People in this thread really saying small LHWs & CWs like Jack Dempsey and Joe Frazier would've beaten a 6'7 250lbs modern giant. As much as I respect Charles, he'd last quite long before being blasted out. But..Jeffries..Johnson and bloody Jess effing Willard ? What are you, high or something ?
Bowe Liston Foreman Holmes Ali Louis Dempsey Walcott Fury Holyfield Lewis Vitali's winning resume is dog ****.
The President would have whipped his tail. A landslide as Ike would easily have enough Electoral votes to call the election by the 6 or 7th round. Vitali concedes on his stool, vowing his brother will get revenge.
Frazier wouldn't care if Vitali was 6-7 or 6-3. It would make no difference as Joe is not a stand up fighter. He would use being shorter to his advantage. He couldn't keep Joe on the outside if he were 7ft. Vitali not a huge puncher, strong yes, he moves well for a man that size, sort of. Vitali would be moving like he was in quicksand compared to a relentless, attacking style of Frazier. It's all relative.. Vitali isn't knocking Frazier out, and Joe probably isn't knocking Vitali out. Most of the fight is Frazier in his chest, punishing the body, occasionally hooking to the Ukranian's head. Some good exchanges early but it would get one sided sooner than most would expect. Vitali's face would tell the story of the fight. I don't know that Vitali is gonna quit but his team would call it.
I would not favor anyone over Vitali although there would be some close calls. Top 3 best chances Lennox Lewis - 50/50 - Vitali was beating him in the first fight , so taking a few years off of Lewis would make it closer. Tyson - 40/60 - Vitali will trade, and Tyson could land some devastating uppercuts and Left Hooks before he is tied up. That said, even in his prime the bigger fighters always gave him trouble. Ali - 40/60 If he stays on his bike, and boxes and dances all night he could win on points. Liston - would go down in a war, but he was just too small to hang. Holyfield -would be battered over 10 Vitali almost never lost a round in any fight, was never down, had one of the highest KO% in history, and was very busy. Unless a fighter is tall enough to match his range, or quick enough to get inside, I do not see any former greats being able to hurt him or outbox him. Once Vitali takes over the range game, it is pretty much all over for a contender. I always see some of the greats making it a quite good match until about 4 rounds go by. Vitali will not be going down, and his power will gain respect, after that his stamina kicks in and he grinds everyone into defeat. Vitali is the #1 H2H heavyweight for a reason.
Wouldn't care ? But Frazier would have to care. Klitschko had an excellent sense of distance and range and could stay outside by using his jab and lean back style. He would be the biggest and strongest fighter Frazier had ever faced and Frazier himself would've been overwhelmed. No one ever overwhelmed Vitali & Frazier would've gotten his face jabbed in every couple of seconds and would've been completely overpowered in the clinch if he tries to lean on Vitali and land body shots.
All the swarmer's like Frazier and Marciano would have to get inside, and Vitali was no slouch there. They could land some shots, but the energy they expend while fighting a much bigger and stronger man on the inside would wear them down. This is why I do not see any swarmer getting to Vitali. Unless they have massive power and can somehow crack the Iron chin of VK within 4 rounds they began to tire out. Remember, Vitali was never down and Lennox Lewis who is a huge puncher hit him with an uppercut so hard it would have felled an ox- Vitali did not even blink. Vitali then starts landing from the outside and just beats them down.
Holmes, Tucker, Witherspoon, Bowe, Tyson, Holyfield, Frazier, Ali, Foreman, Norton, Louis, Golota, Fury, Joshua, Wilder, Byrd, Lewis, Cooney, Young, Folley, Machen, Liston. For starters.
Joe Bugner had an excellent sense of distance and a better jab than Vitali , he couldn't keep Frazier off him. Vitali never proved in his career that he was better than Joe Bugner. The eye test shows Bugner had better skills and defence. Both Frazier and Ali found it difficult to hit him clean. Vitali lost to 208lb Chris Byrd and felt it was in his best interests to avoid the rematch. These facts prove many former greats and top competitors would have the beating of him.
Klitschko was better than Bugner. Plain and simple. Byrd had a significantly different style, and he didn't lose to Byrd, he quit because of a serious rotator cuff injury. I don't know where you got the information of him avoiding a rematch with Byrd.
In your mind Klitschko is better than everybody but in reality he only proved to be better than a washed up Sam Peter and shot to bits Corrie Sanders. He was no better than Joe Bugner and thats a fact. . You will reduce yourself to saying a Joe Bugner was no good just because he lost to Frazer. You don't like it that a guy very similar to Vitali lost to Bugner. It destroys your argument. Vitali never rematched Byrd. K2 made Byrd fight Wlad instead. Thats a duck
Ah come on, why do people dislike the Klitschko brothers so much ? Slightly favouring Klitschko in any matchup doesn't mean that he's better than everyone. I agree with Vitali lacking good wins but his style was good enough to give anyone trouble. Bugner was a solid fighter, above average but not great. But Vitali was most likely better than him on H2H abilites. Just saying, the A beat B so A will automatically beat C logic doesn't apply in boxing.