Wladimir Klitschko vs. Alexander Povetkin

[Nosbor]

Povetkin is the best heavyweight in the World not named Klitschko.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by Nosbor

Povetkin is the best heavyweight in the World not named Klitschko.

good for him, once he gets knocked out by Wlad he can go fight Valuev, Haye, Arreola, Peter, Chagaev, and the rest of them to prove that

[IntentionalButt]

Originally Posted by Flyin Ryan

good for him, once he gets knocked out by Wlad he can go fight Valuev, Haye, Arreola, Peter, Chagaev, and the rest of them to prove that

You can scratch Arreola and Peter off that list since both are below his best win (Chambers).

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by IntentionalButt

You can scratch Arreola and Peter off that list since both are below his best win (Chambers).

I hate this mentality, it's so stupid and explains why the sport's gone to sh*t so well. When you lose to the champ, you should have to fight a B-fighter to maintain your position as a top contender, you shouldn't go down and knockout 4 D-fighters with no chance in hell and then say "I'm ready to fight the champ". If Povetkin does chicken out that's how Peter is going to get another title shot. It's a complete p*ssy mentality, the fighter has not proven anything since his losing his shot at the title.

Here's all the fighters the two Klitschkos combined to have beaten since 2005, going a combined 15-0:

Sam Peter x 2
Chris Byrd
Calvin Brock
Ray Austin
Lamon Brewster
Sultan Ibragimov
Tony Thompson
Hasim Rahman
Ruslan Chagaev
Eddie Chambers
Juan Carlos Gomez
Chris Arreola
Kevin Johnson
Albert Sosnowski

Throw in Povetkin, Valuev, Ruiz, Haye, Adamek, Liakhovich, Dimitrenko, and Briggs since he's looking to be Vitali's next fight and that's your title fighters/contenders list for the heavyweight division for the past half-decade. Here's all the fights those fighters have done against each other since the beginning of 2005, five and a half years' worth of work, seasoned veterans and up-and-comers and guys that've gotten established in that time, and this is the crem de la crem after the Klitschkos.

Chambers (3-1): def. Brock, lost Povetkin, def. Peter, def. Dimitrenko
Valuev (3-2): def. Ruiz x 2, def. Liakhovich, lost Chagaev, lost Haye
Haye (2-0): def. Ruiz, def. Valuev
Povetkin (2-0): def. Byrd, def. Chambers
Chagaev (2-0): def. Valuev, def. Ruiz
Ibragimov (1-0-1): draw Austin, def. Briggs (now retired apparently)
Adamek (1-0): def. Arreola
Briggs (1-1): def. Liakhovich, lost Ibragimov
Liakhovich (1-2): def. Brewster, lost Briggs, lost Valuev
Austin (0-0-1): draw Ibragimov
Dimitrenko (0-1): lost Chambers
Arreola (0-1): lost Adamek
Brewster (0-1): lost Liakhovich
Brock (0-1): lost Chambers (now retired)
Byrd (0-1): lost Povetkin (now retired apparently)
Peter (0-1): lost Chambers
Ruiz (0-4): lost Valuev x 2, lost Chagaev, lost Haye

No fights against anyone listed: Rahman, Thompson, Gomez, Johnson, Sosnowski

So between these 22 guys, they've had a grand total of 17 fights amongst themselves, and you can make an argument this is the immediate depth of the heavyweight division underneath the Klitschko brothers.

What the hell has Povetkin done since he beat Chambers 30 months ago? Taurus Sykes, Jason Estrada, Leo Nolan, Javier Mora. About time all these guys start fighting each other. The only fighters that appear to have any balls are Valuev and Chambers.

[IntentionalButt]

You misunderstand me. Povetkin certainly does need to prove himself after his recent run in order to "deserve" a title shot.

However, my comment stemmed from fairly low regard for Arreola and Peter as opponents - they wouldn't represent "must-win" opportunities to help prove himself, and would constitute backward steps from his win over Chambers 30 months ago. Granted, they'd be a slight step up from Sykes and Mora, but they wouldn't be the best he'd faced, and he should face better to earn a top ranking. Wins like Chambers again, or better are the way to go.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by IntentionalButt

You misunderstand me. Povetkin certainly does need to prove himself after his recent run in order to "deserve" a title shot.

However, my comment stemmed from fairly low regard for Arreola and Peter as opponents - they wouldn't represent "must-win" opportunities to help prove himself, and would constitute backward steps from his win over Chambers 30 months ago.

Just because A beats B and B beats C does not mean A beats C.

[IntentionalButt]

Originally Posted by Flyin Ryan

Just because A beats B and B beats C does not mean A beats C.

I'm not using A>B>C logic though, I'm using my opinion of both Arreola and Peter h2h in general.

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by IntentionalButt

I'm not using A>B>C logic though, I'm using my opinion of both Arreola and Peter h2h in general.

How do you know? None of these guys with the exception of Valuev and Chambers have been fighting anyone high up on the depth list to give any relative measuring stick. That's the point! Don't want Povetkin to fight Peter or Arreola? Fine, there's 15 other guys on that list I put on, so it's not like there's little choice on the issue. And if some of them are stiffs that Povetkin would beat easily, Povetkin and his camp based on their actions over the past two years would be jumping head over heels to sign a fight with that guy.

[Farmboxer]

Vlad will stop Povetkin. Povetkin would stop Haye.

[CHEF]

FIGHT IS DEAD.... forget it

[kenmore]

Originally Posted by CHEF

FIGHT IS DEAD.... forget it

This is incredible. That makes two leading heavyweights in the past year who have thrown away their chance to fight the champ. Absolutely incredible. When was the last time we had a heavyweight champ who inspired that kind of dread? Challengers refusing their chance to fight the top dog. Multiple challengers.

Anyway, I agree with Povetkin's people. He stands no chance against Vlad and is much better off fighting Haye, or whoever succeeds Vitali.

[Nosbor]

I am assuming the September 18 date stays in place? Team Klitschko simply brings in a replacement: Such as the next highest rated boxer-Sam Peter!


Great post Flyin Ryan!!!


Just found out on the main forum. Wlad is fighting Peter on September 11!

Sounds good!

[11player]

If Wlad fights Peter or Dimitrenko next, two good options, it's still a pretty good fight. Solis or Boytsov would be great as well.

IBF gotta drop Povetkin out of the mandatory position and lower him like they did to BJ Flores for turning down a title fight.

[11player]

Hey guys, just want to throw an idea out here to discuss. I'm still finding it strange that Povetkin jumped out of the fight with Wlad, leaving behind a 2 million payday. Unless he had a better/similar option.

I'm starting to believe there might be a Haye vs Povetkin fight cooking, considering:

- Haye is dragging extremelly long the announcement of his opponent despite having the fight with Audley pretty much set for months already;
- Sauerland has options on Haye from the Valuev fight;
- Povetkin is Sauerland's fighter and the one with the best chance to beat Haye;
- The fight should make a lot of money and seems exciting enough to atract attention;
- Povetkin may make the same payday on this but have a much bigger chance of winning.

It makes some sense, doesn't it? I'm just speculating but would not be surprised to hear about this fight being donne soon.

[slugger3000]

wlad by KO!