Could A Prime Wlad Outbox A Prime Ali

We are talking PRIME Ali . Ali was far from prime against George. Wlad wouldn't lay a glove on a prime Ali. Also you Ali haters forget We were banned from seeing a prime Ali for 3 1/2 years for purely political reasons

 

The division was a wasteland, he beat every bum put in front of him , but that doesn't elevate his standing. Hell ,Tim Witherspoon would have went threw that bunch like Tissue paper

 

The question is:

What do you class as Wlad's prime?

Every Wlad fan that I've ever spoken to, recognises his prime as being during his 10 reign. Most people think it was around 2007-2011. Yet the issue with those years, is that under Manny, he was a safety first fighter then. He was risk-averse.

So:

Would he have had the confidence to have tried to outbox a peak version of Ali?

Personally, I think the younger versions of Wlad would have caused Ali much more trouble.

 

Average?

Ha!

You can't be serious.

 

How's things?

I do love reading your posts.

They're always well thought out and full of passion.

I'd have loved to have seen Canelo fight James.

My money would have been on James though.

What's your prediction for the rematch?

 

Is Canelo a bigger puncher than James though?

Canelo isn't more elusive than Mike, Reggie and Nunn.

I like Canelo. But as yet, he hasn't shown me that he could have beaten the best version of James at MW.

 

Why though?

Wlad's performance was all down to how he approached the fight mentally, not physically.

He couldn't handle Tyson either in the ring or out of the ring.

Wlad's behaviour all throughout the build up to the fight was uncharacteristic.

He lost his cool several times.

He began to trash talk.

He shaved his head after Tyson had commented that he was greying.

In the fight, he wouldn't commit to anything.

Tyson kept feinting him, and Wlad never had a plan B.

Nothing would have changed had they have met in Wlad's prime.

You saw how different he looked against Joshua. And then we had all of the idiots come on here, trying to tell people that he just had an off night in Germany. It was nonsense. It wasn't an off night. It was Fury's mind games out of the ring, and his style in the ring.

There is no evidence to support a theory that a prime version of Wlad would have taken Fury out. An earlier version who lost to the likes of Sanders could have done, but not any version under Manny's watchful eye.

 

I don't know where you've got those percentages from.

Mike McCallum was a better fighter than Canelo. And as yet, Canelo has only had one official MW fight against GG.

Why would you have favoured Canelo over the best version of James?

Based on what?

Yes, GG hits hard. But he also has a small reach and he's very easy to hit.

Mike fought peak versions of Toney, Kalambay, Graham and Watson. He fought a monster puncher in Jackson. He fought Collins.

Yes, James lost to lesser guys, whilst he went through the motions, fighting every few months in fights he couldn't get up for. But look at his performances when he was focused and sharp. James losing to guys like Tiberi means nothing in discussing a fantasy fight with Canelo. If that was James' true level, he would never have beaten Mike and peak versions of Reggie Johnson and Michael Nunn etc.

Who has GG fought?

Neither GG or Canelo should be favoured over Mike or James. They haven't shown anybody that they could beat guys of that calibre.

 

How on earth has he got the edge in defense?

 

Who has GG ever fought on James' level?

Not the unmotivated versions, the sharp, motivated versions who fought Nunn, Mike, Reggie and Barkley etc?

 

The Manny Steward versions of Wlad were risk-averse, over thinking versions of Wlad.

Why is it a joke to think a 60's fighter would beat a 00's fighter?

It doesn't matter from what era the fighters were from.

The only thing that matters is how they'd have matched up stylistically.

 

You're not giving Tyson enough credit.

Tyson took him out of his comfort zone, both mentally and physically. And Ali could have done the same.

Ali would have dogged him out of the ring, writing poems etc, whilst feinting in the ring, in a similar way to what Tyson did, making him hesitant etc.

It's okay talking about Wlad's wife etc, but do you seriously believe that he was focused on her whilst he had Tyson stood in front of him feinting? I don't.

 

You can choose any version of Wlad you want.

In my opinion, the younger versions of Wlad who lost to the likes of Sanders etc, would have more chance of beating Ali, than the cautious versions of him who fought under Manny during his prime.

 

Great post.

I'd have given the younger versions of Wlad a better chance than the prime versions who was cautious.

 

Wlad from 2006-2008 likely outboxes Ali over 12 rounds. Ali is faster and more agile, but I don't see him winning the battle of jabs and/or being able to stop prime Klitschko.