That is a significant boost to Povetkin's legacy in my eyes. He just beat the Ring Magazine #2 contender, at the age of 40. He doesn't have a style that ages well either! We assume that there were two top heavyweights in Wlad's era but perhaps there were three?
Side note, Rahman wasn't introduced when he should have been, so he's active for votes too. Both Rahman and Wlad will have their votes close on Monday night. Rhaman should have at least one win over Tua, he earned the 2nd fight. Rhaman's top 5. Lewis Sanders Sullivan Barrett Meehan
I've always said Wlad and Vitail are 1A and 1B and Povetkin could have been a champion at another time. He has some old school toughness in him that is showing as he slows down.
Wladimir Klitschkos 5 best wins 1 Povetkin - Very good heavyweight. Spent almost a decade as a top 5 heavyweight, not many non-lineal heavies have done that 2 Byrd - I’d pick their second fight. Byrd was considered one of if not the best heavyweight at that time. 3 Chagaev - Good heavyweight. Highly rated at the time 4 Haye - Criuserweight champion, heavyweight title holder, and dangerous fighter. Could be moved up a spot 5 Pulev - Another long time contender with some good wins to his credit. A lot of good fighters left. A 6-10 would look something like this: 6 Ibragimov 7 Peter 1 8 Chambers 9 Thompson 10 McCline There’s still guys like Barrett. Jennings, Schulz, Brock, and old Rahman left. A strong and deep list of good fighters here.
Plus Brewster, old Mercer, Nicholson, Williamson, Jefferson, Botha. Wlad's resume, while it lacked wins over ATG fighters, was really deep, full of good opponents most of whom where in their primes
There’s a few more you could add to that like Austin and Wach who weren’t great names but respectable. That means several of those wins don’t crack Wlads top 20 wins. Great depth and only a few others can match it. You’re totally right that a lot of his better wins were over guys in their primes or close to it. He does lack that one atg win but after yesterday Povetkin has moved closer to or even reached the level right below it
Hasim Rahmans 5 best wins 1 Lewis - Major win for Rahman 2 Sanders - Good win and I’d say Sanders underachieved quite a bit 3 Barrett - On a nice run and highly rated 4 Meehan - Fringe contender who most thought beat Brewster in his previous fight 5 Sullivan - Decent heavyweight You could possibly put an old Berbick in the 5 spot depending on how you rate Sullivan. Rahman had draws with Toney and Tua that I think he won as well as a lot of others. If he had those as wins instead of draws he’d have a strong top 5
Wlads top five: 1. Povetkin 2. Byrd 3. Haye 4. Chagaev 5. Ibragimov I could make a very respectable top ten from what he has got.
Rahman's list is arguably spoiled by a couple of questionable decisions. If he had got the nod against Tua and Toney, as many thought that he should have, it looks a lot better!
We thought that the order was: 1. Wlad 2. Vitally The rest In fact it was: 1. Wlad 2. Vitally 3. Povetkin The rest
I once said Povektin would be a top 5 contender in just about any era. He proved it by beating Chagaev, Byrd, Rahman, Chambers, and late in his career Whyte. Not a bad top 5. If he was 3-4 years younger, I think he would have beaten Joshua too.
Rhaman's top five wins 1. Lewis 35 points 2. Sanders 28 points 3. Barrett 18 points 4. Meehan 14 points 5. Sullivan 9 points