Aside from Corrie sanders and Sam peter, who is Vitali Klitschko’s best opponent?

Herbie Hide

 

Probably Hide or Johnson.

 

Adamek was rated number 3 in the world when Vitali faced him, so probably him.

 

Hide was European level at that point.

 

He was reigning WBO champion

 

Yeah, Adamek was ranked the highest, but I'm convinced Hide was better and would have beaten Adamek. Likely Johnson would have too.

It looked to me like Vitali was carrying Adamek after KD'ing Tomaz early, feeling obliged to elongate what was a huge event in Poland.

Granted he did stop Hide early, but was outsped and outboxed in the first round by a Hide who at least had sufficient power to get Vitali's attention, unlike Adamek, who wasn't capable of outboxing Vitali for 1 second, let alone 1 round.

 

WBO belt had no value at the time.

 

I'd say Briggs, although Chisora has had amazing longevity. Arreola was also knocking about the top levels for years after Vitali beat him like a drum

 

Arreola got beaten by Adamek tho, so it automatically makes Adamek a better scalp.

 

Your point.

 

Briggs is the best name. Lineal, 2x champ, 50 KOs, USBA/NABO champ. He wasn't that guy while Vitali beat him.

So far as the best fighter Vitali beat I'm going to throw out a name you don't have listed. Vaugh Bean. Bean was 47-2 and 27 years old at the time. While Bean had a truly putrid win column he won 3 rounds against Holyfield and 4 against Moorer. Later on he won 3 rounds against Tony Thompson. Bean was probably the best HW Vitali defeated in the ring. All 4 of his other losses are competitive against serious opponents. So Vitali did something better than Moorer and Holy there.

Bean never beat a boxer above the journeyman level(dictionary journeyman who are around .500) and he only beat a few journeymen. But lack of accomplishments isn't lack of capability. And I mean isn't that a much more extreme version of Vitali's career?

 

Hide was his best opponent, while he was operating in WBO land.

Vitali's WBC runs were both woeful, with the Briggs matchup representing perhaps the nadir of the Klitschko era.

There are mere scraps to choose from when discussing Vitali's ledger.

 

For me, it's definitely Arreola, and no one even comes close. In terms of CV, maybe Hide or Chisora, but considering his pure athleticism during the fight, it's definitely Chris. Although Dereck was also strong. Briggs, Adamek, and especially Johnson were completely hopeless. I don't like the Hide fight. It's hard to say what happened there. Herbie was a strange boxer.

 

WBO Champion in the 90's? Exactly. European Level