A look at Wladimir Klitschko title defenses.

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by TheCelestialOneAboveAll, Sep 25, 2018.


  1. TheCelestialOneAboveAll

    TheCelestialOneAboveAll Member banned Full Member

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    The casual boxing fan will just look at how man title defenses Wlad made and believe some how that made him great. They won't look at who he fought and how good that person was.

    Francesco Pianeta - 47 year old Oliver McCall, 44 year old Frans Botha, Nelson Dario Dominquez, and Zach Page. Some how that got him a "title" shot against Wlad.

    Mariusz Wach - Tye Fields, Jason Gavern, Jonathan Hagler, and Kevin McBride.

    Jean Marc Mormeck was 40 himself - Fres Oquendo, Timur Ibragimov, and Vinny Maddalone

    David Haye - Audrey Harrison, washed up John Ruiz, washed up Monte Barrett and Valuev who has a cute record but was never any good.

    Sam Peter II,- Gabe Brown, Nagy Aguilera, Ronald Bellamy, Marcus McGee

    Hasim Rahman who was washed up - Taurus Skyes, Cerrone Fox, and Dicky Ryan.

    Lamon Brewster who was coming off a lost to Siarhei Liakhovich and suffered a detached retina. Brewster wasn't allowed to fight any where in the USA.

    Ray Austin who is a bum and was coming off a draw with Sultan Ibragimov.

    Calvin Brock - Zuri Lawrence, David Bostice, Kenny Craven, and Timur Ibragimov.

    Chris Byrd II. No matter how good you believe Byrd to be he was 36 and coming to a end of his career.

    Sam Peter I. Yanqui Diaz, Gilbert Martinez, Taurus Sykes,

    Frans Botha who was already knocked out by Michael Moorer, Mike Tyson, and Lennx Lewis.

    Derrick Jefferson - Marcus Johnson who was 7-7, Oleg Maskaev, and David Izon. Mind you Jefferson was knocked out by both Maskaev and Izon.

    41 year old Ray Mercer.

    We should also add Wlad being knocked out by Corrie Sanders in a title bout and knocked out by Lamon Brewster in a title bout.

    Once you look at Wlad's career in a logical way you can see he was extremely overrated. Frequently hand picked his opponents once he realized he couldn't take a punch. Those same people who bash Wilder for fighting nobodies which hasn't praise Wlad.
     
    TheCelestialOneAboveAll, Sep 25, 2018
    TheCelestialOneAboveAll, Sep 25, 2018
    #1
  2. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    OK, so who should he have fought instead and why?
     
    janitor, Sep 25, 2018
    janitor, Sep 25, 2018
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  3. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    I think it's more question of who he shouldn't have fought.
    To answer your question
    Tua
    Tyson
    Briggs
    ?
     
    mcvey, Sep 25, 2018
    mcvey, Sep 25, 2018
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  4. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    I don't think that it would be fair to criticize him for fighting anybody who held a belt, or anybody who was a mandatory for a belt that he already held.

    There were also significant issues regarding who he could actually get into the ring with him.

    Taking his title fights in chronological order:

    Byrd - belt holder
    Brock - late substitute for Briggs
    Austin - mandatory
    Brewster - mandatory
    Ibragimov - belt holder
    Tomphson - mandatory
    Rahman - late substitute for Povetkin
    Chagaev - belt holder
    Chambers - ranked #4 by Ring Magazine
    Peter - make what you will of it
    Haye - belt holder
    Mormeck - make what you will of it
    Tomphson - make what you will of it
    Wach - make what you will of it
    Pianeta - make what you will of it
    Povetkin - belt holder
    Leapai - ranked #1 by WBO, so migth have been a mandatory
    Pulev- ranked #1 by Ring Magazine
    Jennings - ranked #5 by Ring Magazine I think
    Fury - mandatory

    When you factor in all of the above, perhaps he could not have done much better.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2018
    janitor, Sep 25, 2018
    janitor, Sep 25, 2018
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  5. Gatekeeper

    Gatekeeper Well-Known Member Full Member

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    He did his best in a truly terrible era, didn't duck anyone that I can think of.

    But he was an awful fighter to watch 9 times out of 10 who fought scared and took zero risks and as soon as he faced a fighter with real skill and a size advantage (Fury) he got schooled.
     
    Gatekeeper, Sep 25, 2018
    Gatekeeper, Sep 25, 2018
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  6. HerolGee

    HerolGee Loyal Member banned Full Member

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    he beat Pov who beat elite Huck. though it was a foulfest which he should ave been DQ for.


    he also beat Haye who was a champ in diluted CW (subdivision of HW) but wasnt a real HW champ.


    also Pteers, Chagy and Iggy, weak titlists but nevertheless titlists.

    Thats about it, sadly, the rest are horrible. People will say, hey everyone fought weak challengers occasionally....but trouble is, some of wladdies best ARE the weak challengers.
     
    HerolGee, Sep 25, 2018
    HerolGee, Sep 25, 2018
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  7. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    Might as well see how he stacks up against the end of year rankings:

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    2005
    Title Vacant
    1. This content is protected
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    3. James Toney
    4. This content is protected
    5. John Ruiz
    6. This content is protected
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    10. Nicolay Valuev
    2006
    Title Vacant
    1. This content is protected
    2. Oleg Maskaev
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    4. James Toney
    5. Shannon Briggs
    6. Serguei Lyakhovich
    7. This content is protected
    8. Nikolay Valuev
    9. This content is protected
    10. John Ruiz
    2007
    Title Vacant
    1. This content is protected
    2. This content is protected
    3. Oleg Maskaev
    4. This content is protected
    5. Nikolay Valuev
    6. This content is protected
    7. Serguei Lyakhovich
    8. Vladimir Virchis
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    10. This content is protected
    2008
    Title Vacant
    1. This content is protected
    2. Vitali Klitschko
    3. This content is protected
    4. This content is protected
    5. Nikolay Valuev
    6. This content is protected
    7. This content is protected
    8. Oleg Maskaev
    9. Juan Carlos Gomez
    10. Alexander Dimitrenko
    2009
    This content is protected
    , Champion

    1. Vitali Klitschko
    2. This content is protected
    3. This content is protected
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    6. Chris Arreola
    7. Denis Boytsov
    8. Nikolay Valuev
    9. Alexander Dimitrenko
    10. This content is protected
    2010
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    , Champion

    1. Vitali Klitschko
    2. This content is protected
    3. This content is protected
    4. Tomasz Adamek
    5. This content is protected
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    7. Denis Boytsov
    8. Nikolay Valuev
    9. Alexander Dimitrenko
    10. Chris Arreola
    2011
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    , Champion

    1. Vitali Klitschko
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    3. Tomasz Adamek
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    5. Alexander Dimitrenko
    6. Robert Helenius
    7. Denis Boytsov
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    9. Chris Arreola
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    2012
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    , Champion

    1. Vitali Klitschko
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    5. Tomasz Adamek
    6. Robert Helenius
    7. Denis Boytsov
    8. This content is protected
    9. Chris Arreola
    10. This content is protected
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2018
    janitor, Sep 25, 2018
    janitor, Sep 25, 2018
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  8. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    You will notice a couple of things from this.

    Apart from of course his brother, his biggest omissions are Maskaev, Valuev, and Adamek.

    For most fighters listed there who he did not fight, he beat the man who beat them, usually taking the fight on the strength of their win.

    I don't have the end of year rankings past 2012, but I know that Povetkin Pullev and Jennings were ranked over this period.

    I have no problem calling that an all time great heavyweight resume.
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2018
    janitor, Sep 25, 2018
    janitor, Sep 25, 2018
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  9. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    Excellent post. Bother not with the OP, you can color him gone.
     
    Mendoza, Sep 25, 2018
    Mendoza, Sep 25, 2018
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  10. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    And we shall remember these halcyon days when we were blessed with the intellectual gifts of one called CelestialOneAboveAll... They were but few and passed all too quickly.
     
    Seamus, Sep 25, 2018
    Seamus, Sep 25, 2018
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  11. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

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    :risas3::applaudit:
     
    BCS8, Sep 26, 2018
    BCS8, Sep 26, 2018
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