Is Wlad Klitschko a latter day Harry Wills?

Wlad's style is technically deficient, simple, based on safety first and size, and has only been "effective" because Sultan and Thompson had no idea about how to fight him.

All of the above are merely reflections of the poor state of the HW division. Klitschko would not last 5 rounds with at least 2 former HW champions I can conjur up who weighed in the 180s.

 

I wouldn't say so. His KO perfecntage is 90% which is higher than almost all champions and he stopped the very durable Thompson. On top of that, he is not being ignored for the color of his skin nor being ducked for his ability, marketibility or whatever.

 

It's more of a similar situation to what Lewis had - it's a boxer, but with a puncher's power. And when people see that power, that's all they want to see and the boxing can go hang.

Wlad needs to regain that confidence to be able to mix up his game, more like he used to do in the past.

 

I agree there are a few parallels.

However, you have to look at the bigger picture here:

a) Wlad is an active fighter. Current eras are always being underappreciated. Look at where Lewis was 5 years ago and where he ranks now. Marciano was written off as a skill less crude fighter who relied on his big power, waiting to be exposed after his win over Walcott. While there are enough detractors, i doubt history will be as unkind to Klitschko as it was to Wills.

b) Klitschko has been a very exciting fighter for the first 52 of his 54 fights. The Ibragimov scrap was a grade A stinker and the Thompson fight was average, but again, let's put things into perspective. The Byrd fights are probably the most watchable fights Chris ever had. The Peter fight was spectacular and exciting all the way through. Austin was blown away by a quintriple left hook. The Brock fight was exciting with a face-first KO. Both Brewster fights were full of power punches. The Mercer fight was a slaughter. Etc, etc. He's one of those either-he-finds-the-knockout-or-he-gets-knocked-out-himself-boxers.


Overall, his fights are good to watch. Compare it to a random set of Holmes or Ali fights and i doubt you will end up with significantly more exciting matches. Ali had his share of relatively boring fights against Young, Wepner, Bugner, Evangelista, etc etc.




By the way, i thought you might like to take notice to the fact that Wlad's one punch KO of Austin travelled only .. 5 or 6 ? inches. A pretty short punch anyway.

 

He actually timed that to come inside Thompson's left hook. Thomspon was turning his head away which is a no-no, but a nice inside the hook right. Gotta give him credit there.

 

If Wlad is knocking on the door of the top 20 HWs then that is as much a testimony to my assertion that the HWs have been relatively historically weak.

I disagree that you cannot effectively argue the superiority of certain eras compared to others...

Sam would have went through Wlad. I'd bet my house, your house, and Pontius's house on that!

 

I think its quintuple not quintriple?

 

Well regardless of your boxing background, you'd have a lot of explaining to do when we're living under a bride.

 

Newly married...? You're the one who better know how to slip and weave and block and parry!

 

No? How about Tyson? Could Tyson beat Wlad?

 

That was supposed to say "bridge". Sometimes i think one thing and type the other, really weird. Always had it.

 

Well said.