Klitschko's consistency will be his legacy

NEW YORK - Wladimir Klitschko had to lose before he was finally accepted by most boxing fans.

Now that he's retiring, maybe it's time to fully appreciate the former heavyweight champion who never seemed to get his due.

Klitschko was as dominant as he was boring, holding pieces of the heavyweight title for the better part of a decade in a reign not seen since the days of Joe Louis. His fights weren't always works of art, but they were the work of an expert who understood how to control space and distance in the ring.