Klitschko vs Mercer

Yeah, I watched that live back in 02. I believe Mercer was coming off of a string of victories over low level oppostion, I remember watching a few fights where he punched the one guy out of the ring, the other he decapitated with a right hook before the ref stepped into stop it, similar to what he did to Morrison back in 93.

Wlad was an offensive powerhouse at the time, looked pretty unstoppable. Though one year later his glass chin was exposed and Wlad went from exciting to boring, though more effective under Steward.

 

Wlad worked good with Tommy Brooks but toadys Wlad is a lot better.

 

Wlad is the man. He put Mercer on his can.

 

That was a severe beating Wlad laid on Mercer that night. That was Wlad at full throttle showing what he is capable of, minus any fear of being countered or ko'd. Mercer even managed to land several good hay makers on Wlad that night that didn't move him an inch. I remember that fight very well.

 

I thought this was the fight that he didn't even throw a Right hand?

Oh - that was Ray Austin!

 

He threw everything in that fight. He wanted to KO Mercer because up to that point nobody had ever done it.

 

I'd forgotten that Manny Steward was part of this broadcast. It's interesting to hear him critique Wlad before he was his trainer.

 

I remember being very impressed, that was my first good look at Wlad other than clips. In hindsight though Mercer never did anything again, it wasn't the same Mercer who fought Holyfield or Lewis. Still, it was impressive, particularly the fact that he managed to drop him. I think wlad was a more committed puncher back then but then again that's what got him dumped by Sanders, he's better now than then.

 

I miss that verson of Wlad. Das was un IMPALERSCHTUGEN!

 

Really? Mercer lands only a couple good japs..nothing more, if i remember right.

 

Thats what I remember as well. Wlad's eyes did get a little black and blue, so much so Lamply or Merchant commented on it

 

Mercer landed a lot of jabs actually, all in an effort to disrupt Wlad's attack but to really no avail. There was one punch I remember in particular, I want to say maybe in round five, where Mercer completely unloaded a massive right hand that connected beautifully on Wlad. Wlad looked stunned by the punch for only a second, then started to really poor it on. It was as if he was surprised that Mercer was not done at that point, and not really hurt by the punch. That was Mercers' best punch of the night, but it did nothing to stop the onslaught.

That fight may have been the reason Wlad was so confident afterwards and got KO'd by Sanders. I still think Sanders delivered a monster head butt in combination with the first left hook that put Wlad down based on the fact that Wlad got up from the canvas bleeding from his left temple. But he should have realized that he was hurt badly and either run, or clinched after that. Had he been able to clear his head in that fight, I think he would have taken Sanders deep and drowned him, but that was not the way it went.

 

Wlad needed that loss and the loss the Brewster to understand his own limitations. Some people just need to hit a brick wall every now and again in order to improve.