Heavyweight Tourney:Rd 1: Vitali Klitschko .Vs. Bob Fitzsimmons

Thats because you're an idiot, Vitali KO1 and I dont like Vitali

 

Fitzsimmons is the sort of fighter where you have to pinch yourself somtimes.

The more you learn about him the more you are drawn towards the shocking realisation that he was not only one of the most dangerous pound for pound punchers of all time but also one of the most dangerous heavyweight punchers of all time.

This fight represents a bit of a leap into the unknown for him. He knocked out guys as big as Klitschko but not at the elite level. If you put him in the ring with sombody like Kevin McBride he probably would ice them easily.

Fitzsimmons is always going to get undersold in fantasy fights like this because it is hard to convince people how good he realy was. The only way people ever realy get to this realisation is through years of researching his career. It took me years to get to where I am now and I certainly didn't expect to end up there.

 

I see Fitzsimmons overcoming a 90 lb weight and 8 inch height difference with a left hook to the body.

Actually I don't. Fitzsimmons may have had a chance of qualifying against a smaller heavyweight close to his size but this is a mismatch in size.

 

I see Fitz as a p4p great but giving away about 90lbs to Vitali is a different kettle of fish to kayoing the likes of Dunkhorst, I think this might be a bridge too far for the Ruby one.Vitali by dec or late tko.

 

Mismatch. VK within 4.

 

Doktor Eisenfaust my knockout in six.

I used to love reading about Fitzsimmons, he is truly the stuff of legends. But Vitali Klitschko is a 6'7" ATG heavyweight and roughed up Lennox Lewis.

 

Perhaps Fitz toughest match up. Vitali wins here.

 

One of the only times that size matters here. Vitali by KO 3

 

Vitali is a big athletic man...Fitz was a great middle/ great lightheavy and a real good frail Heavy of his day...Vitali by KO by 5

 

Good Lord. This isn't a boxing forum. It's Fairy Tale Forum.

 

This isnt the mismatch that people think. As janitor said, each time you look at Fitz you like him better. And despite the assumption on size, Fitz has Kod them as big as Vitali before and i think that the skill difference between the giants he kod and todays boxers is vastly overated.

Saying that, I am prepared to give vitali the benefit of a very substantial doubt. Despite losing to Lewis, he showed that he can take a punch, and can win rounds against World class boxers. I think it might take Fitz a long time to wear Vitali down, and set up Vitali for the offbalance solarplexus left hook shift that he was so successful. And i tend to think that Vitali could stave him off and win enough early rounds to get through to a points decision. Fitz might even look far the worse for wear and even be in danger of being stopped, but i doubt that he does stop the iron chinned Fitz.

 

This is the bottom line.

I will add that I do not consider Fitz to be one of the weaker lineal heavyweight champions. A case can be made for a top 20 ranking based on resume.

 

:goodi agree on the last two points