If Wlad's career ended today...

Why is his ring record better than Johansson's, who beat every fighter he fought and only lost to a champion? Also, has Wlad beaten anyone as good as Patterson? As good as Machen?

Unless you go on a head to head criteria and just rate him above older champs on the basis of size alone, I think Ingo ranks ahead at this point.

 

You may cut Wlad too much slack in the case of Purrity. Why should we make excuses for an Olympic gold medalist who has had 24 pro fights. I think this is an egregious loss no matter how you slice it.

Wlad did reverse his loss to Brewster, but Brewster was no world beater to begin with. This one also has to hurt his all time ranking.

 

Fair enough. :good

 

There is a vast difference in ability between Vlad and Valuev. Valuev's height probably wouldn't be much of an advantage for him in this bout, especially considering that Valuev lacks the hand speed and punching power to compliment his height.

Further, it is unlikely that Valuev would be able to withstand Vlad's power punches, which would score in bundles in this fight.

 

I hope they actually make the fight. Then we can find out and all this guesswork becomes meaningless.

 

The Purrity fight happened early in Vlad's career, when he was still developing. It was undoubtedly a fluke. As for Brewster, he was undoubtedly one of the division's best fighters when he fought Vlad both times.

 

Vlad has unquestionably fought the best of his time outside of Lennox Lewis. That is beyond dispute. It does not make any sense to say that Vlad's dominance of the division is incomplete because it does not include victories over the likes Rahman and Ruiz, both of whom are vastly inferior to Vlad as fighters. As for Chagaev and Valuev, neither of them has come close to attaining Vlad's stature, so he really has nothing to prove by beating either of them anyway.

You also need to realize that Chagaev and Valuev are protected fighters who are being kept away from Vlad by their own promoters.

 

I like Valuev and I am happy to see him take his spot at the top of the division. However, Valuev is nowhere near Klitschko in ability. It will be like Max Baer and Primo Carnera all over again.

 

Johansson's only top-flight victories were over Eddie Machen and Floyd Patterson. The Patterson win was proven to be a fluke. If Machen had rematched Johansson, he probably would have beaten Ingo, too.

Johansson was a flash in the pan. He did not fight nearly as many top-fight boxers as Vlad has, and Ingo did not last nearly as long at the top as Vlad has either.

As for Patterson, I doubt he could have beaten Chris Byrd, and his chances against Sam Peter would have been iffy.

 

Didn't Rahman beat Lewis and Sanders. On what basis do you simply anoint Wlad as the superior fighter?

 

Top25

 

Valuev has never been off his feet, has he? How can you be certain he couldn't stand up to Wlad's punches. That is why fighters are matched. Baer and Carnera did in fact fight each other.

Wlad's stamina worries would at least make a Valuev fight intriguing. Who knows how he reacts to tugging a 330 lb man about for 12 rounds.

 

Well, really, Wlad's chances against Sam Peter were also pretty iffy. He was knocked down three times. I am not that high on Patterson or Johansson, but I don't know if "flukes" explain things when you win or lose. Johansson had a big right and he landed it. He also almost knocked out Patterson in their third fight.

With his quick hands, Patterson certainly has a good shot at Byrd. I would favor him. I don't think that highly of Byrd, myself.

The point about Ingo being at the top a shorter period than Wlad is fair, but he also beat better men when he was there.

 

Brewster didn't do all that much except ko Wlad.

"It was undoubtedly a fluke."

You believe in flukes. I don't.

 

atsch

Patterson would have made mincemeat out of Byrd. Byrd wins at heavyweights because he has a speed advantage over the plodding heavyweights of today. Against Patterson he'd be facing someone who is better than him in every imaginable way, except chin which wouldn't matter because he's fighting Chris Byrd