Prime Lewis v Prime Wlad

Wow... what an original idea for a thread!

 

Agreed...it's another grand opportunity to make Wladimir look better as an all time heavyweight than he truly is.

The fact is, as MANY have already said here, that Lennox Lewis could do everything Wlad can currently do and COULD DO IT BETTER. Take a look at everything that gives Wlad an advantage against his current opponents - his size, his jab, his heavy right hand and his ring intelligence. Lennox Lewis had ALL OF THESE THINGS to an even greater degree than Wlad. I am by no means a Wlad hater, in fact I'm very impressed by his ability and his ring intelligence, but Lewis was just better at everything that Wlad is good at.

On top of that, Lewis had HEART - which I haven't seen Wlad really put on display. All of Wlad's advantages that he has over current challengers would be taken away by Lewis's size, power and similarities. When Wlad's back has been against the wall, he hasn't responded too well in my opinion. He just looks good because no one has even remotely put pressure on him or tested his chin since he fought Sam Peter several years ago. Wlad is an excellent heavyweight, but the current heavyweight scene makes him look even better.

Lewis wins this.

 

I am surprised at the analysis about Lewis had a fighting heart? If any of course had been box fans in the mid 90s you'd have read 100s of articles how the past observers thought Lewis had NO HEART WHATSOEVER, glass chin, was phlegmatic, boring, uninspired etc.

It is amazing how in retrospect how Lewis suddenly had this huge heart! Funny.

Will be interesting to read the forum posts about the Klitz in 15 years.

 

I understand what you're saying - I simply disagree. Lewis may have been phlegmatic, boring, uninspiring, etc. at times (as is Wlad), but I think for both of them it was due to the fact that they didn't have to take unnecessary punishment due to the tremendous size and reach advantages they had over their opponents. I just disagree with the writers on Lewis's lack of heart.

I don't think Lewis had a glass chin at all, and in fact that's where I see the difference. When Lewis gets caught, he comes back fighting and shows you the kind of heart he has. When Wlad gets caught, it's usually over. The Vitali Klitschko fight was a perfect example - after he got beaten senseless in the second round, he came out and charged toward Vitali at the beginning of the third round throwing punches.

Lewis took some MONSTER shots:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIRShCBKwng

 

Lewis TKO5

 

Everything that you said has an easy rebuttal.

You say that Lewis had a better jab than Wlad... I completely disagree.

Wlad was also slightly bigger than Lewis... faster than Lewis, MUCH BETTER footwork than Lewis, more power (IMO and judging by knockout ratio and the comments of common opponents and trainers).... better straight right hand, much better left hook.

The only thing that Lewis used better IMO is the uppercut.

How on earth can you say that Lewis has heart and Wlad doesn't? For ****'s sake Wlad has got up every time that he was down. Wlad has got off the canvas to win fights. Lewis never even continued a fight after he was knocked down. Lewis NEVER got off of the canvas to win a fight.

Let's also discuss defense. Another thing that Wlad has in spades over Lewis. How often do you see Wlad even get hit? Case closed on that one.:yep

Ring Generalship was a great attribute to both of them. However Wlad also gets the nod in this one because he controls his opponents like just about none-other in history. He forces his opponents to fight at his distance, at his range... using his great jab and movement to keep his opponents constantly off balance. He is much more consistent with the use of his jab as well. He completely outboxes his opponents even if he chooses to only use his left hand. I have never seen another fighter dominate his top opponents so harshly. He completely demoralizes them, breaks them down, and either knocks them out or forces them to outright quit. However... as shown before he also has the ability to end any fight with one punch... with either hand.

 

That shows a leaky defense to me.:yep:good

 

Could wlad of took those shots off tua is more the question :think

 

I am sure that he could have. The difference is that Tua would have never landed those shots on Prime Wlad.:good

 

You must feel pretty strongly about this one - the only fight I remember seeing Wlad get knocked down on that he won (in recent memory, anyway) was the Sam Peter fight. Admittedly, that took some guts to take those shots from a puncher and keep going - I'll give Wlad his due on that. Peter was a great puncher, but a horrible boxer. Maybe Wlad had some earlier fights in his career where he did the same...

You don't have to get KNOCKED DOWN and come back to show that you've got heart, IMO - to me it shows just as much heart when you get caught with a vicious shot that SHOULD HAVE knocked you down (like many in the video I posted) AND keep coming regardless. Lewis did that several times in his career, and was willing to stand and trade with people in a manner that I have never seen from Wlad.

Maybe I don't give Wlad enough credit on his heart - I just have yet to see it on the line because he makes the opposition look so terrible and doesn't HAVE to show it. I also give Lewis credit for having heart by the fact that he came back and avenged his only two losses. Wlad avenged the Brewster loss, so I give him credit as well.

Agreed. Lewis's defense wasn't that great (as the video also shows). I don't see Wlad being brave enough, however, to really test Lewis's defense if they ever fought, and when it DID come time to trade (which I feel Lennox would have eventually forced him to do) I don't see Wlad lasting too long. You could have the worst defense in the world, but if your opponent doesn't exploit it, then it doesn't matter. I don't think Wlad would have exploited it very well...

The original post is about who would win - you have made your points about Lewis (and I have conceded what I feel are my inaccuracies), so who do YOU think wins and why?

 

wlad don't have to:deal

 

Regardless of what was said, we all have eyes and can form our own judgement. I personally don't think he would have gotten by Vitali without heart, same thing with Bruno, Briggs and Mercer.

Going one step further I don't think you have the career he had without heart. Boring means these so called fans never saw the Ruddock, Gotota, Grant, Biggs, Tyson, Klitschko fights. These were far from boring. But I can see how both Wlad and Lennox get that label when they cruise to UD wins against fighters they should be able to KO.

 

I would expect a prime Lennox Lewis to knock out a prime Wladimir Klitschko in 6-8 rounds.

 

Bull**** Wlad didn't underestimate Brewster, he was scared shitless, whenever Brewster threw even a jab, Wlad is not in Lennox's class period.

 

What about Wlad? He has been on his ass about 11 times, he was bailed out against TOS who landed a nice counter that sent Wlad down.