Vitali-AT LEAST in the top 3 highest KO percentages in history for a heavyweight.

How do you figure that? I always thought he was a really crafty fighter.

 

He had a gashed eye and still went on all-out attack against Lewis rather than protecting it.
Result - TKO LOSS

He had a massive lead but quit when he could have won without throwing a single punch against Byrd.
Result - TKO LOSS


atsch

 

Yes but he was ahead on the cards in both of those, and he quit craftily against Byrd, and was stopped inbetween rounds whilst busily plotting his cunning for round 7 against Lewis.

 

I can't say I agree with that, Vitali for most of the fight was avoiding a lot of Lewis' shots, but you can only protect a cut as bad as his so much. And let's keep in mind that Vitali was fighting an intelligent fighter in his own right that night. I don't see how this should reflect his in-ring intelligence.

I don't see how this reflects his ring-intelligence, either.. I'm sure Klitschko even knew that he was winning that fight, but that right there should tell you how severely the pain in his shoulder must've been. Only Vitali knows how painful the injury was.

 

How would you like a Byrd/Vitali rematch?Who would you pick? Byrd?Your facts are far-fetched--whatever happened that night had nothing to do with the Byrd strategy-just luck from a worn out kick boxer.I say the worn-out kick boxer KO's Byrd next time. You want to make a bet?
You just rain on the K'bros...who do you pick with Brew fight? Don't tell me.
You need to be fair.

 

When the cut was opened, it wasn't too bad. 3 rounds later, it was one of the worst cuts ever seen in boxing.

Plenty of fighters have been cut against intelligent opposition and managed to limit the damage. Vitali didn't even try to keep the guard up on the side that was injured. That's dumb, no matter how you try to spin it.

Either he didn't protect is eye well enough by choice
or
he couldn't protect is eye well enough because of a lack of defensive skill.

Take your pick.

Either way, it's a negative against Vitali.

Holyfield got the exact same injury against the exact same opponent, but kept going to the end. He lost because the injury happened in round 2 and he didn't have the lead, but Vitali just had to stand there.

Take a look at the fight. Vitali was still throwing punches with the injured arm in the round before the stoppage. He wasn't even wincing.

 

I bet you a bazillion dollars that Vitali never beats (or even fights) Byrd in the future.

Byrd's style and tactics led directly to the injury TKO. He didn't intend it but that doesn't make it either lucky or not legit. Refer to my example of the guy who breaks the opponents rib without intending it.

If you intend to KO an opponent with a jab/right cross/hook/uppercut combo, but happen to KO him with the cross, is that not legit because you meant to KO him with the uppercut?


Wlad is going to destroy Brewster. Why do you ask?

 

The same worn out kick boxer who years later took a prime (if you'll believe the Klit fans) Lewis to the limit??

Damn, imagine how good VITLAY could have been if he'd never kick-boxed!! :nut :nut

 

Well that embarassing KO by Pele Reid took a lot out of him. :yep

 

Plenty, but not all. And either way, you're going to come to the conclusion of his tactical skills from one fight against a great fighter? He's open to right hands a lot because he holds his left hand very low, and just because one fighter successfully landed some good ones on him, it doesn't reflect his overall skill as a fighter.

Unless you can somehow jump into the bodies of Holyfield and Klitschko, there's no way of telling to what degree each fighter's injury was. Only the fighter's themselves can answer that. And I'm still not sure how this is supposed to reflect Vitali's ring-skills.

 

No.....I'm not joining in....just this once

 

By the way I ain't making a pick on the WALDO V Brewster fight but will give WALDO his props if he wins it. I've slated WALDO in the past, absolutely SLATED him for refusing to avenge his losses and give him big respect for finally attempting to avenge one.

I do think the fight may be closer than people think, maybe WALDO will blast Brewster out of there but I wouldn't be surprised if Brewster blasted WALDO too. Brewster definately has the mental edge, WALDO has the edge in skills. I never underestimate the mental edge though, a lot of fights have been won or lost because of it.

Thing is we ain't talking about WALDO here we're talking about VITLAY.

 

Next you'll be telling us that Calzaghe and Mayweather opponents should take power punches to the head in hopes that Joe or Floyd will break their brittle hands.

Byrd was LUCKY, period. He could not have KOd Vitali if he'd been given a baseball bat for the last round of that fight. And that was the only way he could win if it continued.

Vitali decided his future boxing career (and health) was more important than the W in this case, and like a tennis player (leading in a match ) who sprains his ankle, he did the wise thing and withdrew.

The only folks who put a different spin on it are guys who would have denigrated Vitali anyway, whether he had won or lost. You only have to look around this thread to hear the rationalizations when he demolished Sanders and Johnson. (Old, fat pick your excuse.)

A healthy Vitali is far superior to Byrd. A healthy Wlad is too.

 

Just like a tougher-skinned VITLAY is superior to Lewis, and a harder chinned WALDO is superior to Sanders.

 

I know the subject is on Vitali, but I'm curious to know who Drexl picks in the Brew/Wlad fight? What's his take? He seems to be a Klit hater.