Where do you rank Vitali Klitschko all time?

Vitali has already broken several records of heavyweight boxing.

 

Yeah, but in a weak era. His achievements need to be seen in context, and when they are they reveal a very good fighter but not the best of the best.

 

There is a difference between expectations and achievements, and VK did not achieve half as much as he could. Part of that is because he fought in weak era, but he also used about 30 fights for fighting tomato cans and when it looked like it is going to change change he quickly retired.

So far, his achievements are:
- successfull comeback after long layoff (although his win over Peter shouldn't be overestimated, especially after Peter recent loss)
- looking great against tomato cans and beating a couple of decent or semi-decent fighters like Gomez, Donald, Johnson or Sanders.

Good resume, but definitely not ATG.

 

Sanders never floored him and that uppercut from Lewis would have put everyone except Vitali and Oliver McCall to sleep. He dominated Byrd easily, that loss had nothing to do with Byrd and how that looks depends on the viewer. Vitali never had a controversial win, unlike many greats. Beating B+ level fighters consistently and in dominant fashion is a significant accomplishment. ATG's often have greater names beaten than Vitali but they also often struggled with B - level fighters or lost to them. Vitali wouldn't struggle with Chyz or Ruiz like Holyfield. He wouldn't just barely get by little Doug Jones like a prime Ali. He would never lose to Schmeling or Norton. Beating big names is important but not the only accomplishment that could ever count. The fact that no fighter ever looked good against Vitali, regardless of result, is in itself pretty unique

 

I agree Vitali is solid is all departments and lets not forget he nearly had lewis if it werent for a cut!!!id say quite high up top 20 maybe top 15 heavyweight of all time?!!!

 

Ask me several years after he's retired.

 

Number of stitches recieved from an unmotivated fighter?? :think

 

Fixed.

 

Most postponements/cancellations of one bout.

 

Yup, he has a glass knee. :deal

 

How about biggest pintage of tears spilt after losing a fight?

 

I think Kermit Cintron might have that one locked down.

I guess Vitali owns the HW record though.

 

That would be Mike Tyson.

 

Four of one bout? In a period of like 5 months?

Nah.

 

On accomplishments he isn't all that, in part due to his injuries, his reluctance to fight his brother and obviously because of the lack of top quality opposition around during his time.

H2H on the face of it would seem to suit him much more, but what would have happened to him if he had faced the Lewis that defeated Holyfield easily in the 1st fight, or even the one that blasted out Razor Ruddock almost a decade earlier?

He went in with the oldest, fattest, shottest version and lost by TKO, regardless of the circumstances.

I accept the Byrd fight as one that he was winning easily, and when rating him in this fashion tend to disregard it to a degree - though not entirely.