Povetkin vs ex-Soviet title holders

I can't help but think if Povetkin showed like he did against Chagaev, Ibragimov woulda knocked him out.

He'd smash Maskaev and Liakhovich. Valuev might be pretty difficult and an ugly fight becuase he's 7'2.

 

Not really. He fought Chagaev, who was definitely in that mix in terms of quality, albeit a little past Chag's prime.

Ibragimov retired a little too early to fight Povetkin. Had he stuck around I don't see why that fight wouldn't have got made sooner or later.

Valuev was kind of protected. Unless Povetkin was in that WBA circle jerk club he'd have been unlikely to get that fight. Plus, Valuev was pretty old by the time Povetkin came into title contention and lost shortly thereafter to Haye.

Maskaev would have been a nothing fight. Povetkin would have smashed him up.

Lyakovich already lost to Briggs before Povetkin made it big. After that he wasn't really a player.

 

Povetkin beat Camarelle who went on to win a gold and silver medal (should have been two golds, but Joshua's home cooking saw to that). Walkover or not, he's more than fulfilled the promise of his gold medal in the pros. That's more than can be said of some gold medallists.

 

Povetkin knocks Ibragmov out. That guy had a glass chin and a glass heart and was one of the most overrated HWs ever who beat absolutely nobody.. No courage to be involved in a fight whatsoever and thats exactly what Povetkin would give him.
He went 12 with Klitschko because he he performed more cowardly than Haye did and Wlad obliged him by matching his cowardice. The most disgraceful HW fight ever.
David Haye with one foot produced a better more gutsy performance against a more courageous WK.

I give Pov wins over the other 3 guys as well plus a good shot at beating Vitali but Vitali would probably scrape it out.

Zejlko Mavrovic however would give Pov serious issues with his slickness and movement.

 

How about early Povetkin from the Chambes and Byrd fights who fought in straight lines, didn't move his head and was a volume puncher against Jirov in the Toney-Mesi era. That would be brutal stuff.