If not for injuries, would Vitali have become an ATG?

Vitali was never down on the score cards after round three ended in any of his fights. His stamina and punch rate was among the best ever, and he carried his power late.

If not for the injures, I beleive Vitlai would most certainly have been an ATG in legacy.

But what's a legacy? If you own the highest KO% in the history of the sport, were never down on the cards, and never floored by a punch, that in itself is a legacy.

If Vitlai can come back at age 37+, with four years off, and no tune up fights, and over come injuries to win a world title belt vs a prime Sam Peter, that feat by itself will tower above most legacies, because it has never been done.

I think Vitlai is going to defeat Peter.

 

He must be one of the most over rated boxers of all-time. He won paper belt in fight with semi retired golfer and defended it against Danny Williams. That’s he’s accomplishments and people think he is top ten ATG without injuries?

I wonder how much he would be over rated if Tyson would have beaten Danny boy and then lost to Vitali. Maybe a top three ATG?

 

Vitlai was Ring Magazine Champion. That is the most important distinction a fighter can achieve in this era. Vitali was WBC, WBO and Ring Magazine champion, and #1 by all 3rd party rating systems ( Box rec, ESPN, fightnews, Ring Magazine ) that matter.

Hardly a “ paper “ champion.

 

Oh yeah, no doubt about it. I mean who in this weak era of heavyweights could've stood in his way? He might not have been regarded as one of the top ATG greats because of the horrid competition in this era, but he still could've dominated and owned this division for years which would've placed him right there with the best heavyweights who ever participated.

 

He was a WBO champion when it didn’t mean anything. And Ring belt was awarded to him yes, but he didn’t prove his dominance in ring. And being an n unified champion is much more important than holding a ring belt. Wladimir has accomplished much more that he’s brother by unifying WBO and IBF belt.

 

The quality of his wins is what I wonder. He looked impressive against no names and two best opponents he faced beat him. If he wins against Peter it would be his biggest win to date. So he is hardly an ATG or anywhere near that.

 

Don King would NEVER matach one of his champions with a belt vs Vitlai. Unification takes two willing parties. Lewis would not give Vitlai a re-match either.

The WBO belt can be better than the IBF, WBA, or WBC...it depends on who the champion is, and who he beat to get it.

But like I said, Vitali was #1 in the world by every 3rd party rating system out there, and you can't get any higher than that.

 

If you are a boxrec jockey maybe you can argue that Vitaly wouldn't have been ATG, but if you know your boxing you know that barring something strange happening he most likely would have been.

 

When vitali was a WBO champion it wasnt recognized as a major belt. Also Lewis was universally recognised as undisputed champion so at that time the belt didn’t mean anything. He was ranked number one but so was Chris Byrd before Wladimir beat him. It doesn’t mean anything until you actually proof it in the ring and unify titles. :deal

 

if my uncle was a woman.........

you get the point.

 

no. he'd be in the same boat his brother's in. Doesn't matter how good he is or how people think he'd do in head 2 head matchups, he hasn't beaten anybody and there's no'one good for him to beat. To me a so called all time great has to earn that status by facing tough challenges and the one time Vitali did, he lost.

 

Yup, easy.

 

that doesn't mean he u cant become an ATG. Holmes and Louis didnt beat great fighters but they racked up solid win after solid win and their consistency was a testament to their greatness. These guys like Bowe or Liston are considered ATGs due to 1 or 2 really good wins or a subjective H2H status but they lack a deep resume of quality wins, which I feel really is the deciding measure of a top fighter. :deal

Vitali H2H is really up there but lacks that consistency which Wlad will attain. At some point, u have to place more weight on objective statistics rather than subjective opionion.

I would like to hear Thread Steeler's opionion on this matter :yep

 

Definitely, its a pity he was never given a chance to avenge his two losses either, Lewis beat him fair and square, but Vitali was under-prepared(I know Lewis was too btw!:good ), Byrd just got VERY lucky though.

 

Getting beat by a overweight and out of shape 30+ Lewis is nothing to write home about. He was a "good" Heavyweight.