Heavyweights of today and Klitschko era.

First off - I have greatly enjoyed the more competitive heavyweight scene we’ve had over the last couple of years, and Usyk might be my favorite active fighter..

With that said - I’m not convinced the overall level of talent is any better…. When most of the top guys are struggling with the likes of Chisora who was a no hoper against Vitali almost a decade ago.. Or Fury’s best win being spoiling Wlad when he was past it and likely having an off night (no knock on Fury, he deserves full credit for the win, but we gotta keep it in perspective), AJ going life and death with Wlad coming off a 2 year lay off, after his abysmal performance with Fury..

This era of heavyweights is more entertaining than the Klitschko era, but I’m not sure the talent level is really much higher. Wish the current top 5 were around when the Klitschkos were on top.

 

That's the glaring issue.
I remember the Wlad/Vitali era, with the worldbeater to bum threads.
Thompson II, Haye, Arreola, Peter, Povetkin, Gomez, Chagaev, Johnson, Solis... They probably would be strong contenders or beltholders now in this era. But then were dismissed as weak after they lost.

 

This era of Fury, Wilder, AJ, Usyk, Ruiz, Whyte, Ortiz, Joyce, Parker........ definitely stronger, in my humble opinion.

The top 4 of Fury, Wilder, AJ and Usyk makes it undeniable for me.

 

Whyte has lost to Povetkin and went life and death with Chisora.

These two didn’t break the Klitschkos cushion.

To me the top 2 are great talents in Usyk and Fury (hope he can keep his head right…), after that….egh. At this point AJ and Wilder have built up records and lost when they stepped up - like all of the guys the Klitschkos were beating.

 

Part of the problem is that the likes of Whyte, Parker and Ruiz are promoted as being top 10 guys when in reality they all probably lose to Joyce, Hrgovic, Yoka, Wallin, Makhmudov, Sanchez, Dubois and maybe several others. Chisora hasn't been a top 10 fighter since the Klitschko era and he pushed 40+ Vitali hard, of whom Chisora was one of his best wins (along with Sanders, Adamek, Gomez and Arreola). Even the likes of Whyte, Parker and Ruiz aren't any worse than many of Wlad's top 10 wins and would probably fit into Vitali's top 5.

The general level of talent is definitely better. Past Wlad and Vitali the next best were 6'2, 220 lbs Povetkin (best wins a war with Takam and KO'ing Whyte while behind, may have lost to prime Huck) and 6'2, 210 lbs Haye (best wins Valuev and Chisora, stopped by 40 year old Carl Thompson). All of Wlad's opponents were either much smaller, much slower or smaller and slower (yet he still lost three times to them) and the loss to inexperienced contender Fury was a 10-2 schooling, even Wlad's judges in Germany didn't unanimously give him a single round. Wlad did a lot better against AJ but AJ, as big, skilled and dangerous as he is, was overhyped and can easily get battered and quit against confident fringe contenders as we've seen. Wlad's inability to finish AJ is another black mark against him as AJ was absolutely there for the taking and it underlined Wlad's persistent lack of willingness to take calculated risks even when there was massive danger (either in getting stopped later or losing on the cards) in not doing so.

Wlad didn't have many dangerous contenders on his 22 win streak: Peter, Haye and Povetkin (who he was allowed to foul incessantly) were by far the most dangerous. Guys like Jennings, Pulev, Chambers, Brock, Ibragimov, Byrd 2, Thompson 1 and Chagaev couldn't outbox him or win on the cards and as long as Wlad boxed cautiously with his jab and grab style, they didn't have the power to seriously trouble him. This is omitting all of the dreadful challengers (Leapai, Pianetta, Mormeck, Sosnowski, Briggs, Solis) of which there were many.

 

Dont fool yourself. This era is better.

Overall bigger and stronger guys.

 

Solid post.

If what you say about the top 10 today being misrepresented ends up being true, I’d be more inclined to agree with you. Hopefully we find out soon!

 

Probably a small notch better top 10. But I am talking a very small notch. Practically the same with this eras contenders and risers being promoted better... Klitschko era had two finer top dogs and a prime Povetkin who is a full tier or two above all the Whyte/Parker/Ruiz types so I dont know.

 

Parker isn't one of the top guys , he's bottom half of the top 10.

In Klitschko era top 3 Valuev was struggling worse with 90's leftovers - Larry Donald and geraratic Holyfield (48).

Top 2 Rated Sam Peter struggled badly with obese James Toney - another 90's era leftover.

Chisroa had knocked top rated Helenuis all over the ring before he gave Vitali a tough fight. He wasn't viewed as a no hoper.

 

Chisora.
Povetkin.
Wlad.
Vitali.
Haye.
Sanders.
Peter.

Thats about it.

 

There's a thin crust of solid guys atop a thick filling of shyte. The Wlad era remnants were until a short while ago, challenging and beating some of the so called talent around. Wlad got grief for having Pianeta as one of his fights at a time when Pianeta was prime and undefeated. What should we then say about Fury against the dregs of the remains of Pianeta? Povetkin smashed up a number of the top guys in this era when he should have long been retired. Kowanacki was being hyped up until he ran into the ancient Helenius who brought him crashing to a halt. The fact that Chisora is still challenging for world titles says it all really.

 

Whyte got hit with the money shot against Povetkin after putting him down twice and being comfortable - **** happens in heavyweight boxing. In the rematch he punched Povetkin all over the ring and put it right.

Chisora gave Vitali his most competitive fight since Lennox ripped half his face off and that version of Chisora wasn't as good as the one we've seen in the last few years who's buckled down to training and somewhat of an Indian summer to his career.

 

Yeah, 40 years old is the optimum age for a fighter

 

Vitali was great. Wladimir was a drain.

 

Povetkin couldn't even stand straight in the rematch. He wasn't even in his prime in the first fight, even David Price came closer to knocking him out