Who is the smallest person who could beat superheavy Vitali

That's true. But take away the best facet of any fighter and they'll be mediocre.

 

He performed decently against Lewis when he had no size advantage. There was more to him than what you're claiming.

 

I guess Frazier would have a chance, but I wouldn't favor him.

How about Kovalev?

 

Unless you're banking on a fluke injury such as the one in the Chris Byrd fight, then my answer is not very many. If i were to pick a smaller fighter to beat VK then it would have to be someone along the lines of an Ali or Holmes variety..

 

Larry Holmes

 

Greb,
He would blow out both of Vitalis' shoulders with his crouched wirling dervish attacks and movements. I have all the sketches, news clippings and 1st hand accounts to back up these claims.

 

You neatly side stepped the question there. Gans was but the era was before boxing skill reached it's zenith. I could highlight Johnson's technical flaws, such as backing up in straight lines, standing square with a close stance, falling off balance after punching.

He does allot well, he turns his punches over and uses more body torque than Vitali and can punch in side much better. He uses range well with the jab (so does Vitali), he uses height to slip punches (so does Vitali)

The only men I can think of were taller/rangier were Willard and Denver Ed. I know he's been lighter a few times but so has Vitali, it doesn't really make you 'smaller'.

No I don't think there's evidence he got better but rather he got bigger/stronger and grew into the HW division as did Johnson.

Wills first win over Langford came in 1914 when Sam hadn't yet dropped off but perhaps slightly past his best.

Langford was always dominated by the good big men bar the KOs against Wills when in turn he was being dominated for the rest of the fight. Fulton too despite being chinny managed to completely outbox Langford.

And it's not surprising, for all his merits as a fighter Langford was a 5'5 man.

 

This is wrong.

Langford was 156 and 23 with many more bouts, Johnson was 185, 28 but far less experienced. Langford did fill out as did Johnson.

 

Vitali Klitschko, the most underrated heavyweight in history.

 

Or one of the most overrated.

All depends how you assess fighters.

 

Page 63 of the book LANGFORD says he was 20 years old.
Page 68 of the same book, quoting Jack Johnson in an interview about that fight, Johnson said Sam weighed 138. Those are Johnson's own words. It was common practice in those days to pad the weight. Dempsey, in the book IN THIS CORNER said his weight against Jess Willard was also padded. I hope this clears things up.