He has wins over Chagaev, Byrd and Chambers who are on this list, plus some others who were in the top ten. Chagaev isn't done yet, and I think he could defeat Wilder, but we'll never see that fight.
I think Haye should go number 1. I'm not saying he's necessarily better than Povetkin h2h, but he actually had the tools to beat Wlad unlike Sasha. Nobody else could close the gap with that kind of power since Sanders stepped in the ring with Wlad. I'd also put Povetkin ahead of Byrd. I just think he's better.
haye and pov are top whatever, both fair opposition. sultan next. byrd was a fair win too. after that, its difficult to warrant an opponent as valid, its a bum of the year club. everyone is allowed a few flat title defences, up to a 1 in 4 or 5, but Wlad reverses that pattern, 5 bums, 1 fair.
Like I said, mine's very close, but just for the record: Peter Povetkin Byrd Haye Chagaev Ibragimov Chambers Pulev Jennings McCline Thompson Brock Brewster Rahman Austin Mercer Wach Botha Mormeck Pianeta Jefferson Shufford Leapai
Brewster, apparently wlad easily won that fight by pretending to be gassed out and koed on the ring floor. sanders, obviously wlad was easily winning by fiendishly trying to absorb corrie's output until corrie gassed out. but the plan was scuppered when the ref tripped wlad up. and purity, wlad easily won but didn't beat the cook who poisoned him.
I don't consider guys with perfect records to be bums. I consider them to be legitimate contenders. They all had fights that earned them their title fight.
why? why is one opinion worth more than anothers without trying to counterargue it? rather convenient for you. if it was true it wouldn't bother me, but its not anyway. back in his prime, wlad had a chance to chase lennox, but got destroyed by a journeyman so it never transpired. he couldn't cut it then, nothings changed except hes got slower and less fit and weaker.