Wladimir Klitschkos Legacy

Great post, I agree with almost everything you have written in regards to Wladimir and last nights epic 'passing of the torch' fight against Joshua. I say almost because unlike yourself I am all for the rematch even though AJ will have learned from this experience and should prove even more formidable, I believe Klitschko would still have a good chance of avenging his latest defeat. In any case Wladimir Klitschko has went up in my estimation after last night with the manner of his performance, even if it was ultimately in defeat.

 

Top 8-11 for me. Could go up if AJ turns out real special.

 

When the dust settles I will find it hard not to have him in my top 10.

Just some spontaneous thoughts:

I think what the AJ fight taught me, was that Klitschko did indeed reign during an abysmal era.
People made it out to seem that every promising contender was far better than guys of yesteryear, despite most people clearly seeing that they did not passi the "eye test."

It took a decade for Klitschko to finally meet great opposition, and he did very very well. This was the fight we were all waiting for to discover who Klitschko really is. And he proved himself to be a great champion by putting on an excellent performance in a fight where he came in outmatched. He had to dig really deep, it stretched him out so to speak, making him not look like a robot, but a boxer.

 

It's interesting some fans how die for klitschko's last performance considering he lost by ko and he was down
severeal times against an inexperienced fighter who showed poor stamina and a questionable chin .

 

I think a lot of people in the know will agree that this last era was clearly abysmal. I'm not sure I saw any combinations thrown in any fight!! These "contenders" would pad their record, beat another undeserving contender, wait to get a high ranking and cash out with a title shot without any proper experience. It was unbelievably obvious.

 

Byrd ,haye and peter were wlads stand out wins...as opposed to the weak Ee and shot americans mercer,Brewster,rahman...wlad is 41 now and inactive ,clearly he is not who he was 6 years ago ...but great champion and still a top 3 hw ...he is far from shot.well done AJ

 

The Wlad "era" also comprised like 3 or 4 generations of heavyweights. He's been fighting world class guys since the millennium. Guys like Joshua, Fury, Pulev, Jennings, etc weren't even professional when Wlad was a champion.

Something to keep in mind for those who think it's been all trash since he's been on top and coincidentally better now that he's old and losing.

 

He's fought rated men that turned pro as early as 94 and as late as 2013. That's 19 years of fighters.

His mid 90s peers were: Byrd, McCline, Brewster, Rahman, and Jefferson.

circa 2000 class: Thompson, Brock, Peter, Chageav, Sultan, Chambers, and Haye.

circa 2005 class: Povetkin, Wach

circa 2010 class: Pulev, Fury, Jennings.


And now Joshua who turned pro in 2013.

 

I ve gotta be honest. I got in to heavy weight boxing tail end of the 70 s and have followed it through since. All during the 80 s and 90 s my interest never waned in the big guy s. But this past decade or so it's suffered. I respected wlad and his brother as boxers, but I hated the division for how it shaped up. The mediocre fights turned me right off and I, for the first time began to lose interest. That s changed for me these last few years. The division seems different, more variety, more potential to it. I believe and hope it's turned a corner. I can look back at the wlad - vitali era and respect it for its staying power, but I'm glad it's over and we're moving on. But respect to the klitschko s for been at the top so long. Think it's time now for this new era and hopefully people that gave up on the heavy s come on back in.

 

He ranks between spot 15 -16th. A dominant champ in a weak area, who was practically never in a good fight,

 

I am not sure prime Wlad would have beaten Fury or the prime version of Johua ( I think Wlad fought a pre-prime version of Joshua).

 

Wlad's legacy will fly low under the radar for years to come.

Hasn't Wlad accomplished basically what Rocky Marciano did? minus the blemishes.

 

Wladimir Klitschko has had the unenviable job of trying to compete in an era of few competitors and where the best (or next best) Heavyweight around, happened to be, for a lot of the time, his own brother. Regardless of the state of the division, however, Wlad didn’t really help himself with, for the most part, aesthetically painful performances that only his hardcore fanbase could garner any joy from watching.

Wlad perfected his jab and grab style, with which he could dominate a series of contenders, without fear of his chin and stamina issues of the past reemerging. One might even suggest that Wlad was ultimately defined by his perceived weaknesses and a poor era.

The longevity and dominance of his reign is undeniable and is of note, even in a shallow talent pool. But, the lack of a defining victory or true marquee name is what will take the sheen off - and a Top-10 ranking will be difficult to justify.

It is then somewhat ironic that, in what could be his final fight, Wlad showed arguably more character than in any other of his previous contests. At age 41, against a much touted up-and-comer, it was as if we were watching a different Wladimir Klitschko - one who’d perhaps thrown all the cares and caution, which had been such a part of his championship career, to the wind.

All of that said and, despite some of the deserved criticism, I think time will be kind to Wladimir Klitschko. He is a scholar and a gentleman, who has overcome clearly evident issues in order to grind his way into Heavyweight History - defining an era along the way.

 

I really agree with everything you said.The analyze is on point.