His hype train is getting real fast here on ESB, It is taken as fact that he WILL be the future of the division to most posters. But while he is a good prospect, he is being blown way out of proportion, Even if he wins the IBF tournament, can you really see him beating Wlad? Ok he has beaten what a 40 year old Larry Donald. OMG. His style is Ok, some good quick (no faster) and crisp (no harder) combos, and a busy style. Does anybody remember THE future of the heavyweights a certain Michael Grant... or a certain Younger Waldo? My point is that you cannot possibly say he IS the future of the division at this stage, while I admit he is a fine prospect. And just If..Just If he does become unified champion... I cannot think of a less marketable guy, particularly in the US, where like it or not, is where it really matters...A David Haye on the other hand....hehe:yep :yep :yep
He is by far the best prospect out there right now, hence he is the "future" of the heavyweight division. He has an exciting style of fighting. Not a big puncher but he is a skilled come-forward fighter who is extremely skilled; double left hooks, fluent combinations, and he is the only fighter in the division (as far as i know) who i have seen hooking off the jab. The only weakness that i have spotted thusfar is that he seems to slug it out a bit too much here and now; like a young Holyfield. At least that makes for an exciting fight though. His stamina and chin are unproven at world class level, but he had no problems with either so far, so it looks good. I understand your sceptism as indeed Grant feel apart and so did Wlad (although he re-established himself). Povetkin is moving up very fast in class; who faces a skilled veteran like him in his 14th pro fight? Maybe Ali against Archie Moore. Time will tell how far he can go; i do agree that it's hard to see him beating Wlad, because he seems to lack what is best against Wlad (big punching power & relentless pressure: although he does apply some pressure, he's no Joe Frazier). But so far he's not clearly lost a round yet, there were a few close ones against Ahunanya (who is an excellent defensive fighter, by the way) and that's it. To put things into perspective: The fight with Larry Donald was a complete shutout, whereas Donald won something like 7 or 8 rounds against Valuev in 2005 on a fair scorecard.
He has all the tools and talent to be a long reigning new champ. I am not sure whether he will be able to beat Wlad or not,but I am quite sure that his markebility is quite limited. Sure,he is a great fighter,and he was one of the most dominating forces of all times at the amateurs,but he looks as though butter would not melt in his mouth.He doesnt have a fighter's face,and he desperately lacks charisma. He cant speak neither German or English. His statements in Russian are dull,and he doesnt appeal to neither the femal e fans out there nor to the casual sport fans. David Haye? Who the hell is David Haye? The guy who was knocked out by Brit Thompson? The guy who knocked out a Polish journeyman in his first fight at heavy weight? The future of the big boys' division? Give me a break,mate!
well david haye is the soon to be undisputed, linear cruiser champ. I am not trying to infer that he is the better prospect, particularly at heavyweight. I will wait until he permanently moves up to decide upon that.. However what I was saying is that he is marketable as they come, and if he were american, would be talked about as the exciting, muscular, marketable, black heavyweight the division (and Boxing) so desperatley needs, instead of these fat russians who however good they are,will never ever capture the publics imagination like david haye could(that is if he is any good at heavyweight)
Capture the imagination? He fights in York Hall in front of 900 people whereas Povetkin fights in Olympisky in front of 20,000. His fights aren't broadcast in 25 countries. Sorry but Haye failed in his first big test with Thompson, an a lot of people view him as someone that takes looking good more seriously than being a good fighter. Oh and the idea that a muscular black heavyweight is what the division needs is stupid. What the division, like any division, needs is a crop of talented fighters and one man that can be called the champ for them to challenge.
i've met povetkin briefly at the max schmeling training camp in germany and my opinion was that despite seemingly having all the right tools, is very much on the small side. went to show when he was unable to stop donald. the old donald was able to keep control and stay out of trouble with ease despite being outworked.
Fat Russians? Sultan Ibragimov ? Nikolay Valuev? Well,the Klitschko brothers are Ukranians,but you probably dont know the difference anyway. The Klitschko brothers fat? By the way the Klitschko brothers are household names in a lot of countries? They are really big! Haye? A local British fighter! Even most British sport fans have never heard his name.As good as he may be he is still totally unknown among sport fans around the world.
You have to really look at the entire division to understand why. Many of these guys don't have much for an amateur career. And furthermore don't have the best trainers money can buy nor the connection to really make it work. And he matches up very well with Waldo. The two things that really trouble Waldo are activity and pressure. Povetkin presents this in that he can keep the big man anxious and apply pressure enough that he may wear down. I've yet to see a Waldo fight where he didn't gas out around the 7th round.
Donald has only been stopped by Vitali, all this talk about not stopping Donald as being a sign that Povetkin will come up short in the pros is ridiculous, many people think Donald beat Valuev and Povetkin won every round.
Valuev is no bench mark. I'm convinced that holyfiled would decision him even now. Stopping a very old version of donald is the least i would expect from a hard hitting prospect. donald was never troubled which makes me think povetkin cannot handle larger heavyweights unlike tyson could.
Valuev would kill Holyfield, and Donald beat Holyfield. Tyson would not have stopped Donald, a prime Bowe couldn't and it took a 6'8" 250 pound Vitali ten rounds. Sorry but this argument that not stopping Donald means that Povetkin cannot hit hard enough to hang with big heavies is weak. Bostice went ten with Krasniqi, twelve with Brock, got blasted out in two by Povetkin, why don't you bring that up?
I'm sorry but Klitschko, Ibragimov, Chagaev, Maskaev, Liakhovich & Valuev are not fat. American, Canadian & British HW's are generally fatter. Look at Danny Williams, Kirk Johnson, etc.
Dude, of course I know the difference, its just that the simple truth is an uncharismatic, chubby russian like povetkin, however good he may be, will never appeal to the casual fan, and thus will never rekindle the sport of boxing from what is now, sadly an 'alternative' sport. And who outside of proper boxing fans has heard of Povetkin? Like it or not, boxing needs another Tyson, a slightly bonkers, self destructive tabloid filling knockout artist.
That is what boxing needs to please hardcore fans, but to truly make it a huge sport again, it needs another heavyweight in the mould of Mike Tyson, like it ir not
No it doesn't. Haye also isn't Tyson, Haye will probably be more like Frank Bruno. Povetkin has been knocking people out, solid people. Also sports fans don't care if their heavyweights are body beautifuls, and calling Povetkin chubby is ridiculous he doesn't have a six pack but he is very solid, they care that heavyweights can win. So far Povetkin has shown that he can consistently, and if you think 20,000 fans in an arena twice are just hard core boxing fans then you are crazy. 20,000 people in an arena is casual and hard core fans. Haye is an example of someone hard core fans know, evidenced by his 900 person shows at York Hall. By the way his name is Haye not gay, don't talk about his body. Truly make it a huge sport you say? Boxing is bigger than ever, maybe not in the US, but it has exploded and has broader global appeal than at any point in its history.