I know that it has been done to death, but lets have an official poll. We all acknowledge that Wlad is the best heavy, but what does tha mean? How objectively good is he? For my part, beating Brewster proved a lot to me. I know that Lamon has seen better days, but stepping int he ring and dominating a hard punching, anvil chin fighter who once beat you shows guts, and mental toughness is one of the things that hs often been questioned about Klit. I never believed that Wladdy was poinsoned in the first fight, despite WIDDOW MAKER'S convincing arguments. But beating Lamon showed be that Wladdy, in his mind, beleives that fight to be an aberration. I am willing to accept that Wladdy had some flaws early in his carrer which he has largely paved over to become a new fighter. And he is in some kind of legacy building stage. If he gets there or not is up to him.
Has ATG talent, power, and skills, but will probably never be mentioned in the top 10 because of the lack of great competition. I think he's a cut above any heavyweight out there today - when he's at his best, nobody beats him.
This is really true. I cant understand how so many of the HW division show up with flab all over them. It's like they arent taking it seriously.
to be an ATG in my eyes he would have to unify and defeat the other belt holders with the ease he has been taking out opponents lately. that will give some indication of greatness. if he struggles against any belt holder that will mean revising his status. i'll be honest and say openly i am a big fan so obviously i will be biased. however! i really do think if he blows away the other belt holders similar to how he's been ko'ing the contenders lately, that will be a great step in the right direction. he'll also have to continue to fight the undefeated and best opponents out there. i feel in the remaining few years of his reign, he will have to ko everyone to really show he is head and shoulders above the comp. if he loses again in his peak, depsite everything he should have learnt from his earlier losses, then no, he might barely be able to get into the HOF. the unfortunate thing is for a his reign i feel most solid contenders will be coming out of europe and therefore will not get the same accolades as fighters from american boxing history. so it will always be debatable. as for ATG club i think if he doesn't lose until he retires and beats everyone in great fashion than it should only be fair. where in the ATG rankings to me is a moot point. why? because i feel when you get that high up in the history books, there isn't much between them all on a given night. if ATG fighters fought each other ten times each, some will beat the others more often than not, but there'd be plenty who'd win a few against higher ranking ATG fighters. i dont like numerical ranks. i prefer to lump them into catagories. good champs, hof champs, atg champs. have a no1. atg fighter is rediculous. no way to prove it, and styles make fights.
Hes a good heavywieght, nothing more nothing less. He has top notch power and skills, he seems to still lack mental toughness and suffer from an acute sickness of a weak chin. Lamon Brewster said it best after his first fight with Wlad, Lamon said "He cant take half of what he can dish out, he hit me with everything and I didnt stop fighting. Thats a heart every heavywieght should have.
Chagaev is the best heavywieght out there, aside from Wlad. And I really believe Chagaev would give Wlad one hell of a fight, he seems to have the skills to give Wlad trouble.
Well, when you think about what Wlad's mental state must have been, you shouldn't be all that surprise at the outcome of the fight. Certainly I was nervous when they fought, but for Wlad, this was a "losing is not an option" fight. There was simply no other possible outcome for this fight other than Wlad's victory, and I think he'd have killed himself in there to pull it out if it had taken the effort.