Watched a few spanning most of his career.. My gosh this guy was gifted, flawed in some areas sure but for sheer athleticism and clinical finishing power, WOW! I actually prefer the pre steward WK who threw a lot more combinations and was more exciting but I appreciate the trade offs Steward made to refine the later more effective but less dynamic model. His straight right hand/overhand right stands out for me, it's bloody stunning... Almost second to none at HW. I think he's a cert for the HOF and must be admired for such longevity and having the fortitude to bring his career back from the brink. Check out his brutal destruction of men like Phil Jackson or Derrick Jefferson (yes i know they aren't higher calibre fighters but these particular fights hl that punch to its full effect and I wanted to watch some of his earlier work) for a display of that right hand.. Just got through watching the Bostice fight and it was refreshing to see him using combination punching to full effect too. I much preferred pre Steward version... Did you?
His KO of Shufford was pretty crazy. I don't know how you generate that much power in that little of distance but he did it.
His left hook off the jab used to be crazily quick and the fact he could double and treble it up was sublime.
when facing bums and criples yes he sure was. wow. but on stepping up to retired old former failed contender level (Sanderrs) he gets wiped out in seconds.
Watch the Austin fight with Audio. His tripple hook was just crazy and the Sound especially of the first one like wtf!
HOF for beating a few journey men? lol He wasn't hard to beat before he turned into human octopus. He was forced to retreat to Germany where he rigged the system to his favour. Its the only way he was able to keep winning.
I legit enjoy Wlad. Because a) he has a shoddy chin tbh, and b) he has unreal power. Combine them together and you're always waiting for him to either unload that power, or finally get clipped hard again. Edge of your seat stuff
I've always enjoyed watching a Wlad who goes for the kill. His left hook is ATOMIC. Possibly the most devastating left hook in Boxing history. And it's not even his best punch! His jab is top 3 EVER. His right hand is, alongside Lennox Lewis's, is the hardest right hand seen in Boxing history. When he was "on" and he went into a fight animosity, he was so dangerous.
Early Wlad was a gifted boxer-puncher with a destroyer mentality. Then he got splattered and Steward took control, and Wlad became boring, cynical and in some cases a spoiler. I was a fan of early Wlad but he bored me to death in most of his championship fights. He also meekly surrendered to the mediocre Fury in a timid defence of his title. Not a fan.
It just goes to show how much of a part heart and mentality have an effect in the fight game. Fighting is just as much mental as it is physical. It wasn't his chin that caused him to lose against Sanders, it was a great shot and would have dropped or hurt many other great fighters. It was how he handled being hurt that really cost him. He had the tools to be the best ever but fell short because of mental fragilities.
The mechanics of his punches were amazing. He is a study in how to correctly leverage, rotate, pivot and transfer body mass into a punch.
That lead left hook he flatlined Chambers with was wicked. He's also the only person to completely school prime Byrd.