I hear this alot "he has improved so much since the Sanders fight" No he hasn't, he just fought a bunch of losers that were never that good in the first place. The way most Klitschko supporters seem to evade the fact that he's been knocked out on three seperate occasions by Ross Puritty, Corrie Sanders, and Lamon Brewster is to simply say that he has gotten alot better and that it will never happen again. None of the fighters he's beaten since his last loss are that good: Calvin Brock (trash) Ray Austin (trash) Ibragimov in a technical mismatch, Tony Thompson (trash) Rahman in decline, and Chagaev in another mismatch. The way he fights is so boring that it makes me cringe, he never throws punches in combinations, he just jabs and then throws an occasional right hand. I hate watching him fight. HE IS NOT THAT GOOD HE IS A DISGRACE :fire
It's ok, I know... it has been a long rough road for you being a Klitschko hater. Dry your eyes little girl.
I can ABSOLUTELY guarantee you that the Purrity and Brewster KOs would most definitely not have happened if Wlad would have fought in the manner in which he fights nowadays. That was more exhaustion than anything those guys did. Just look at how absolutely helpless Brewster looked in the rematch when Wlad fought in a more energy-conserving, careful pace. The Sanders KO is another matter. . .that was simply an annhilation. There's really no other way to see that one.
Valid point. And it's simply common for HW champions, over the course of a long career, to have a few losses to lesser fighters they "should" beat. Louis lost to Schmeling, who could very well be KO's by Sanders and was a cruiserweight by today's standards. A prime Ali came very close to getting knocked out by a 186 pound Henry Cooper, yet Klischko haters are still all over him for the knockdowns against Peter. Sanders annihilated an arrogant Wlad, who underestimated his opponent. Lewis was put to sleep (unlike Wlad who was TKO'd) when he underestimated Rahman. So what? These losses don't define their careers as much as their wins and dominance does.
I wouldnt say disgrace, maybe a bit harsh. He has beaten whoever they have put in front of him Bottom line is that he will never get the respect he deserves because the heavyweight division is so poor, thats not Wladamirs fault. Appart from Haye there is no-one who would give him a run for his money. Im a Haye fan, hopefully he can dismantle Klitchko and breathe new life into the division
The guy could go on reigning for another 10 years, have over 30 title defenses, and his detractors will never let the memory of those losses go.... Sad fact, but true... While I agree with anyone that those defeats may have permanantely barred him from ever having a top 10 all time rating, I think that the good parts of his career are ignored... Say what you will about his opposition... Fact is, they were the best available opponents and he beat them in dominant fashion.... Can't ask much more than that...
Brewster was off for nearly two years and just had *eye surgery*. Why do Klitschko nut gulpers always ignore this inconvenient truth when talking about the Brewster rematch? No. The Sanders KO was an annihilation @ the hands of a semi-retired ole man.