Thank you Vitali Klitschko, you've been a wonderful champion

chitownfightfan · May 26, 2014

The Long Count said: ↑

I was ringside for the Kirk Johnson fight at MSG well about 4 rows back, the first fight after Lewis. He really came into his own, you could see the confidence him, he knew he belonged. Yes he was definately in some exciting scraps-especially the Lewis and Sanders wars. I certaintly appreciated both of them, I just think in general the European style of stand up and probe/paw measure with the jab turned off some of the fight fans that wanted to see another Tyson, or someone gracefull like Ali. They just look more appealing to the eye than the robotic giants that easily dispatch good fighters with what looks like arm punches alot of the time. I fully enjoyed his fights but neither one of them really captured the American public's imagination. Which I believe turned out to be a good thing. By fighting in Germany so frequently the sport has really become a boom in many European countries which only deepens the well of good fighters. People want to emulate and try a new sport. You see more Eastern European fighters than ever before and that is a direct result of the K2 brothes. That may be their strongest legacy.
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Good post:good:good:good

chitownfightfan · May 26, 2014

MAJR said: ↑

Haye, for all his flaws, was, at one point, the third best heavyweight in the world. He had a lot of history with Vitali that was never resolved. Both of them failed to make the fight - Haye pulling out to fight Valuev then choosing to fight Wlad instead of Vitali, while Vitali promising to fight Haye if Haye beat Chisora only to go back on it and say he wouldn't fight Haye because Haye fought Chisora. It was one of the most potentially interesting Heavyweight fights of recent times and it really should have happened at some point.

Rahman was rated number #1 or #2 by three different organizations back in 2005, he was Vitali's manadatory for half a year and WBC Interim Champion for the other half. Vitali pulled out of a fight with him numerous times - at least once questionably because as soon as Rahman was committed to the Interim Title fight Vitali tried to get the WBC to let him fight someone else. In the end Vitali had surgery on an injury and retired for four or so years, so you can argue circumstance might have conspired against this fight happening, but it's definitely a fight that should have happened.

Maskeav was more about bad blood between Vitali and him going back to their amatuer days. Maskeav called Vitali out several times in the 2000's, claiming Vitali was ducking him because he'd been stopped in a round by him in the amatuers. Would have been good to see Vitali step up and bury old demons, put Maskeav down and shut him up for good, didn't happen.

Valuev may not have been that good of a fighter but he was a reigning and legitimate title holder. He wouldn't have been a great name but he would have been a good one.

Arreola is decent but limited, Chisora is a gatekeeper, neither will go on to rule the division once both Klitschko's are gone. Stiverne probably wont either, but he earnt his shot and Vitali messed him around for at least 5 months this year, needlessly. Vitali had ample opportunity to fight his mandatory this year prior to claiming to be injured but did not do so, and instead has been effectively retired for the last 16 or so months. He did not give Stiverne the opportunity he had against Lewis - to fight the reigning champion and try to tear the title from his grip - and he robbed Stiverne of the title that would have been his after the Arreola fight had Vitali retired last year and not spent all that time neglecting his obligation as WBC Champion and holding up the division.
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Nice memory.

The fighter you mention Vitali asking the WBC for a voluntary before fighting Rhaman was Maskaev. exactly for the reason you stated.
His back injury was misdiagnosed as he sought out the wrong Drs, interested probably in doing $50K surgery on him maybe.....idk....but once his L5/S1 healed, he was already long retired and making a run at politicking.

And yeah, he shoulda fought Stiverne instead of Charr.

I think moreso than anything though, the K2 decided if the WBC would allow it, they'd sidestep DKP fighter just as they were shut out from fighting Valuev, Ruiz, and DKP other biggish names back in the mid 00s.:think

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Thank you Vitali Klitschko, you've been a wonderful champion

chitownfightfan Loyal Member Full Member

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Thank you Vitali Klitschko, you've been a wonderful champion

chitownfightfan Loyal Member Full Member

chitownfightfan Loyal Member Full Member