How well will Vitally Klitschko perform

During his layout, Vitali always trained and sparred and was in shape, IMO he knew that he want to come back. That´s the big difference here, he didn´t get fat and needs now to take off over 100 lbs or so, I think he swarms all over the overextend McCline and TKO´s him in the midrounds...

 

Yes, I think so, and McCline is also a bit handpicked, after his complicated injury from the Valuev- fight, at 37 years it´s very hard, I would be surprised if he´s at 60 % now, this fight proves not so much...

 

Hard to say, IMO Maskaev would lose, because he can´t take a lot of Vitaly´s punches, Vitaly on the other side can take his punches, here I see a KO- victory for Vitaly. With Peter I would expect a great fight now in 2007, but I slightly favour Samuel, because slowly he reaches his prime now and showed a good performance against Toney in their 2nd encounter (on the other side we aren´t allowed to forget, that Toney lost his next fight normally against a journeyman, he´s totally shot)...


What do you think, Janitor?

 

I think he will have declined significantly. Three years is a lot, especially when you're 37. His advantage to some others is that he did stay in shape, but still. Reflexes will have slowed.

But apart from that, i think his biggest weakness (as it has always been) will be injury prone-ness. He's already had tons of fights, also kickboxing and many injuries.
He might win but that would rather be because McCline isn't young anymore either than because he'll be as good as he was. Incidentally, McCline lost his last fight against Valuev on a knee injury. So my prediction for the fight is that either one wins because the other is taken out by an injury. :good

If he beats McCline it's a good performance. If he manages to win another title, it's a great performance. But i don't expect it.

 

To be honest, I don´t think Vitaly is so stupid to make a comeback if he knows he´s only 50 % he was 3 years before, he has enough money and he wouldn´t hurt his legacy "voluntary"...

 

Stamina is usually something that a lot of layed off fighters tend to lose a bit of after extended periods of inactivity. Speed is something that he he never had much of to begin with. Vitali is 36 years old now, and hasn't fought since 2004. He will definately have some ring rust, however I'm not sure that Jameel Mccline is the one to exploit it.

It's difficult to determine exactly how much a fighter has deteriorated within a given time frame. Ken Norton for example, went from being a great fighter in 1978 to falling off the edge of the earth in 1980, and that was without even having a layoff.

Well, I don't know if he'll be any better than he was 3 years ago, however a man is always more formidable when he's healthy and injury free. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

Hmm, you would say so... but even the greatest fighters retire too late (too much heart). He looked pretty fast and sharp on the heavybag a month ago, but of course that's no guarantee that he'll do good in the ring.

 

One thing that frequently occurs with advancing age is a declining resistance to cuts. That's one thing he may need to be alert to, although there have been methods devised for supposedly increasing the resistance of cuts to facial skin.

Although I have a fondness for the view that age and treachery prevail over youth and skill, I think this comebacker might be better off testing his legs and chin in some kickboxing competition first. If he can still stand up to a kick upside the head, then punches should be less of a problem. If he can still use his legs effectively as a kickboxer, then I'd assume they wouldn't be about to let him down in a straight boxing match.

He'd be coming back in an era when the pussified distance limit of 12 rounds is the rule in boxing, so he wouldn't need the staying power returning old-timers required in a bygone age.

 

Even during the bygone age that you're referring to, fighters only had to go 15 rounds in championship fights. A lot of aging fighters from years past, never made it to a title fight, or for that matter were succussful at going the distance. I don't necessarily think that a mere difference of 3 rounds, defines the modern era as being "pussified". I mean, we're not talking about the early days when fights were scheduled for say 45 rounds, like in the case with Johnson vs Jeffries, and even if they were, fighters would likely pace themselves for such an ordeal, resulting in lower punch production and overall ring movement, leading to a less action packed fight.

Get my drift?

 

I largely turned off to boxing when I saw the reduction from 15 to 12 rounds turn Rosario into a champion for the first time. This was on the heels of the additional three rounds making Chacon a champion for the final time.

I wouldn't be an advocate of matches lasting longer than 15 rounds either, because endurance can then prevail over superior skill. Not much history has been made by contests lasting beyond round 15, but an enormous amount was irretrievably lost to the elimination of rounds 13, 14 and 15. Louis would have lost Conn I, Marciano would have lost Walcott I and Charles I, peak Duran would have been dethroned by Vilomar Fernandez, SRL would have lost Hearns I (and Ray would have stopped Tommy again in their rematch), and so forth.

The 12 round distance rewards inferior conditioning and steroid use.

 

You´re right, he looked pretty sharp, but if he looks so also in the ring is another story... let´s wait and see! :thumbsup


What´s your prediction? My prediction is:

Vitaly Klitschko TKO 7 Jameel McCline

(on points Klitschko ahead)

 

It also impresses upon fighters that they have to get their heads out of their asses earlier and go to work if they're going to take a decision or score a knockout. In years past, a lot of fighters used the awareness of haiving a 15 round window to lure opponents into deeper water before drowning them ala Holmes vs Cooney. A guy can't just sit back and lay low anymore. If you're going to win or defend a title, and only have 12 rounds to do it, then you have to get down to business.