A continent apart, Heavyweight Vitali Klitschko and Jr. Welterweight Paulie Malignaggi posted victories of differing significance, and disparate entertainment value, but similar class on Saturday night.

Over twelve rounds at the PostFinance Arena in Berne, Switzerland, 38-year old WBC titlist Klitschko (39-2, 37 KO) of the Ukraine dominated all twelve rounds against undefeated 30-year old Kevin Johnson (22-1-1, 9 KO) of Atlanta, Georgia in what turned out to be an almost unwatchable encounter. Johnson, talkative in the pre-fight build, showed off fine defense, and used his jab to bruise up the face of Klitschko, but landed and seldom threw anything else of note.

It was but another candidate for worst Heavyweight title fight of all time in perhaps the worst Heavyweight decade since the gloved era began in the late 19th century.

The fight followed similar patterns through almost every round, with Johnson pawing and popping the jab while Klitschko attempted to catch him with flurries of shots. Hiding behind a shoulder roll, Johnson mitigated the damage which could be done but offered nothing for Klitschko to worry about in exchange. Klitschko, professionally and methodically, took what Johnson would give him, letting connections take the place of a hope for a knockout.

The fight lacked any drama until the final thirty seconds of the twelfth when a spirited exchange led to a chest to chest face off after the bell and a quick shove of Vitali’s brother, World Champion Wladimir, after the bell as Wladimir attempted to separate the two and ease tensions. Final punch stat totals showed Johnson landing a total of five power shots, in the entire fight, justifying easy scores of 119-109 and 120-108 twice for Klitschko.

One of the lone bright spots among big men since the retirement of Lennox Lewis in 2004, Klitschko made the third defense of his second WBC belt reign while being extended the distance in a victory for only the second time since beginning his professional career in 1996. At 38, Klitschko needs the sort of opponent who can help to cement what place in history he may have. He didn’t have one on Saturday night and whether one exists in this landscape remains to be seen.