I understand the point. But, much lesser fighters who are far less intimidating, less aggressive and less powerful men have made Wlad look extremely uncomfortable. Probability of Klit having some panic....very good. Doesn't mean an auto loss, but still a pretty valid assumption.
Mike Tyson has all the tools but is mentally weak upstairs, he cant handle adversity. Wlad takes the fight past 5 rounds and keeps the jab in his face & holds on the inside, Tyson will unravel and lose by a late TKO or decision
Lennox Lewis and Wlad would fight the same way against Tyson. Lewis was easily able to keep Tyson out of range to fire
Which version of Tyson? Late 90's shell of his former self, or late 80's to early 90's guy who hadn't ****ed up his life yet, was confident, and had direction from his handlers? There really is two different versions of that guy, and it was plain as day. Sure, he does get over rated to a degree, and yes, the best fighters he faced crushed him, when he was past it both a little physically but more so mentally. But no version of Wlad keeps a prime tyson held at the end of a jab, or has the ability to hold on the inside all night long. I'm not saying he kills wlad, but I think it's a little far fetched to think Wlad, who does not use any of his perceived size and strength advantages very well at all (besides fighting at a distance) can keep someone with tyson's physical abilities off him for an extended period. He's not Sam Peter.
Lewis did do that, but he also knows how to fight inside, use his size to his advantage in clinches, holds, get rough, maybe dirty. Wlad is clueless and/or incapable of doing any of that. There is zero deterrent when at close range besides a predictable grab and hug and wait for the break. He could keep tyson at range, but not likely forever. I just don't think it's as easy as following Lewis' gameplan on a nearly shot, or totally shot tyson, when you consider how different lewis and wlad are.
Wlad used to be like that, but now he clinches when gets hit. Him and Tyson would be a 50 50 fight I think.
Tyson bulldozed Holmes who would take Holyfield the distance 4 years later. For a moment in the 4th Holmes looked prime , dancing around Mike and popping off his famous jab. Few seconds later he was knocked out for the first time in his career and would never be again. The way Tyson beat Holmes left little doubt it would of been any different if Holmes was in his prime.
I know, but regardless of stylistic changes, you can't change character. He panics when pressured. He holds when out of his comfort range, but was prime tyson easily clinched? Easily hugged when he had very good lateral movement, worked comfortably at close range, and could even fight reasonably well moving backward? I just don't see it happening for wlad successfully over the course of a fight. Some rounds? Sure. But eventually someone with the skillset and physicality of tyson would break through and have opportunities.