Vitali Klitschko vs “The Golden era”? Contenders?

I think that they should rank right next to each other, but people tend to put Foreman absurdly high. Adamek also made it to no. 1 contender status fwiw.

I’m also not quite sure how to rank the Solis win. I think Solis was a good fighter but didn’t bother proving it esp after he got paid, and the injury was kind of flukish. It would probably be a much more highly regarded win if the injury had happened six rounds in.

 

Well, Luis Ortiz was winning the Wilder fights. So? Golota was winning the Bowe fights. So? You can be winning, but still lack something to close the deal. Vitali lacked durability. Also, Byrd took Klitschko on 10 days notice and still managed to bother him enough for him to injure himself and quit on his stool. Also, Vitali wasn't dominating the fight at all. Byrd only landed 8 less punches and was far more accurate. He wasn't crushing Lennox either. He was winning 4-2 with a lot of press guys having it 3-3. He was getting the facelift in that ring and was ultimately stopped.

I base my H2H look on real accomplishments. If you look like a beast against second and third tier heavyweights, it doesn't mean that much to me. If you fail 50% of the time you are fighting on the elite level, I have to take this into consideration. If the fighter is injury prone, which heavily impacted his career, that's it. And Vitali had a glass body, which did way more damage to his career than the glass jaw of his brother impacted him.

 

Just as an add.

Byrd was getting dominated, even when VK was one armed he was WAY ahead and would have cruised to the win.

The scorecards after nine rounds read 88-83, 88-83, and 89-82 in favor of Klitschko . Byrd was losing badly.


VK was ahead 58-56 on all 3 judges cards vs Lewis. VK was busting him up before the cut.


I know a lot of people want to downplay VK, but , after some research I think he is very underrated. Injury prone, sure, but of he stayed healthy through the fight who could beat him?

 

If Vitali lacked durability you are lacking brains

 

Well, I'm lacking brains then, cause Vitali literally retired because he couldn't stop getting injured.