McILVANNEY Picks Wlad

:think I think this is the most anticipated bout in the division since...Well, it's been so damn long...Lewis/Holyfield?

 

Typical of old time boxing snobs that they think today's fighters can't stand out against old timers.

Clearly, Wladimir Klitschko would not have been "ordinary" at any time in boxing history.

A 6'6" guy with a great jab, a thunderous right hand and a one punch KO left hook is not ordinary.

Wladimir would have been a threat to any heavyweight champion at any point in history.

Calling him ordinary is silly and betrays an ignorance of boxing history.

 

People who make such statements do sound like broke records. Every single boxing "expert" says things like that. "Well, Marciano has a big punch, but is crude, and would not have been champion if he rose to the top in the 30's". Right...

 

Unforgiven picks Wlad too.

 

Shugh McIlvanney?! atsch

 

You have to laugh at critics like this. If Wlad is too big and strong for a 6'3" 215 pound Haye, then he's too big and strong for most past champions too.

 

Obligatory "bah humbug" garbage. As pointed out, nothing new. Take it about as seriously as grandpa telling you not to listen to that rock and roll because it rots your brains out, unlike Sinatra. :roll:

 

Fair enough if you (or they) think Dempsey beats Marciano, but my example was generic; you can replace the name by that of any good heavyweight champion, and you'll still be able to produce similar quotes from expert of said time.

 

This guy apparently has your admiration considering you have some of his books.

I google'd this guy and I am by no means some guru journalist, but why doesn't he explain why Wlad would be "distinctly ordinary"?

In either case, this guy needs to get off his high horse in his ivory tower and see that Wladimir is a genuine heavyweight all-timer.

He sounds like the english version of Bert Sugar to me.

 

Hugh McIlvanney is, by far, the best boxing writer in the world. If he says Wlad would have been ordinary, pay attention.

 

Wlad is the only genuine heavyweight champion who has shown serious mental frailties. That's hugely significant. Even guys like Gene Tunney were mentally strong and considered themselves "fighters". Wlad doesn't.

He has one huge flaw that sets him apart from all the great champions.

 

Really?

You don't think any HW champion had their doubts about their abilities?

There is a plethora of them and I'm sure at one point or another they all had their insecurities.

Tyson, Bowe, Liston, Foreman all come to mind immediately.

Tyson - Anyone who wasn't afraid to back down to him won (i.e. - Douglas, Holyfield)

Bowe - Scared s******s of Lewis.

Liston - Whether it be the mob or whomever he didn't come to fight Ali the 2nd go-around.

Foreman - His hiatus from boxing after his defeat to Ali. Comes back and feasts on less than stellar opposition.

I'm sure there are others, very sure.