Who does Wladimir Klitschko have the best chance against, Oleksandr Usyk, Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes

Holmes was never great when people jabbed at him. He had a great jab but wasn't great at dealing with longer fighters who could reach him and he couldn't reach them. So I'll pick Holmes here.

 

He has a good chance vs all of them. I dislike Wlad more than i can describe but Wlad is a tough fight for anyone who isn't an elite 9/10 or 10/10 puncher, and neither Holmes nor Usyk are a 9/10 punchers.

Lewis should smash Wlad given how fragile Wlad was but if Lewis gets careless for even a second, he could get stopped. Lewis was always susceptible to a big shot.

I will give Lewis a 60-40 chance of stopping Wlad.

I give Holmes and Usyk both a 55-45 chance vs Wlad. Holmes is quicker than Wlad and can maintain a higher work rate. Plus he is just plain tougher. I think he can outwork Wlad but he will go through a lot to get it done.

Usyk is more open to the right hand than many of post ww2 heavyweight greats IMO. Yes, he hasn't been floored yet which is a testament to having a great chin and a relatively low number of pro fights. He is very open to the right and Wlad will land that right hand. Against Dubois and Joshua, Usyk was able to discourage them from landing too many rights due to his left handed counter. But like i have said before, if Usyk were to face a hard hitting right handed heavyweight who was willing to consistently let that right go, he could get into serious trouble.

Question is if Wlad will let his right hand go without fearing the counter too much. If he does, he will land a lot as Usyk seems very very open to it. All southpaws are.

I still like to think Usyk has enough skill, speed and stamina to outwork Wlad and win a close decision. He isn't quite as light on his feet as 78-80 Holmes but is still a good mover with an excellent jab and a good left. I think he should win but he will be open to both Wlad's right hand and left hook.

 

Out of these 3, it's Holmes, Holmes probably beats him on points in a fairly competitive fight, the other 2 knock him out.

 

I think he beats them all.

 

I'd say Lewis. I'd definitely favor Lewis over Wlad, but he had more than enough power to put Lennox on the floor.

 

I don't see a world where Lewis doesn't KO Wlad. He's quicker, more fluid, hits just as hard, has a better chin and while just as skilled; he's much more well rounded in terms of strategies which didn't get him KTFOd. Wlad was more focused and disciplined in the ring however, so he would have a chance just not a very good one. Vitali, imo, is a plain better fighter than Wlad, and an old Lewis was too much for him. I have a feeling Lewis would both respect and slightly fear a tall puncher like Wlad and so would go after him. Recipe for disaster for Wlad imo.

Usyk apparently did well in sparring against Klitschko, and I just think his chin, ring IQ, southpawness and the way he handled similar sized guys and punchers to Wlad gives him a very good chance of beating Wlad with his frames, footwork, timing and workrate.

I agree with those who've said Holmes. Jabbing with him is a good idea and I have a feeling their fight would be a cagey jab match at arm's reach, which favours Wlad. While I can see Holmes being spiteful and clubbing Wlad into a stoppage, I think that's far more unlikely than the Lewis and Usyk winning.

 

I think there is a world where Wlad beats LL. I'm just curious what the game plan is for Lennox: 1) Try to box with Wlad 2) Make it a street fight like Vitali. I don't agree that Lennox has a better chin. Wlad always gets up and beats the count in 69 fights - Lennox didn't beat the count in 2 of his 44 fights. Wlad at 41 with no warm-up fight gets knocked down by AJ (a much bigger puncher than McCall or Rahman) and he kept getting up. Back to the fight, I think Wlad does what Wlad does, uses the jab and holds Lennox when he gets close. He probably lands a few right hands. I'm not sure if he would use the left hook, but I'd imagine Lennox would try to blitz Wlad. I think if Vitali can land some clean shots than Wlad would definitely land something clean and his punches are faster and harder.

 

Usyk - Rush
Lennox -Thin Lizzy
Holmes - Van Halen
Wlad - Nickelback

 

I don't know music bands too well but I take it Nickelback is terrible compared to the others?

 

He's never going to outbox Wlad his only chance is 2) whether he can though is the question.

 

If he focuses on it like Holyfield I and Tua fights, its definitely possible.
But I think he will jump on him, ala Ruddcok/Golota/Grant style.

 

Holmes would be very tough. Larry had size and speed and skill and was very tough and determined. He’d have his hands full but could beat him with the size power and skills he brings probably better than anyone Holmes ever fought. By the same token Holmes may be better then anyone Wald ever actually beat.

 

Holmes and Usyk can outbox Wlad, but I don't think they are knocking him out, so they are at a bit of disadvantage. They are both elite boxers tho. If I had to pick which one of them would be better suited for Wlad it would be Holmes - he's vulnerable to right hands and Wlad may take advantage of that. Usyk has elite defence, engine, is a southpaw and reportedly already embarrassed Wlad in sparring.

Lewis wouldn't be able to outbox Wlad imo. He's too sloppy and not as quick and explosive as Wlad. He needs to make it a dog fight like he did against Vitali. In this scenario, Wlad's chin may go first, but Wlad hits way harder than Vitali, and if he lands his right hand/left hook clean on Lewis, it may be lights out. 50/50 here.

So I would say, out of these 3, Holmes would be the easiest fight for Wlad, then Lewis, then Usyk.