Vitali Klitschko Is Overrated

It’s amazing how George turned so many things around in his second career.

Like a movie script with a truly happy ending.

Known for his wild grievances re Zaire, it’s ironic that when George had THE most reason to complain (the Briggs decision) - he didn’t moan at all - he took it with grace and humility.

Though an official loss - we KNOW how George performed and many of us think he deserved the nod - but his post fight attitude punctuated his reinvention and, even in defeat in his final fight, 2nd career Foreman was still giving it to us, the fans.

And it was probably best any which way that George road off into the sunset after that match. Official or not, many of us feel he went out a winner at every level, as a fighter and as a man.

 

In all fairness I think he is a little better than that, but yeah, I get it.

 

Shavers knocked out Norton, who is better than anyone Vitali beat.

 

No, not that shell of a Norton that Shavers beat, the guy who would struggle to a draw against Scott Ledoux a few months later. A myriad of Vitali's opponents were better than that guy... Adamek, Solis, the zero loss Arreola, the one loss Peter, Sanders, Donald... all better.

 

A Norton who had clearly seen better days and just months later was being beaten over the top rope by a journeyman before being saved by an early bell.

Shavers in his prime was also knocked out in the first by Jerry Quarry, and beaten by the obscure Bob Stallings.

Norton I believe was the only rated opponent Shavers beat, so I can't objectively put him in the same class as Vitali.

 

Absolute and astonishing cart before horse. Less than a year before the Shavers fight Norton had taken Holmes to an either-way 15 round decision. He was a shell AFTER what Shavers did to him.

 

See above.

 

Don't have the time. I only look forward.

 

Well that one was not addressed to you. I answered yours.

 

Again, I am not reading what you wrote. I am only reading what I am writing. Moving forward.

 

I stand corrected regarding Shavers wins over rated opposition. I forgot Ellis was also ranked (and very washed up) when Shavers beat him so now we're at two.

Norton had clearly slowed down by the Holmes fight by his own admission. Even in '76 against Ali, he'd visibly slowed down from '73. Norton always maintained, he'd lost his love for the sport after the Holmes bout.

In addition he was also months away from 36 years old, and had been fighting for over 10 years at that point.

Regardless this is a deviation from the main argument that Shavers was on the level of Vitali which he was not, under any objective criteria.

 

Well of course he "admitted" it. It is a fine excuse.

Next time people start overglorifying Holmes, I am going to reference this. A "slowed down" Norton was enough to take him to an either-way 15.

 

Well Holmes also had a (confirmed) injury in that bout. I agree Holmes is on the end of some severe overrating and I was actually quite critical of him in some recent threads.

 

Shavers lost to Ron Stander, who is worse than many of Vitali's opponents.