I think Povetkin is a bit overrated

He's only guilty of not having better doctors. Do we really want to talk about Holyfield, Golota, Toney, Jones, Jr, Joshua, Fury.... the list is as long as my arm (77" reach).

 

Since you brought it up, I find it amusing that some of the same people who jump up and down screaming about Holyfield are also big Povetkin supporters. Almost as if there’s a double standard.

For me, I hold those who fail a drug test (or multiple ones) like Povetkin or those who have admitted they’ve cheated drug tests (Tyson, the iron one from NYC, not the furious gypsy one) in lower esteem than ones we merely suspect took PEDs. We KNOW the ones who failed tests did … we only THINK the others did. Doesn’t mean they didn’t, but proof beyond the shadow of a doubt > suspicion or even a preponderance of evidence (Holyfield) for me.

With the failed testers, we know:

1) We can be absolutely sure that PEDs were found in their bodies

And

2) They’re either galactically stupid to get caught OR they’re cheating at such a high level that no matter what they did to mask their use or cheat the tests they couldn’t keep all of the superdrugs hidden. Neither is admirable.

 

Don’t think he could beat prime spoon / dokes nope / tua I don’t think so based on styles / mercer was an up and down fighter /

 

Wladmir made Sasha do Bambi legs on Ice. Still surprised that fight went the distance.

 

Evan Fields = Galactically Stupid.

/thread.

 

Povetkin as a non champion until his last 2 fights fought better competition than Vitali Klitschko. Povetkin fought 5 of Wlads title defenses Chagaev, Chambers, Wach, Rahman and Byrd. In the early 2010s its hard to imagine a non champ producing a better 5 wins. Byrd and Rahman were late 30s but they hadn't lost since Wlad and those wins meant something.

By my arbitrary count Povetkin fought 10 HW title contenders. Of HWs that debuted in the 21st century only Fury, Joshua and Derek Chisora have fought more with 14. Officially he fought 13 I'm not counting Charr, Duhaupus or Hughie Fury.

Wlad during his 2nd reign was dominant against all his best opponents. Povetkin losing by 45 points was a little much but at least he went the distance.

Any criticisms of Povetkin(besides the drugs) have to be applied to his whole era. If you want to say hes one of the worst 2nd or 3rd best HWs of an era that might be worth some consideration. Within the confines of his era his resume is excellent.

 

Indeed. Wlad should have been DQ'd by the midway point.

 

If he fought in the 80's or earlier he'd have a much uglier record.

 

One of the biggest stains and lowlights of Sasha’s career took place outside of the ring; Teddy Atlas just emasculated the man with regard to Klitschko. What kind of trainer does that, and what kind of fighter allows that?

 

Fighting better competition than Vitali Klitschko isn't saying a lot though, is it?

And tying a list of common opponents between Wlad and Povetkin as if this alone gives them meaning for Povetkin's ledger is not something that can be taken too seriously, either.

Other than Chambers, they were essentially Wlad's leftovers that Povetkin was sweeping up.

Where Rahman is concerned, there weren't even any leftovers to sweep up, Wlad had already swept up Lewis's leftovers, in this case. Rahman hadn't been ranked for about a decade.

Byrd was spent. Chagaev was spent. Who was Wach again?

 

Baby tits povetkin ate right hands and marked easily

 

Sasha drank at least a gallon of milk a day with that physique

 

True about Vitali.

For a contender beating the champs leftovers is the best that can be done. Like I said is it possible to have 5 better non title wins in the early 2010s than Chagaev, Chambers, Wach, Rahman and Byrd? Valuev and Haye retired after losing their belts and you really only have Tony Thompson. A little later Pulev emerges.

 

How about beating other ranked contenders?

To the best of my knowledge, Chagaev was the only one of those he beat before getting a shot at Wlad; with Perez the only other one during the 2010s - some four years after Chagaev.

Indeed, overall, I think Povetkin went 3-3 against ranked opposition. Chagaev, Perez and Whyte his wins and Wlad, Joshua and Whyte his losses.