... I think we'd have the exciting monster that many are looking for. I think that the problem is that everyone expects to receive Wlad's straight right after the jabs, and of course they receive what exactly that. Given that their body is already braced to take such a shot and they're expecting it, it becomes much less of a knockout punch. Even if they don't see it coming they're still braced for it, so there is still less liklihood of a knockdown. Now the sheer force can sometimes move someone backwards, but rarely has it actually been the real knockout punch, at least until later on in the fight. The downside for the recipient is that he gets beaten to a pulp for his efforts, and thus loses by knockout in the end anyway. But it's often anticlimatic. He either can't take anymore and just goes down (and usually stays there), or the corner stops it to save him from himself. But when Wlad throws hooks, exciting things happen. Sam Peter took right after right, but a wicked hook was what made him look like he could be knocked out in the 12th round. Austin couldn't take 2 hooks and stay on his feet. I only have a few of his fights so I don't have older stuff to check to see what happens. You can't brace the same way for a good hook unless you know it's coming, which you won't if you're expecting yet another right. But he won't throw the left hook against a leftie, he usually avoids it like the plague unless he's sort of doing a "jab-hook", but there isn't a lot of force on it. In a way I can understand it, because it can be awkward to throw it, it probably isn't easy to land against a leftie. And he doesn't bring it out all that often against a right-hander either, at least not since he's had Manny in his corner. Here and there, yes, but not all that often. To be fair he has faced a lot of lefties lately, so that would contribute to the low totals. But Wlad's right hook is nonexistant. I can think of two that I've seen, one against Thompson and one against Rahman (both did good damage), beyond that I can't think of any. Wlad isn't a brawler, that tends to be a brawling style of punch, but you'd think he'd mix it in a little more. So what we get is a 1-2 fighter who takes your heart, beats you up, and likely shortens your career, all while leaving fight fans unsatisfied. From a dominance point of view we couldn't ask for more, he just makes guys look silly in there. But if highlight KOs in the early rounds are what you want, I don't think he's going to deliver that unless he brings out the hooks. I'm a fan of him regardless of what he does, but it might be nice to see a little change.
Wlad usually does throw a lot of hooks. He didn't need to tonight, straight punches were all that was required. Plus, Chagaev is a southpaw with a high right hand guard, so I think he was reluctant to throw it. He seemed to toy with the idea of using hooks in the 2nd, but he was juts gonna slapping around lightly with it--nothing like the snappy short hook he usually throws, often off the jab.
Wlad throws left hooks all the time. He cooks up the perfect recipe for each opponent, and then he steals their soul.
Agreed, even if I think you're being a bit over dramatic here. :good I can't remember which fight it was (Ray Austin, maybe?), but in one fight, I remember Wlad seemed to almost exclusively use his left hook. :smoke
this is my main critic of wlad, is he has NO killer instinct what-so-ever........i want to see a beast....i think the right opponent would bring it out in him
He never threw a single right hand in the fight. Threw 5 left hooks in a row to finish him off. [yt]hO_sWnawpU4[/yt] Sounded like a shotgun blast.
Yeah, that was the fight I was thinking of. Glad to see I'm not burnt. Wlad's left hook is awesome. I don't recall him using it much against Iggy, either, but I do seem to remember him doing a fair share of work with that hook against Byrd.
He throws a lot of right hooks when he needs to, that's the punch that KO'd Austin, he didn't even need to land a single right hand that fight. If he's put in a situation where he needs to throw it then he does, if not then he does what keeps him ahead and winning.
No, totally agreed. But you would know better than me... Is my recollection right on the other front? Didn't use it much with Iggy, hardly used it all tonight, but didn't he male frequent use of it in both Byrd fights? :huh
Vlad put on an excellent performance tonight. He was truly awesome. The problem is that the haters want him to put his hands down, stick out his chin and let his opponent hit him at will. Vlad will never do that. Anyone who knows boxing should know that Vlad is an excellent boxer, boxing 101 tonight. Nobody has the skills he has. Vitali will knock Haye in September if Haye can deliver, but he will pull out of the fight again? If not, Vitali will knock Arreola out. Don King will not allow Valoeuv to fight Vitali.
He used the left hook a decent amount vs Iggy. That was because Iggy was leaning down, back, and away... trying to sucker Wlad into overextending with a long right hand, in which Wlad would have basically had to lay on top of Iggy to throw 95% of the time. He did whatever the **** he wanted to do against Byrd.