Age is a funny thing, especially for athletes. A champion that dominates one year can be washed up the next. Generally regarded as the number 2 heavyweight on the earth, imho, Vitali Klitschko is well past it. His fights against lightly-regarded Kingpin Johnson and sparring partner in training Sosonowski are a testatment to this. Yes, his fans still make excuses for him. But the never fleet of hand or foot Vitali was leather-fisted molasses in his last two fights. Of course, he still has a good chin and solid defense, but his offense has come and gone. In my humble opinion, again, David Haye, Eddie Chambers and maybe even the craven Povetkin would beat this version of Vitali. Shame on Haye for not taking the fight.
yeah perhaps haye will be kicking himself when briggs beats vitali somehow! But at the other hand, haye wouldnt waste a second and sign to fight briggs ...
*This version*of Vitali has lost very few rounds since his comeback in which he has fought all top rated contenders, mandatories, and only one stay busy fight in Sosnowski. And he has not even come close to being beaten. Peter, Arreola, Gomez.........all there one sided affairs. Utter and complete dominance, every fight. Really depleted, aint he?
yep still good enough to beat most of them! i just hope he retires somewhere in 2011! make the solis fight and haye!
This. Its amazing how people see only what they wanted to see in the first place. Next he'll be telling us that Haye dominated Valuev and almost knocked him out.
All of these opinions are subjective, the facts are he's barely lost a round, let alone a fight since coming back. By beating Samuel Peter he regained his belt, but of course Peter was not who he once was. Beating Juan Carlos Gomez wasn't going to blow anyone's mind. After he beat Arreola he was "unstoppable." After he beat Bowling Pin he was "finished." After he beat Sosnowski he was a "joke." If he fought Solis and defeated him, people would just say he beat another fat heavyweight. If he fought Valuev and defeated him, after the novelty wore off people would say that Valuev was one of the worst belt holders in history. A fight with Chambers could be interesting, but he would probably win, against an undersized heavyweight of course who is also one of Wlad's leftovers. Povetkin doesn't have the guts to get in the ring with a Klitschko. I don't see how Vitali can really show his worth against the level of competition that is available.
Vitali has been looking pretty damned good in all of his comeback fights. IMO, he is still the best heavyweight around right now. I would not favor anyone to beat him, including his little brother.
Only one stay busy fight? Kingpin Johnson had never beaten a fighter in the top 30. Still, he lasted all twelve with Vitali. It was an embarrassing fight on every level.
Stong opinions are nice. But they have to be supported by actual facts to carry any weight. Vitali was awful against Kingpin Johnson and Sosonowski. Beating up on fighters that were little more than sparing partners shouldn't impress anyone.
The superlatives and pejoratives that you mentioned were appropriate at the time. Vitali has clearly slipped in his last few fights. Again, I am a fan. I've been watching him since he beat up on Larry Donald all those years ago. And there absolutely nothing shameful about time catching up with a fighter, it happens to them all. The problem is delusional fans.
I'm not a Haye fan, buttnugger. I'm a realist. Age has caught up to Vitali, end of story. Not even them most avid and delusional fans could have been impressive with his performance against lightly-regarded Sosonowski.
I agree. I like Vitali but to me his recent wins have merely masked the fact that he is looking semi-shot when you look at what he's doing closely. Briggs won't beat him but Haye could.
Since he is 39 years old and has mutliple, well documented major surgeries, yeah, he may have slowed down a touch. When he losses two rounds in a fight, or when Haye grows a pair and fights him, the rest of us will worry about it. Until then, he is still the champ, he still fights, and dominates, the best guys he can get in the ring, you are a keyboard warrior, and that is all.
Of course, no shame in that at all. The guy's pushing 40 soon. He's looked slower ever since he came back. The only fight where he had to move was against Arreola, which was a very good performance for him. Yes, he's faded, but I would not put money on Haye.