How can you consider Vitali an ATG HW? It's bullsh*t

I know, seriously pathetic. These next three or four years of Klitschko dominance are going to be painful for that idiot.

 

:good :good :yep

 

Vitali's resume since unretiring is awful, and is only overlooked because his brother takes on the tougher challenges, and his so-called H2H ability is based on a LOSS to a well past-prime ATG. All the other factors mean nothing in an era that is widely considered (outside Eastern Europe) as one of, if not THE worst HW era in the history of boxing. It's easy to be 'dominant' when you have a tag team partner and the standard of opposition was never that good anyway. It's no coincidence that Lewis retired and the Klits suddenly became dominant, and let's not forget there are two of them. I can think of at least 30 other Heavyweights you could insert into the current era without having to fight Wlad and they'd be equally as successful as Vitali and probably more spectacular too, and they wouldn't be dragging out the likes of Adamek and Chisora for 10+ rounds.

Oh, and please explain how Vitali is so 'dominant' when he has never beaten the No 1 fighter in the division in his entire career, never held more than one title, and lost to the two best fighters he faced? They are the kind of statistical achievements that count, not 'rounds won' against Cruiserweights, bums, has-beens and novices.

 

Vitali's resume is full of talented fighters who were mentally broken in their respective fights. It is tough to give the best effort and not being able to win a single round. Most of them were unable to regain the confidence. Lewis retired. Peter was not the same after Vitali's fight. Arreola is still fighting bums. The list goes on.

 

Lol..

 

Lol...

Only in Klitschko land.

 

Well said.

Few disagreements though.

Vitaly by virtue of his unbeaten streak and brief stint as lineal champion and perceived H2H abilities qualifies as a great fighter. His statistical achievements are worthy of praise even if his quality of opposition, inability to unify the titles is held against him.

I always wonder why Klitschko fans keep bringing up the Lewis fight? They sound about as ******ed as southerners who keep talking about the South Rising again.

The facts are simple.

Vitaly lost by TKO. He couldn't continue and any momentum that he could have had would be negated by the serious cut on his eye. I've always found the outcome as being the best possible outcome for Vitaly; had Lewis dropped him for the 10 count in the 7th or 8th round (which was a very likely scenario) he'd have nothing to spring his career from.

Lewis had accomplished just about everything he wanted from his career; he won Olympic Gold, he won the Heavyweight Title he beat everyman he faced and just beat his heir apparent. He didn't see a reason to 'avenge' his win over Vitaly. I suspect Lennox's body was breaking down a bit more and the prospect of a grueling 8 week training camp no longer interested him.

What's largely being ignored is that when Hasim Rahman found an overconfident undertrained Lennox Lewis he stopped him. I can only imagine how much Tua, Tyson, Holyfield, Ruddock, Golota, Briggs, Marovic would have salivated at the prospect of having that Lewis in front of them instead of the one they actually faced.

Vitaly has redeemed himself by winning, continuously. For that he should be rewarded with the accolades that a great fighter accumulates over the course his illustrious career; but I refuse to recalibrate history and discredit Lennox Lewis for beating Vitaly Klitschko.

 

Holmes was 38.
Spinks was 31.

Both great fighters.

Vladimir23 is typical fanboy who tries to aggrandize the Klitschko's by using Great American Legends as collateral damage.

 

First name: Gluteus^

 

Good point.

And how many rounds did Derek manage to win against the old injured dude?

 

Because all the other divisions are shitty too! Mosley, Hopkins and Morales are still around. The quality in boxing sucks all around that guys in their 40s can still compete with the so-called ATG of today. Yet everyone thinks Manny and Floyd are assured ATG status.

 

Don't forget highest KO percentage of all time.

 

Great fighters can can continue to defy the odds. After all a 48 year old George Foreman beat Shannon Briggs in 1997, yet Briggs fights Vitaly Klitschko 13 years later for the Heavyweight title. Makes you wonder doesn't it.

The reality here is that objectively speaking the Heavyweight Division is woeful. And it's a pity because the HW's have always been known as the glamour division.

At this point, 30 years ago today the HW division had more depth. 40 years ago today the same can be said. I don't see a point in aggrandizing the current fighters in order to support an agenda, your argument loses credence. If your angle is pro-Klitschko fine. The brothers have redeeming qualities which compensate for their lack of competition.

 

The overwhelming majority of these poster's bitching about the HW division would like it just fine if it had a dominant American champ or if Haye had blasted out Wladimir.

 

Klitschkos are the very best! Hell, I am tired of that haters claiming that Vitali and Vlad would lose to everyone in heavyweight history! Ali would have been knocked out by a very small Henry Cooper if Angelo Dundee had not cut his glove to give him time to recoup! Can you imagine what Klitschkos would have done to him? Ali was great for his time, but would have have no real chance Vs. Vitali or Vlad................They are just way too big and skilled, total package too much..............