Is Wladimir Klitschko a top ten ATG heavyweight?

No. Maybe top 15.

 

No research literally proves that the opponents of Joe Louis were considered "bums" particularly because he was so great like you are implying, I was just wondering if you have a reasonable explanation for that.

By the looks of your statement, the opponents of Joe Louis were in fact great fighters, but it was just that Joe Louis was so superior to everyone else that he made them look below average, while Klitschko is in fact an average fighter, but all the boxers in the world today are so bad that Klitschko appears to be a good boxer. Is that what are you trying to say?

 

Yes, you hit the nail on the head :good

 

Both Wlad and Louis appear to be great because they are great. No way around that.

Louis opponents were not bums though. The majority were genuine ranked top 10 contenders, many were actually top 5.

However, prior to Louis, the Champion was only expected to defend against the top one or two challengers in huge event fights. Louis fighting monthly against fighters that were not ranked #1 or #2 was unorthdox and met with disdain. It was considered to be devaluing the Championship.

 

Top 7 on all time heavyweights.

 

Harry Lolmes?

 

Im not going to argue with you on that one, your opinion is different to mine

 

I can see both arguments which support him being there as well as the ones which don't. At this point he is right on the border so both have validity depending on how one makes his case.

 

It's pretty clear he rates well ahead of lennox Lewis now and everybody has him in at least their top 10. So yes, Wladimir Klitschko is an ATG top 10 hw.

 

Close on my list. Not quite.

 

I still say top 15 but if he beats Pulev and the winner of Stiverne-Wilder to unify the titles, he jumps a whole bunch of spots ahead of guys like Liston, Holmes and Dempsey whose actual accomplishment do not quite match their legends.

 

He is the champion of the weakest era who reigned with his big brother and he used his brother to beat up opponents he couldn't defeat and vice versa. He was not even a unifed champion nor undisputed, he gets little respect from me. It is quiet obvious it took him a decade to peak because that is when all the good fighters retired.

 

Of course he is.