klitschko gets into a rhythm and utilizes his height and reach, there's very little his opponents can do to get out of the way of his jab. Most of them just have no answer for the Klitschko jab, and once Klitschko finds his range with the jab, opponents can expect to feel the wrath of the straight right hand shortly there after.

Rahman has the proverbial puncher's chance against Klitschko, but I expect Klitschko to establish dominance with his left jab and catch Rahman with enough right hands to stop him within seven or eight rounds.

To be precise, give me Klitschko by way of an eighth round TKO.

Klitschko vs Rahman can be seen live on HBO World Championship Boxing today at 4:45 PM ET/ 1:45 PM PT. The fight will be replayed at 10PM ET / 7PM PT.