Not so. The Iron Curtain prevented many great Soviet boxers from competing against western fighters, much the same as Cuba. When the Cubans compete the perform well against western fighters. You guys & this revisionist history..............let it go, realize athletes & sports evolve and that's a good thing. That also doesn't mean that certain fighters like Ali, Louis, Dempsey, Marciano, Foreman, etc. weren't great fighters of course but keep it in perspective. :deal
You can add Baseball to that list, as well as Hockey, Soccer, Tennis, Golf, etc. As an American, I'm embarrassed by these fools.
I'm not saying Liston didn't have a good jab but better than Wlad's? C'mon now, the guy dictates entire rounds with one arm, without even throwing a single right hand. Who the **** else could do that except maybe Holmes, Ali, Louis and very few others.
I'd like to see Liston vs Wlad in a jabbing contest. I know who my money would be on. Couldn't see Listin landing many
Rarely do we see eye to eye & I guess this is one of those times. :thumbsup Jack, is off his rocker. He's probably Burt Sugar in real life.
So he gets stopped by Holmes and then beats Holmes, is that what you mean? That is what i am reading.
His biggest loss would be to Frazier. Frazier has exactly the right style and skills to beat Wlad. Wlad is tailor made for Frazier. His best win would be Foreman imo. He'd beat Foreman staying away from him. I don't think Foreman would manage to get to his chin if he stayed disciplined (which is one of his best assets).
Why actually is that? Wlad's muscle mass is quite undersized as it is. He is no overly bulky heavyweight.
Then change the statement to SOME countries didn't get to compete, because if you look at the history and the nationality of the champs and challengers in every weight class besides HW it's a total polyglot. And the cubans have been exposed, by and large, as pittypat guys who can't take it to the highest level. There have been exceptions of course.