Are both Klitschko brothers over rated?

any boxer recognized as a top 3 heavyweight in any era is dificult to overrate, let alone number one or two

 

if they were American, why wouldn't they be more popular in the west

 

If the brothers were American I'd hope the public would still identify the copetition for what it is. I mean those guys you mentioned were great amatures, sure, but who have they beaten? I'll use the LL v Vitali comparison but I'm NOT making this about that fight. Lewis was out of shape and past prime and still gave Vitali the toughest fight of his career. A prime Lewis pisses on those guys you mentioned, IMO that's the level of opposition you need to fight, not good fighters, GREAT fighters and unfortunatly for those 2 that level of opponent is nowhere to be seen.

 

It was much worse when Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, & Larry Holmes were fighting. Tyson beat more stiffs one his way to a title himself.

 

Peter McNeely, Tyrell Biggs, Bonecrusher Smith & Steve Zouski were stellar opposition I guess?

 

Great post. The only guys that complain about this era being the worst are people who don't like the guys that rule, the Klitschkos. Most of them are little kids who've only seen highlight reels on Youtube.

 

Both are not as good as guys like ^^^ say and not as bad as the haters say. They're like real-life versions of Mason "The Line" Dixon from the last Rocky movie; they're both very good (albeit in different ways) but each is the only real competition for the other, and since they refuse to fight, they can only fight what's in front of them, which is possibly the weakest HW division in history.

 

Both Klitschkos are overrated. They just have a basic boxing style but they use their physical attributes and it works for them. Until somebody finds a way to beat them though, they are the true HW champions and I give them credit for it.

 

Spoken like an ignorant fool. Congrats, you're good at something. :thumbsup

 

I don't think the concepts are mutually exclusive. It can be a weak era, and the guys ruling it can still be really good fighters.
I think the era is pretty weak. You have b-listers from the 90's still hanging around only now as top level guys. But, I also think that both Klitschkos are really good fighters. I even think when he's done, Wlad will be considered a great fighter (if he keeps on winning)
If Ali were dumped in today's division, would he somehow become bad? Of course not.
The Klitschkos don't have many tough challengers out there; but, it's not like they are struggling against these guys either. They have barely lost any rounds! Even in a weak era, that is impressive.

 

I think a few of these guys were spoiled by the ninties. But its time to end this farce that this is a particularly bad era. Its an average era, really. Like most heavyweight champs, the Klits are fighting for hisotry, and not appreciation at the moment,

 

Good points except the part about how 90's B-Rated guys are considered top contenders.

They aren't.

Most of us are aware that Ruiz, Tua, Rahman, Holyfield, Golota, etc. are just getting high rankings due to them being former champs & good contenders, with a bit of corruption thrown in.

Obviously I didn't mean that Holy was a B-Rated fighter, either but that's what he's become, and he still beat Valuev in most people's eyes.

That doesn't mean that today's era sucks either, it just means that the Giant is very protected by Don King.

 

I would agree that the 90's were particularly good for Heavyweight boxing. That doesn't mean today's fighter's aren't good though........................

I'd say today's era has a lot of diversity in styles, which is to say not an easy era to rule in.

 

I've seen their "Tyson's Greatest Hits" volumes 1 & 2 many times & I laugh at the way some posters here make like he was KOing these great fighters. He was fighting white guys with afros, handle bar moustaches & the kind of gym shorts they wore in the 70's. None of them went on to be anything after Mike beat them. That says a lot.

Who here can say they even heard of Peter McNeeley before Mike fought him?

Do you think a fighter like Tex Cobb would get a title shot today? Larry Holmes still couldn't knock him out! What if Wlad fought Tex? Can you imagine the outcry if Wlad did?