Prime Wlad Klitchsko vs Big Jess Willard

As others have mentioned, Wlad is simply too technical, too good and “new-school” for Willard to handle. Too much have happened in the sport, and it would show.

Prime Wlad (mid 30’s with Steward in his corner) would jab, jab, jab with an occasional right hand, and eventually turn Willard’s face into a red mush. Around round 7 he would turn op the heat and stop Willard soon after.

Also, with match-ups like these, I like to put every factor in play. So, Wlad would have Steward in his corner, and it would most likely be in Germany where he could clinch every time Willard got even close to any attacking momentum.

Vitali would probably walk right in there and put a hurting on Willard from the very first minute, and stop him in a couple of rounds.

BUT! Willard was “old-School” and very good, for his time. Give him modern S/C-coaching, a good boxing trainer and a little “sauce” to help him along the way, and he would be a challenge for any Super Heavy.

 

I would favor Ray Austin to beat Jess Willard to be honest

 

This. Willard was actually a very capable fighter, but like a lot of people became delusional when he tasted success and started training himself and hiring the cheapest sparring partners he could find, which was a big mistake.

If both are in top form I could see the fight going either way. Also, Boxrec completely butchered Willard’s boxing record, since If I remember correctly Willard had around 40 fights going into his title match with Johnson. Boxrec must have some weird criteria on what they consider record worthy.

 

Willard was strong like a bull

he crushes rocky and Louis gives Ali the most intense fight of his career and also crushes Holmes

50/50 against foreman too

don’t care if nobody agrees Jess Willard was a bloody savage if he cracks wlad with the same shot that ko’ed johnson wlad would be unconscious

 

no way Willard fought in the hardest gloved era ever he was a monster don’t sleep on Willard bro he was a juggernaut

 

Williams was the Valuev of his day except smaller, less skilled (yes that’s how bad he was, at least Valuev has form) and not as tough.

The guy got absolutely wrecked by a man weighing 190lbs.

Boxing was what? 10 years old in terms of mainstream popularity in US?

That’s like thinking the gracies stands a chance with Jon Jones today.

 

Spoken like someone who has never been in the ring and has no clue what boxing technique looks like.


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Keeps his hands to his stomach keeping his chin open, backs up in a straight line, stood up completely straight with no head movement or lateral movement, flails his hands around for defense, punches like a girl (literally, even wilder had better torque and form and anticipates the counter punch by moving his head after the punch).

These look like kids who watched a few movies and learned boxing from scrapping with each other. Which is exactly how Willard learned.

Poor poor poor form.

Any top 20 HW today annihilates Willard.

 

Wlad completely runs through Willard very early and it’s obvious why this is a huge mismatch

 

A man who took on cruiser and even LHW size opponents his whole career, with an occasional modern day heavyweight size inbetween, vs a guy his own size with huge power.
Willard was an anomaly in his time, and never fought a world level opponent even remotely close to his size and reach. This combined with his jerky movement and the reports that his career defining win against the great Jack Johnson is due to Johnson throwing the fight for a deal to let him back into the US, doesn't bode well for his real world chances,

 

He fought in the worst heavyweight division ever.... it makes Wlad's look like the Golden Era.

 

I suppose Willard has the foundation to be developed into a fighter capable of beating Wlad in todays era, but it's apples and oranges really when comparing today to boxing a hundred years ago. Folks have learned a lot since then. I think even if Willard time travels to Wlads time and trains in todays methods with all the PEDs excuse me, sports science, Wlad wins the majority of the fights. If Wlad time travels to Willards time those tiny MMA gloves open Wlads brow ridge worse than his brothers vs Lewis... Hey, someone should do a thread about that fight!