It's time to give the Klitschko Brothers their just due

Another important thing when trying to rank fighters all time great status is what their competition achieves after they're retired.

Let's say Wladimir knocks out Chambers, Povetkin, Haye & Solis. At least 1 or 2 of the KO's in devastating fashion, not hard to imagine considering.

If one of those fighters works his way back & dominates the Heavyweights for a few years building a legacy of his own, it adds to the legacy of those that defeated him.

That's why it's hard to rank fighters while they're still active.

 

I agree with most of your points. Firstly, regarding Vitali's comeback, I for one am delighted that the guy was able to return, having felt it necessary to retire, when at his peak, due to injury. His success since his return is impressive, but the current era of heavyweight contenders is rubbish. Having said that, the eras of the other champions you mentioned weren't exactly littered with great contenders and Vitali can only beat the guys around. I think part of the problem is in fact the ability of the Klitschkos (Vitali in particular) to "Shut down" an opponent, thus making them look worse than they are! I guess they deserve credit for that, but it is credit they do not receive! Being English, the fact that the two guys at the top of the heavyweight pile aren't American does not bother me in the slightest. I guess you'd have to ask our American cousins how they feel! To be honest, most of them come across as intelligent posters (Provided you keep them off the subject of Mayweather-Pacquiao) and i'm sure they respect the Klitschkos for what they have been, which is the dominant heavyweight fighters for the past decade! As for "Head to head," "Prime" Vitali would have been a nightmare for almost any of the previous greats. Imo 60's Ali defeats him, simply because Ali's speed of hand, foot and supreme skills, allied to an iron chin make him the fighter to most comfortably beat Vitali, probably by U/D or tko stoppage due to cuts (Vitali does mark up rather easily). Prime Lennox Lewis also defeats Vitali, And I am using the fact that a past prime Lennox more than held his own with prime Vitali as proof! I accept that it would have been touch and go but the fact is that Lennox was past his best and Lewis imo won the 5th and 6th rounds of their fight. And damn it Lewis split Vitali's face open with legal blows, causing the justified stoppage! Lennox won and I wish people would stop trying to take a perfectly legitimate and hard-fought victory away from him! Prime Tyson would have been a dangerous foe and a serious test for Vitali and may very well have beat him as may have Foreman and Holmes (remember Beau, these are also ATG's and it is only my opinion). Of course, there are other fighters that would have also been dangerous opponents and some may have defeated Vitali, but I for one would not have backed them to do so. Lastly, I could not agree more with you on one point. These two gentlemen have been wonderful ambassadors for the sport of boxing and I have never read anyone criticise their behaviour "Outside the ring" because it is beyond reproach. Like all dominant but less than spectacularly charismatic champions the Klitschkos will undoubtedly receive their "Due" once they have retired, until then they have their fans to argue their case.

 

:good A valid point!!

 

Actually Kimbo isn't a bad guy at all, just a very over hyped fighter. I do slag on him a bit in the MMA section but as a person he seems genuine and not the bad crack dealer, pimp guy that the YouTube crew thought he was.

 

Vitali was joking a few weeks back saying that he would have to get his wife to ask Lennox's wife to get him a rematch with Lennox.

 

Very good post. Please use paragraphs in the future though, because my eyes are still recovering from reading it .................

 

Lewis married with a daughter & a son I believe.

 

I found this:

Lennox Lewis Celebrates Fatherhood

Tuesday July 6, 2004
Hopefully, the statute of limitations on [url]Mike Tyson's[/url] threat to eat [url]Lennox Lewis'[/url] children has expired. That's because the former heavyweight champ is [url]celebrating the birth of his first child[/url] - a baby boy - with his girlfirend of four years, Violet Chang. Lewis, always very protective of his private life, seems committed to doing something few fighters do -- retiring and staying retired.

 

:skull

 

Oh i agree, he isn't how his image was presented in Strikeforce. But you can't argue that a thug is what his image was and how he was marketed to the public and that is why he was so popular.

Good stuff man, i didn't know any of that.

 

Lennox has a couple of kids now. Everytime he appears in public he seems very content.

 

That's a stand up post for a "newbie".. but you're right..
watch out for the fireworks from the usual suspects.

 

Good post:good You certainly know your boxing.

 

Lewis was a good role model too. Tyson? Not so much...............:yep

 

Good point, but 5 years ago a Klit fan caught "holy-hell" for promoting them on this board..
Even the "boxing establishment" has eaten crow. I'll always remember the comments after Wlad's only defeat by Brewster:"He's through, you can stick a fork in him".
I'd like to interview that guy today..can't remember who it was.
Commentator Rafeal had a very low opinion of Wlad as well.
It was a laughable matter back thenbbb