If Wlad was younger, that right hand in the 6th would have finished Joshua.

that recovery from joshua after being completely gassed half way through the fight was remarkable, makes you wonder what was in the water...

 

If that was Wilder instead of Joshua you wouldn't say this.

 

Mirko, not all of us are like you, Willis, Todd, Deyell, and the rest of the usual suspects. We appreciate Wlad, and Joshua. It's a shame some of you can't do the same with certain bxoers.

 

He barely got by a shot 41 year old Wlad and now you proclaim that he would always beat Wlad?

Gtfo.

 

When Parker knocks out Wilder then maybe we can see Parker vs Joshua or Fury. A great time for baxing.

 

Huh? He went life and death with 42-year old Wlad, almost getting KTFO, and you figure that's evidence for him always beating Wlad?

Wlad didn't even employ his usual strategy. He went all out against a much younger guy and came very close to winning.

 

I heard that. I bet he's kicking himself in the ass for that.

 

Pre-Sanders Wlad could be argued too offensive-minded and perhaps too careless, post-Sanders Wlad has always been way too cautious. This was the one fight in his career (that I have seen) since Sanders that he has learned the valuable mistakes from that fight while not seeming overwhelmed by the pressure of perhaps not living up to the expectations many (probably even himself) had for him. It's the one fight since Sanders where he didn't seem like his own greatest enemy and greatest opponent, because he probably planned on retiring regardless of outcome and was probably so furious with himself after the Fury fight he just said "screw it." He might not be the specimen he was when he was younger, but aged as a fighter terrifically and any decrease in that area since his younger days is negligible. So to me this was by far and away the best Wlad that ever entered the ring.

Give Joshua his due. BTW, it's that mental aspect that made Vitali better than Wlad, Wlad was the better fighter physically.

 

Totally agree. He did try but didn't want to empty the tank. In that situ you have to empty the tank. Joshua was one clip away from being ko'd.

 

The problem i saw was that even when Wlad wanted to throw punches i.e. right hands and hooks, he was missing most of them, missing punches takes a lot out of you especially when you are 41 years old.

 

Should have went to the body and mixed it more. Wlad hardly ever does that and it would have won him the fight.