Most skilled SHW (6'5'' and taller)

Vitali takes it on defense ? hahahahaha :nut

Since when is getting your face tenderized by a shot champ at the end of his career great defense?

Tyson Fury has better defense than Vitali. As proven when he out pointed WK and came out of the fight looking exactly the same as he went into it.

Also when he totally white washed Kingpin Johnson barely taking a punch in the process . Johnson busted up Vitali's face with his jab.
How can that be if Vitali has such great defense?

Fury beat Johnson on a good run too , so no excuse will apply. He only lost 3 round prize fighter.

Skill wise , Vitali is easily the bottom on that list. He isn't proven against the best because he never fought the best and lost twice to the two best guys he met

Andrew Golota had a better set of skills than Vitali did.

 

Its absolutely Bowe.

The Mayeathers thought Floyd everything they had studied from Eddie Futch.

You can see similar traits and techniques in the two boxers. Slipping , parrying on he inside , sneaky counter shots that go unnoticed to the untrained eye.

Only Bowe could beat Bowe. With a FM state of mind under Futch , he would have been unstoppable.

 

By maintaining distance you mean locking up the opponent in a bear hug?

Sorry, but that's not defense , that's infractions of the rules and was not allowed back then. Its only allowed in Germany actually.

You saw what happened to Wlad against Brewster when the rules were enforced. And against Jennings too.

 

When you are facing genuine ATGs in arguably the Greatest HW era known to man - you are going to take a few shots along the way.

Its easy to go untouched when you're 6'8 and are fighting small , non moving, one percenters from the weakest era ever . And not even top ranking bums to make matters worse.

Vitali only fought 10% of the post Lewis wasteland , while his bro fought the rest :tired:dead

 

Yeah, Bowe was a proper technician. Wouldn't call Lewis that and certainly not any of the Klits.

Lewis and Wlad were probably superior tacticians, though, at least in terms of maintaining their preferred distance. Again, it all comes down to what you call skill.

 

Absolutely.

 

Bowe was so good he was outboxed by a Euro headcase who was blown out almost everytime he stepped up in class, so good he was washed up by 28.

 

Bowe most talent, Lewis is the best but I think Bowe would have beat him had they fought in '93... Lewis wins with Steward in his corner.

 

I would say Waldo had the most physical talent, best balance, fastest, most powerful, lightest feet. What he lacked was between the ears.

Physically, Bowe was a mess, not a true athlete (not that that matters too much in boxing). But he didn't mind throwing down and creating an entertaining fight, much to his own detriment. And as noted, he had some elite skills.

I think the best combination of all the factors would be Lewis. Powerful, strong, skilled, mentally strong. Perhaps not elite in some categories but a great amalgamation. When focussed and on his game, I would favor him over almost anyone.

 

Who else took combos to the nuts like that? Why does this debilitating assault get glossed over like it had no effect on his performance? Just imagine trying to do anything after taking a punch to the ballz.
Now imagine trying to engage in combat after a 245 lb man has repeatedly uppercutted your sack.
I would say a ball shot is more painful than a shot to the liver or solar plexus.

Golota needed those low blows. He had to deliver them because the beast of a faded , un motivated Bowe was just to much for him to handle.

He may have been ashed up by 29 , but at his best , he was the best looking SHW that ever stepped in the ring. Much like Tyson , who was burnt out at 25.
The brightest flames burn quickest.

 

Yeah, that sounds reasonable.

 

Bowe had an uncanny ability to throw in face toward every punch. Lennox would be the most skilled.

 

Tony Tucker

 

tucker in terms of talent was the best behind lewis, shame he didn't have the continuity.


its sucha small pool of talent though, its not really worth bragging about to make a top ten of such a list.

 

I agree with this.