So Vitali Klitschko has retired. First thoughts on his historical ranking and legacy?

Merchant has since retracted that statement from 2000 and now has a very high opinion of V.K. as I do as well......

:hey:bbb:deal

MR.BILL:hat

 

V.K. and man Foreman have made two of the greatest sports comebacks ever.... The fame and fortune doesn't lie....
shock:

MR.BILL:good

 

He may have retracted it , but the quotes from Vitali ,and his trainer can clearly be heard on the footage of the fight.
I give both the Klits credit for carrying themselves like champions and gentlemen , but their challengers have been ****,and their entertainment value ,to me at least, is zero.

 

The K-bros. only get ragged on here in the western world..... The brothers are Gods' in Europe.... Filthy rich and overly popular and appreciated... However, be as it may be here in the states, both men could retire today and they'll get inducted into the IBHOF in New York..... I'm on the bandwagon.... V.K. is the best since Lennox lewis which falls back to Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Larry Holmes.....

MR.BILL:bbb

 

aren't you Anorak's ***** Rockin' ?

 

I don't want any sass, boy......:-(

MR.BILL:bbb

 

In the H2H all-time match-ups he rates very high. He was never down and never behind on points... he was stopped twice however.

 

Stopped under sketchy circumstances might I add....... "Hurt shoulder" and "Bad cuts." Never behind on points........ V.K. is great...
:deal

MR.BILL:bbb:hat

 

:huh But he "deliberately retired in the corner of his own free will" and "almost had his eyeball knocked out of his head". That's not that sketchy, Brother Bill.

 

2 judges were from the states. In any case, Byrd was too passive - he did not do enough to win rounds. Vitali was still outlanding him most of the fight.

 

Options expire in 6 months and Wlad-Byrd happened exactly 6 month after. It was not like Byrd was going to wait for Vitali to take the title back if he had a choice.

 

V.K. didn't quit against Lewis in '03........... It was stopped by the doc. / commish... V.K. was willing to **** the cuts to keep fighting Lewis....

V.K. was in severe pain against Byrd in 2000, but V.K. has made up for that issue....

V.K. is great....

MR.BILL

 

I think when all is said and done he's going to fall into the 15-20 range. I've been watching boxing for about 40 years and I can't really put 19-20 guys ahead of him. Either in terms of records, career accomplishments, or H2H. His biggest shortfall is his level of comp but that's not really his fault and he certain disposed of most of his comp very convincingly. He never should have lost to Bryd, he should have sucked that one up and hung on for the win, but his loss against Lewis is legit in my books.

But Lewis was in seek and destroy mode in that fight, and honestly I don't think too many fighters would have beaten him by trying to out brawing him.

 

I think ultimately it comes down to two things. He fell short at the top level and he will forever be in Wlad's shadow. But still that comeback was immense even if punctuated by utter shite.

 

Byrd had 2 weeks notice for that fight.