Vitali's quality of opposition since his return from retirement

Should have fought Faruq Saleem then...

 

well said:good

 

You know, the matter of Vitaly's competetion has really been sticking in me since the Johnson fight. I actually believe that some of the guys he beat are better than given credit for, and I specifically liked Sanders, Williams and JC Gomez. But all said and done, the attention grabbing names just aren't on the record, and Vitaly does not have much opportunity left.

Even of the guys that he has beaten, it is unlikely than many will go on to do better and vicariously lift Vitaly's reputation. To me, it seems that only Arreola is young enough and talented enough. Peter to me just seems like he is going to be outclassed in this new heavyweight division developing, Gomez is too old, Johnson...err, well... and the rest are at or near retirment.

To me, he is a top 20 guy based on the intangibles- the great record, the KO percentage, never having been down, etc. But I just wish that he had bigger names to hang his hat on.

In the time he has left, he should either get Haye in the ring, or focus on beating younger guys who have a chance of going on to do something. Fortunately, Solis will probably end up as his mandatory, and he is the kind of guy I can see winning a belt once the Klits move on, provided of course that he drops 50 pounds.

 

-Highest KO% among heavyweight champions

-One of two Ring Magazine champs never to be floored by a punch

-Best rounds won to rounds lost ratio...even better than Ali or Holmes, and Much better than legends such as Dempsey, Louis, or Marciano. The truth is even the best heavyweight champions dropped several rounds to lesser talent. Not Vitali. In fact no man in his pro career has won more than two consensus rounds vs him. This is Amazing.

-All time come back, taking nearly 4 years off, then coming out of retirement with no warm up fights to beat down the #2 heavyweight in the world.

And the journey contiunes... a possible WBC and WBA title unification if Haye has the stones to fight Vitali.

At 37-38, Vitali has had 4 title defenses in a little over a year. I can not recall one older champion this active in decades. Vitali might very well become the first heavyweight to be champion turning 40 with his belt in tact since.......maybe ever.

 

I repeat: His opposition overall has been poor to mediocre but he came along at a time when apart from Lewis and Wladimir poor to mediocre opposition was and is all that's available.

 

Lennox wanted no part of Byrd and Ruiz. Not because he was afraid he could lose, but because they would him look bad. He also wanted no part of the Klitschkos until Vitali filled in for Johnson. Lennox always said the brothers didn't deserve a shot, but when he stepped in the ring with Vitali, I guess his changed his opinion. Why was trying to fight Johnson anyway, why didn't he go straight after Vitali?
Lennox also had some very questionable opponents in Botha, Akinwande, Mavrovic. However, I still rank him as the #1 fighter of the 90s and top 5 of all time.

 

He hasn't fought anybody that can test him.

Gomez, Arreola, Peter, and Johnson are all garbage and they would be considered C level boxers in any era in heavyweight history.

I would like to see Vitali against someone more credible Tomasz Adamek, Povetkin, or David Haye.

 

After Vitali defeats Haye, Povetkin and Adamek:

"Haye, Adamek and Povetkin are all b-level boxers at best, I'd like to see Vitali fight ....(fill in here)..."

 

You can't say that with certainty, Lewis surely fought more well known opposition but saying most of them would kick either of the Klitchko's arses is plain stupid.

Peace.

 

Neverchair sorry I misread your post, now that I can read again lol, I can only agree with you...

 

Basic reasoning one would assume. Numbers are irrelevant when the resumes of his opponents are essentially empty. Peter was a good win (his only half proven opponent) although he wasn't the same fighter that fought Wlad.

Vitali is very able and dominates his opposition, but don't try to polish a turd, his level of opposition isn't a strong point, its the major standout weakness.

 

Why would Lennox need to have fought Byrd and Ruiz, he beat the likes of Briggs, Tua, McCall, Holyfield, Grant, Mercer, Morrison, V Klitschko. He won every major belt and was undisputed champ. Tell me how beating Ruiz or Byrd would add to his legacy???

 

Statistic that proves absolutely nothing.

Someone could fight 50 bums before one championship match and get best knockout % ever.
Still it wouldn’t prove anything.

Sanders floored him. Referee missing it doesn’t change that fact

You sure are trying hard to make him look great. :rofl

Did you actually count every champions rounds won to rounds lost ratio?

Newsflash! It is another statistic that sounds great, but doesn’t actualy prove anything. Because Vitali is only guy fighting same opposition he has fought.

BTW: What is hes rounds won to rounds lost ratio?

 

There are many shades of gray when it comes to mediocre opposition. Sometimes, it seems that posters here have two catogories of fighters, ATG's and bums. Peter, Gomez, Arreola are good B+ level fighters. I pic them to beat the 188 pound Henry Cooper who floored hurt a prime Ali badly. Most ATG's struggled with or lost to B - level fighters at some point. Vitali's consistent dominance is pretty unique. Beating an ATG is more spectacular, but sometimes a fighter catches an ATG on a bad night or simpyl has the stylistic advantage. Being consistent is no easier task and often underrated in boxing.

 

He hasn't fought a SKILLED boxer at all since coming back. He hasn't fought Eddie Chambers who I think Vitali lose to quite easily. It's too bad Chambers is fighting his brother Wladimir, and Wladimir has a stylistic advantage over Chambers unlike Vitali. Adamek looked impressive beating Golota. Adamek is a very good skilled boxer, I don't think there is ANYTHING in Vitali's arsenal that would keep Adamek off of him. Povetkin beat Chambers, he's a very good skilled boxer as well. When Vitali finally gets tested we'll see if he continues winning because I doubt he will, especially after his performance against Johnson.