Joe Frazier ( 71' version) would be unlike anything Wlad has ever faced.Frazier moves constantly his head, is slick, has tremendous heart and a deadly left hook. Conclusion: Wlad will get an early points lead on the scorecard, using his educated jab and follow it up at times with the right hand. Around the middle rounds Frazier will start closing the gap and land occasional powers shot and work the body effectively. Frazier will be hit hard but will keep coming. At around the 10th and 11th round Frazier will score a KO. Wlad won't be able to keep Frazier at range for the full 12. That is impossible to do with Joe Frazeir.
the constant bobbing and weaving style would give wladimir trouble in settling down with the jab. it's a shame wladimir doesn't have a good uppercut like lennox because that would of been vital for this sort of fight, but he hasn't got it, and he'll have trouble with a joe frazier sort of fighter. the jab just won't be enough, and wladimir is just too placid to get frazier's respect early.
Lets be realistic, Wlad smashes him. Frazier's too small to beat Wlad. Wlad would just hold him whenever he gets close.
Hmmm I dunno , Vitali yes , tall rangy and with a good uppercut , Im afraid Frazier is toast there. As for Wlad it would depend on the ref , if its someone who allows work on the inside and breaks the clinch I fancy Frazier to wear him down , but yeah if Wlad is allowed to hold Frazier whenever he gets close its a bad night for Joe.
Joe Frazier is my long-standing candidate as 'the worst possible match-up for Wladimir Klitschko'. I can't see anything but Wlad being stopped.
It's definitely the worst style you can match up with Wlad. The size issue does give pause...put it this way, it is impossible for Wlad to control tempo and range against Frazier, that is not going to happen, Frazier will be boss, and if Frazier is allowed to be boss, Wlad will be beaten. However. What if Wlad comes out bombing? If Wlad comes out bombing, really bombing in round one it's a 50.50 fight. However, what we have on film means that this strategy isn't really one you can expect from Wlad, so Frazier is the natural pick...still, this may be just the type of opponent Wlad needs to snap him out of jab, clutch, jab, clutch, jab, clutch, right hand.
frazier punches when close, frazier punches when in clinches, frazier just doesn't stop puching and working his way inside. a complete different mentality than the heavyweights of today who come forward. wladimir doesn't even clinch with confidence, he doesn't fight like a big fighter when fighters are able to get close, and that's what would cost him. when foreman fought smaller fighters, he literally pushed them away using his strength, reach and size to the max advantage, even lennox did it at times, and with that uppercut it was deadly inside, butwhile wladimir is the opposite when fighters get close, and he's not decent on the inside. that's one of the big difference of lennox and wladimir.
It's a very good and relevant devil's advocate type argument McGrain, and it does provide food for thought. If Wlad does come otu bombing though, and doesn't immediately hurt or ko him (Frazier was good at ducking!), then Frazier hits him back and Wlad will just start to box. Wladimir boxes him and i don't want to sound nostalgic but i think it would be brutal. A heavy KTFO as they say.
Joe Frazier by stoppage The '71 version of Frazier was one hell of a fighter, really fast, with great head movement. Foreman once said how glad he was he didn't face that version, only a slower diminished version in '73. People are overstating the impact the size difference would have somewhat I believe.
when does wladimir come out bombing? if he's not going to do it against the likes of chambers and the other opponents, then he's not going to do it against a puncher. it's one of the reason why i think haye could be the fighter that lands the bigger blow quicker if they fought.