An honest assessment of Wlad vs. the ATGs results in conclusions we don't like.

an emotionally stabile wlad gives everybody problems. even if there might be some chin issues. an iron chinned wlad would be almost unbeatable...

 

Totaly agree with you there mate,im a big wlad fan to be honest,and i really dont think people realise just how big and strong and hard the guy hits,to be honest he did **** me of in the past,those losses were not to great,but he has come back in superb style.

I also know being big and strong is not everything and yes his chin at times is very suspect,but this is boxing,some talk on here as if going down after being hit makes you crap,which is just being silly,its how you react to it after,have you the heart to get back up and get stuck in.

I really think on his day,he could beat every man in the all time top 10 heavyweights.Im not being silly either,the chances are he would fair bad against some for sure,but he is just so powerful,i can see him giving hell to any man that ever laced a glove and stepped between the posts.

I think we all have a tendency to look back at the good old days,the older you get,the more we view just 10 or 15 years back as great times,and yet they were probaly not as good as we really think,but thats human nature i guess.

 

Wlad , with all of his shortcomings , is nonetheless an awesome physical presence with speed, skill, and power. In match ups with ATG's his lack of durability would hurt his chances for victory.
But considering that "styles make fights", Wlad would probably have his best chance against the greatest of them all, Ali. Just the way Wlad looks awesome and unbeatable against Bryd, Wlad would look good against Ali because of the lack of a huge power punch on Muhammads part.A fifteen round fight would be in Ali's favor, but over twelve wlads chances would increase.With his height, reach, power and speed Wlad may have troubled Ali greatly.
But at the same time, many of Ali's victims would obliterate Wlad . George Foreman would have murdered Wlad and so would Joe Frazier and Sonny Liston. What may surprise some fans is that Wlad probably wouldn't do so well against contenders such as Jerry Quarry who could take a punch, go the distance, and sock really well himself.George Chuvalo would eventually catch Wlad as well.But against anyone who can't hit that hard, Wlad would be very dangerous.

 

Wlad to me is a funny character. At his best he maybe unbeatable and even give Lewis a run for his money. But for me it's not his chin that's a problem, although that's part of the equation, rather he tends to freeze up and panick if someone actually fights back. Admittedly, most don't get the opportunity to do so, but those that do, seem to cause him problems. Another shortcoming I see in him, is the doesn't seem to have a complete selections of punches and occassionally lacks fluidity. For example when's the last time you saw him through an upper cut? Don't misunderstand, I certainly see him doing well in an h2h basis against the ATG's, certainly top 10, but there are fighters in this elite group who might be able to expose those shortcomings. And this isn't a knock on Wlad, because every fighter, even ATG's have some shortcomings. For example, Ali, never punched to the body, went straight back and had really in inside fighting skills. Lewis was obviously too complacent at times, and he didn't have the best chin.

 

Some people think Ibragimov is a mediocre fighter. If that is true then we will see if Klitschko really is a "machine." I think there is a good possibility that Ibragimov won't just stand there and get hit like the bums Klitschko has been fighting lately. Klitschko doesn't have a good record against opponents who move and fight back.

 

Yep, definitely has a shot against anyone. I think Mike Tyson would take his head off, though....

Edit: A prime Tyson, obviously not now.

 

Probably would, Klitschko doesn't like oponents who fight back.

 

If he had his brothers chin, some might say he would be pretty unbeatable, but he hasn't. But his chin is no the only the problem, its the way he panics when he gets hit. He would fold under the pressure of any legitimate ATG heavyweight. He has never fought anything like an elite, prime heavyweight, guys like Lewis, Tyson and Bowe would murder Wlad. He may be every bit as strong, powerful and skilled as any of these guys if not more so, but he panics when hit, and his chin is terrible. Many fighters have all the tools but for whatever reason, be it chin, heart, desire, will get beat by all the true elite fighters thay face. Take Golota for example.

I am not hating on Wlad, he has looked great recently, but what is his best win? Peter? His resume is pathetic, sure there aint any good names out there, its not his fault, but throw in getting KOed by Purrity, Sanders AND Brewster, think logically guys, how in the **** can you give him a chance against the likes of Lewis, Tyson, Ali, Frazier and Holyfield. These guys would blow him out in the early rounds, if he cannot take pressure from the likes of Sanders, then ****, how could he last a round against a prime Tyson?

If he had a chin, and did not panic when someone actually fought back against him, he matches up well against anyone. The sad fact is, he doesn't.

 

No ATG would lose to Corrie Sanders.

 

I think if theres anytime to praise Manny Stewart (since the Jermain Taylor fiasco) its with Wlad. Manny really did put the finishing touches on Wlad, thought him to work behind his jab, and show that right only when necessary and thus conserving energy, and not leaving himself open to counters. While all that sounds easy to change, being a world champion and letting someone come in and help you change your previously successful style is also a praise of Wlad. If he keeps it up, which he looks like he will, hell be an ATG, and then i think the comparisons will be more appropriate.

 

Very true...when you look at Wladimir's resume, it's one of a very good champion, but one who doesn't qualify for all time great status. When you actually watch him fight, he looks like an all time great methodically doing his thing. His height, reach, technical skills, potent jab, and concussive power make him a not only the best heavyweight today by far, but also a threat to anybody in the history of boxing.