This content is protected I got a little bumped out after watching this. I always felt that Wlad wanted the respect and attention of western fans and he only got that respect after he lost to Joshua.
Yeah, every fighter at the top wants that admiration from the world for their hard work and accomplishments. The hidden truth is besides skill you need personality to get that crossover. Everybody in the top 10 has a story of overcoming adversity accept the Klitschko's and if they do they have never really talked about it publically.
The fact that the brothers were fairly well off and “normal” in their upbringing actually adds to their legacy, IMO. They weren’t driven by overzealous fathers, fighting to provide for their families or losing friends to drugs/gangs - you know, the typical boxer overcoming stories. They were actually great enough and disciplined enough to choose the most brutal of sports and reach its mountain top. That’s very impressive! But you’re right about lacking the personalities; they just never really connected with western fans. But I think that the real shadow that hangs over them both the most is that they were both defeated multiple times in at significant points in their careers and never avenged those losses. They simply outlasted their peers in attrition and cemented their legacies to their overall bodies of work. They’re both still great though. Also fwiw, Holyfield never really seemed to have a personality that connected with fans but he was such a down-to-the-bone warrior that that overcame whatever blandness he had as a personality.
To you, it might be more impressive but you’re ignoring the discipline it takes to overcome all that adversity and to ignore all the extra distractions. I don’t care either way, I respect the brothers for what they did.
Both Vitali and Vlad wanted to fight in America, it was what they wanted, but America would not allow them a level playing field, mainly the boxing media. I warned them about fighting in Vegas, they knew about Don King, they even went to Berlitz to improve their English in LA. Vlad was drugged in the Brewster fight, it was obvious, the Judd letter points it out, the lies about them were awful, HBO did not treat them right, EPIX showed a very important fight of Vitali's that was not allowed on HBO. What a waste, they had some good fights that were never seen here. I have all of their fights, both Vitali and Vlad's. I would read crap and lies about their fights by well known boxing writers, I knew they were lying because I saw the fights. I was called a racist by a well known boxing writer simply because I supported Klitschkos and did some work for them. (Later the writer changed his mind) We did have a meeting here at ESB in the chat room. (ESB used to have a fantastic chat room) Kernitski was there, but we had some who did not welcome them, Vitali was going to come to the chat roon later, this is true..............I would get news early from Kernitski, we would post news at Klitschko.com, some I would share here. Whatever, I wish they would have been welcome in America...............but the crowds in Europe were huge, 65,000 in Switzerland for instance. Vitali and Vlad were in no way racists, and they were not Germans. (Nazis) As I told Max Kellerman live on the air years ago before he came to HBO. I told him that he was a very nice closed minded person! Max was nice, but had the wrong idea about Klitschkos, they are not German, nor Russian, they are Ukrainians.....................although they did travel a lot as kids, since their father was a Col. in the old Soviet Military. I assume that everyone has seen their movie "Klitschko", I have it. It took a long time for it to come out in English.............Vlad finally gave up on the drug investigation since the American boxing media was saying bad things about the drugging, that Vlad was making an excuse, but all he wanted was to find out why he was so sick, had very high blood sugar for the first time in his life, why the two blood samples were missing, two urine samples were missing, missing ID, etc. I can re-post the Judd letter again sometime, it is very interesting, not only about the drugging, but a lot of other illegal crap going on in Vegas. Some would never believe it, but Judd Burstein's letter to the US attorney Gen. Nevada, Mr. Bogden, tells it like it is....................
yea yea sure.. spare me the sob story... they treated all of their opponents the exact same way in Europe, as they were treated in America. 1-sided contracts, slave contracts, all kinds of shady tactics like mandatory rematch with the other brother, changing the surface of the canvas, gloves, etc with Tyson Fury.. oh man, there is so many examples thru the years... You should really stop making them out to be victims. they had a great run, thats it, definitely ATGs
You have just proven my point..............why don't you read the letter, then judge for yourself.................rumors are just that, rumors..................
true, respect for all those guys who come back from getting pasted out by journeymen, there are so many of them and they all deserve respect for trying again. boxing is not a kind game.
Just look at Badou Jack. He got steamrolled by a journeyman back in 2014, and his upcoming fight is the first one he is getting any real support here on ESB.
I actually agree that the fight they were from a relatively well off family (Relative to most boxers), actually adds to their accomplishments. To have that hunger and desire, even though you don't need it, is admirable.
true,but mind you thats nothing compared to wlad. Has badou been wiped out by several journeymen with ease yet? well done badou though
