Evander Holyfield 1988-1993 vs Wladimir Kiltschko 2007-2012 who takes it in a best of 3?

Wlad was absolutely dismantling everyone he faced in this period no matter the size or style.

 

I’d go 3–0 for Wladimir. I know that might sound bold to some, but stylistically this is a nightmare for Holyfield. From 1988–1993, Holyfield was fast, had great stamina, sharp combos but he also struggled badly when dealing with size, reach, and a disciplined jab.

Look at the Bowe fights—especially the first one. Bowe kept him at range with a consistent jab, punished him when he tried to close the gap, and roughed him up on the inside. Even later on, against Lennox Lewis, Holyfield couldn’t find consistent ways to break range. He'd get stuck at the end of the jab, and once he got close, he was either clinched or shoved off balance.

Now take Wladimir from 2007–2012—he was even more disciplined and risk-averse than Lewis or Bowe. He mastered the art of controlling distance with the jab, and any time an opponent got near, he’d clinch instantly and sap their rhythm. His size advantage over Holyfield would be enormous, and unlike the younger, more reckless version of Wlad, this version wouldn’t give Holyfield many clean looks.

Holyfield doesn’t have the one-punch power to turn the fight with a single shot, and Wlad’s style would force him to reset over and over again. I just don’t see Evander being able to get meaningful work done across three fights. Wlad wins all three by wide UD or maybe even a late stoppage if Holyfield gets desperate and walks into something big.

 

Holyfield past his prime had a very competitive fight vs a prime Lewis who had much more dog in him than Wladimir in the sense he could exchange punches and tough it out in a grueling battle.

Wladimir isn't capable of doing that he's too cautious to exchange punches and can't fight on the inside relying on his superb jab size and clinching.

I think Holyfield would have too stamina too much dog in him and would beat Wladimir if both at their peak.

 

I am going with PRIME and HEALTHY Evander Holyfield over PRIME Wladimir Klitschko..

 

I think Wlad wins two out of three. Holyfield wins fight one because Wlad has never expereinced what he has trained for. Evander overwhelms him and wins a clear points victory. And I mean clear. Outworks him, outhussles him, outmans him. In fight two, I think Wlad has his gauge of range, uses his prodigious power effectively and yes, efficiently spoils in close. He adapts now he knows what he has to do, and he wins a rather dull affair clearly by points. In the third fight, Evander manges to get inside but Wlad is better at timing him and stops him before the tenth.

I much prefer Evander as a fighter, but I think Wlad is wrong for him as an opponent. More physical attributes than Bowe but with a much better boxing brain....

 

I honestly think Holy although there are the usual PEDs objections.

 

I went with Klitschko taking 2 out of 3, and giving Evander the benefit of the doubt that he might pull out 1. I love Holyfield but Wlad just had too many tools and advantages.

 

Fixed that for ya

Evander starches Wlad 3X

 

Bowe and Lewis both had wonderful uppercuts. Wlad does not like to throw that shot.

Wlad is very disciplined but we have to factor in the excessive cliching the refs allowed him to get away with. That level of clinching should not be allowed. Period.

With fair refs, i can see Holyfield winning at least 1 out of 3. Maybe even 2 of 3.

 

That’s a fair critique about Wlad’s clinching but I think we also have to be honest about Holyfield: he was never the cleanest fighter himself. The guy was notorious for using his head, elbows, low blows you name it. He bent the rules constantly when he needed. So if we’re factoring in officiating, it cuts both ways.

And on the uppercut point yeah, Bowe and Lewis used it well, but only because they got into inside exchanges regularly. Wlad’s whole game was built around denying that space. He didn’t need an uppercut because he didn't let opponents get into the pocket clean.

Even with a stricter ref, I still think Wlad has the style edge. Holyfield struggled with rangy, disciplined big men who kept him from working inside. He wasn’t a great jab evader, didn’t have fight-ending power, and if he couldn’t overwhelm you with pace and volume, he had trouble taking control.

So maybe Evander nabs one if everything lines up but across three fights? I still see Wlad taking it 2–1 or 3–0. Too big, too smart, too good at draining the rhythm out of a fight before it ever starts.

 

I think Evander evens the field (see what I did there?) and takes them as well.

 

I wonder what Dino's opinion on this will be?

 

Why are you derailing the thread with this pointless non-sense?













He’d quite obviously have Wlad winning 3-0, all knock outs.