2004 Vitali Klitschko vs 2017 Anthony Joshua?

I think it would be something like a fight between Vitali and Sanders, while AJ was fresh, the fight would be competitive and even most likely the AJ would take the rounds. But I think Joshua would have run out of gasoline in 6-8 rounds and Vitali would have knocked him out.

 

Agreed. Now THAT’S a more competitive fight.

 

Joshua will gas out in the round he chooses to go full monty and even if his punches connect there is no guarantee he will take Vitali out, but Vitali will not let AJ off the hook unlike Wlad

 

Vitali. He's got as much strength as Joshua, but a better chin, and more polished technique. He'd catch Joshua reaching or holding his hands low, being a little sloppy, hoping his athleticism would save him, and he'd make him pay. Vitali wasn't flashy but he was strong and didn't make mistakes. He'd methodically frustrate and break down Joshua on the way to a KO.

 

I would have agreed before I saw the Wladimir fight. That Joshua vs Vitali would have lost IMO. Basing this solely on the fact that if Vitali's 41 year old brother nearly finished Joshua and had him even until the stoppage, I would assume 2004 Vitali is superior to 2017 Wladimir.

But give Joshua time. He's on the big stage now but TBH he's still a pup. He's got more to learn and more to achieve.

 

Vitali KO in 9 rounds. AJ was made to measure for Vitali. There is also the chance that Vitali would want to punish him and end his career, and prolong the beating for 12 rounds.

 

What about the uninspired version of Lewis who beat Vitali vs. AJ? Could AJ handle the punches Vitali took and didn't go down from?

 

I remember a guy winning the fight 4/5 round to 1... who got unlucky through a nasty cut

 

Prime Vitali is one of the best heavyweights ever... possibly the best, he was never losing a fight in his fight, the two fights he lost were through injuries.

 

Prime Vitali over this version of AJ, all day. Joshua is still improving though. If he keeps on maturing, that opinion could change.

 

Vitali had an incredibly intimidating skillset, agression and movement. Todays Joshua would loose I think. But lets see if Joshua can reach his potential, and yet prove he is better. Hopefully he decides to try unify, then we will find out who was the better boxer.

 

'Unlucky'???

Say the fight would have continued....what do you think would have happened?

Lewis was landing more and that cut was getting worse. Vitali either loses his eye - and his career - or he gets chinned by a punch he can no longer see coming.

Keep telling yourself that Vitali would have KOd Lewis or won some other way. Only in fantasy land would have Vitali survived that.

 

Not to revive the TKO6 thread ... but Lewis looked like he was about to have a heart attack. Imo it's even odds as to whether Vitali's face would have peeled off or whether Lewis' ticker would have exploded first, Aliens-style.