Vitali Klitschko in today's era, where would he be ranked?

I think a much more interesting scenario is what if Vitali turned pro at 18 in 1989.

For what it's worth he would mop the floor with just about everyone. Fury, Usyk excluded.

 

Vitali was very effective against smaller HW's where he could use his reach and range, and unfit fighters where he could outwork them.
Basically he was a bully fighter. Everyone is smaller than him.

None of that works against Fury. Vitali has no defence against people his size, as the Lewis fight showed. Leaning back with his hands down isn't going to cut it. Fury is faster and more versatile. Power is probably similar. Vitali's chin is overrated, he just wasn't hit clean that much, but when he was like against Sanders, he was back peddling across the ring in trouble. Fury would land a lot and be much harder to hit.

None of Vitali's style works against Usyk, even though Usyk is the typical stature of a Vitali opponent. But Uysk is way more skilled than all the plodders and pumped up LHW's Vitali faced.

But also important is that Vitali relied on endurance and workrate and these are things Fury and Usyk both excel at. Vitali has no advantages there like he normally did.

Even though I think Vitali likely grinds down AJ/Wilder, in reality his bad defence might get him bombed out. I don't think leaning back on them with hands down is going to work too well in the early stages.

Zhang and the Croatian probably cause Vitali huge problems due to their size and boxing ability.

Vitali is a tough opponent for anyone, but it's important to realise he almost always fought with massive advantages.

 

2 behind Usyk.

 

Definitely top
No chance an out of prime Fury or overrated cruiserweight beats him

 

He would be either number one or two.

 

Number 1 or 2 depending on how he goes against Usyk. He would struggle with Usyk's boxing, which is probably his stylistic kryptonite.

 

Fury is an easier fight for Vitali. Fury wouldn't be able to hurt him, but the reverse is not true, especially after seeing Usyk hurt Fury.

 

Wot

 

Tbf you picked Joshua and Fury to both beat the overrated cruiserweight so you shouldn't be surprised if you're wrong this time as well

 

Don't remember picking Joshua (maybe i did?), but whatever
The overrated cruiser struggles by bums and gets his face mangled by a fat, useless Fury

The era sucks balls
Vitali would take his head right off

You actually think usyk is the goat. So if I'm underrated him? You are massively overrating him
He isn't close to goat level. He's massively overhyped on this forum and benefits from a terrible era

 

Given that so many top guys actually are fighting each other these days, I imagine that even he would end with a few surprise losses on his record. But he would most certainly be in the top 5 with ease.
It´s hard to imagine anyone really being the betting favorite against him.

 

Is Parker a joke to you?

 

Like I said, you picked AJ and Fury to beat him so you picking Vitali to beat doesn't mean a whole lot.

 

He also beats Usyk..

 

You think he is the Goat, so your value means little. Talk about overrating a fighter

Vitali is better than Aj and much better than this fat, post coked up version of Fury

Easy win, usyk in not that good. Scraping by bums like a shot Fury and chisora is hardly the stuff of legends.