70 career fights, 30 title fights, 23 world title defenses. With the growing trend of HWs fighting once a year, I don't think we'll ever see this level of activity and consistency again.
The 23 "title" defenses just shows how bad the era Wlad was in. Wlad became champion once Lennox Lewis was retired. David Tua, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, George Foreman ect either became too old to fight or just retired. Well at least he was active even if he was actively facing horrible opposition.
Chris Byrd x 2 Samuel Peter x2 Sultan Ibragimov Alexander Povetkin Kubrat Pulev David Haye Ruslan Chagaev Lamon Brewster Hasim Rahman Ray Mercer Calvin Brock Jameel McCline Tony Thompson Monte Barrett Ray Austin Looks like a good resume to me.
Lol Ray Austin dude? Ray austin was a bum. Hasim Rahman was past his prime. Ray Mercer was past his prime. Monte Barrett was never anything special. Sam Peter was a hype job who never really did anything in his career, Tony Thomspon was a D level fighter. Kubrat Pulev? Yeah I don't have to continue. Just because you name somebody doesn't make them good.
He does have a good resume - but I think you are overrating a few of these fighters. Byrd - skilled as he was - was a pumped up LHW (remember he won a Silver medal in the 1992 Olympics as a middleweight). Aside from his spectacular win over Lennox Lewis - Rahman was never a superstart. He had a fairly-poor chin, too Ray Austin, Calvin Brock, and Monte Barrett were good - but nothing more than that. Ray Mercer was 41 when Wlad fought him. Several years past his best.
"joebojoejoeson" is currently our very worst poster. I'm not a fan of Klitschko, but only a miserable hater discredits a fighter's resume like that. Wladimir Klitschko has a very good resume, no ATGs but a lot of prime, very good fighters, many of them previously undefeated: Chagaev, Ibragimov, Povetkin, Jennings, prime McCline, Haye, Pulev, 2005 Peter, 2008 Thompson, 2000 Byrd, etc.
Povektin was a good fighter on steroids, Sultan had a cute record but who did he beat really? A old Holyfield and a old fat Shannon Briggs? David Haye was good but who did he really beat at heavyweight? Chris Byrd was a solid fighter but he was a light punching blow up 160 pounder. If you think Tony Thompson, Ray Austin, were great fighters and that Wlad beating a old Hasim Rahman and old Ray Mercer is impressive then good for you. Also I am tougher than you. I am so tough that I will just ignore anything you type and block you. Tough right?
Well Ray Austin was never even good. But Calvin Brock and Barrett were okay. Rahman was never anything special like you said. He got lucky against Lewis and that was it. Ray Mercer was old like you said and Byrd was a blow up lighter fighter like you said. But hey these people need to believe Wlad was fighting the best opposition ever when he was defending the "title".
Well, Usyk is getting up there with injuries, and Fury is...Fury. So some of it has to do with the official particulars of who holds the belts. I think a lot of it too has to do with the fact that boxing is now a niche sport. The money, promotion and venues just aren't there like the used to be. Things could change. Boxing has been around at least since the ancient Greeks, and it will always be there, waxing and waning in popularity, with different trends and different personalities.
He is one of a dying breed for sure along with Pacquiao. I think Canelo maybe the last fighter that we will see get close to 70 fights.