Was Gassiev the most overrated active heavyweight?

I don't mean to take credit from Wallin or to speak hyperbolically or in a knee-jerk fashion. Wallin's a big tricky southpaw with a good engine and a lot of heart and toughness. Gassiev may be able to beat the likes of Parker, Dubois, Ruiz or whoever else. He's a dangerous puncher as durable fighters like Breazeale and Arreola can attest. Overrated does not equal bad.

That being said, Gassiev was regarded as a killer and a nightmare at heavyweight by most on these boards. Despite his avoidance of Hrgovic and his best win at heavyweight being a toss up between two scuba divers in Mike Wallisch and Mike Balogun. And his performance against Usyk being far inferior to that of Chisora.

Take a look at these polls:

31-6 said Gassiev would beat Wilder in February 2018

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/gassiev-vs-wilder.601322/

34-31 said Gassiev would beat Wilder in September 2021

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/deontay-wilder-vs-murat-gassiev.672904/

Gassiev was the underdog against Joshua a few months ago but only by a relatively thin 39-28 margin

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/murat-gassiev-vs-anthony-joshua.700164/

And he was of course a clear 71-36 favourite to beat Wallin. Few thought that Gassiev would get soundly outboxed, hurt and lose on the scorecards despite obvious bias in his favour

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/murat-gassiev-vs-otto-wallin-whats-your-prediction.710051/

 

"Everyone ages at some point."

He's 29 and hasn't taken much damage in fights. He went 50-50 over 12 rounds with a blown-up LHW in Lebedev: a 5'10, 71 inch reach southpaw mover. He lost every round to Usyk, whereas most thought Chisora won 3-4 vs Usyk. Gassiev just wasn't ever that good.

"whether Zhang beats ATG fighters"

If we're mature and rational adults we understand that John L. Sullivan, Joe Louis and Marciano (and many others) may well have lost to a 6'6, 20 stone, skilled power punching southpaw with about a quarter of a century of boxing experience and an Olympic silver medal, who was 70-85-135 years ahead of them. It doesn't diminish the standing of these fighters to accept that's the reality.

"And then you have Wilder"

It clearly isn't Wilder because most were picking Wallin-victim Gassiev to beat him and with absurd confidence back in 2018. And Wilder's resume is "objectively" better than what three quarters or more of HW titlists have done in the last 20 years. There's a good argument he's above Vitali in that respect, whose best win is a toss up between Sanders and Chisora. And although Wilder lost to 6'8, 275 lbs lineal champ Fury he never quit, whereas Vitali did quit after throwing the kitchen sink at the evasive blown-up LHW Byrd for 9 rounds to no avail save a busted shoulder.

 

You may be right.

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/makhmudov-vs-wilder.682366/

 

Wallin was a weird choice of opponent. Apparently Gassiev's team had been looking at him for over a year. You were saying a while back that Wallin was one of the main guys for Gassiev to avoid: smart southpaw mover with a good chin, heart, stamina and a size advantage. They must have been really low on options to accept an obviously bad stylistic matchup for little money. I guess they thought politics would bridge the gap.

I wonder whether this will help Gassiev get fights due to the vulnerability he showed or whether it will work against him because there's less upside to beating him now. I suspect the latter because he does have punching power.

If he's going to fight movers he needs them to be packing glass. Otherwise he needs to bulk up 10-15 lbs and fight come forward heavies with leaky defences. There are still good fights and matchups out there for him if he can get them.

 

Read the post before you comment.

 

Gassiev was a very clear favourite on this forum and with the bookmakers to beat Wallin and his team had been looking at Wallin for over a year, so they felt confident in winning, especially with their loaded scorecards. He was backed by 42% in a forum poll a few months ago against Joshua. Everyone knew about the injuries and inactivity, that was a common pre-excuse if people got their predictions wrong.

The cruiserweight Gassiev went 50-50 over 12 rounds with blown-up LHW southpaw mover Lebedev. Not long after he was exposed again by a big cruiser in Usyk. The Gassiev who got soundly outboxed by Wallin could well be the best version: 14 years boxing experience rather than 9 as he had vs Usyk and no weight draining to make cruiser. Maybe Gassiev looked bad because Wallin is all wrong for him and too good. Wallin could have imposed his size on Gassiev and made it an even easier night. He'll be more confident and motivated going forward.