Vitali Klitschko (1999) vs Zaire Ali (1974)

He defeats him.Ali neded the jab to be effective. Vitali not only has a jab he has a similar style to Ali in the lean back and counter approach.i don't see ali out pointing him and vitali would reach him,hes not the smaller guys who couldn't. vitali being patient and strong as well as high ring IQ makes this a huge head ache for Ali.Cant see him winning here. I have Vitali at number one H2h for this reason ,a huge difficulty style who can punch has a chin and is smart at 6'7 ..yes this is also a HUGE factor.

 

Ali points.

 

Lewis stopped him.

 

He also ran from a promised rematch ,he waited 6 months saw what Vitali looked like against Johnson and changed his mind. that Vitali tightened up his defense as well. I think Vitali gets him ,he had the chin/size and awkwardness,lewis self admits Vitalis size was a problem so I take into account all the intangibles. Both were tough. Ali is not 6'5 and have a 84 inch reach total different match and without power you will find Vitali almost impossible to beat.

 

Its not a coincidence that Vitali couldn't land a glove on Byrd and Johnson. They were the only two guys he fought who had a semblance of a defence which presented him problems. One of those guys he was beaten by.
For Vitali to be effective , his opponents had to come onto him in a straight line. He can't deal with angles because his footwork is poor and he has no hooks in his armoury.
A 32 year old Ali could still box circles around you if you gave him the space. Vitali neither has the ring cutting abilities nor the fierce pressure of a Foreman to track Ali into a corner. And even if he did , he wouldn't know what to do with him as you witnessed in the Byrd and Johnson fights.
Im thinking the Ali up until the Thrilla In Manila had enough to comfortably beat Vitali.

 

A past his best Lewis beat an at his best Vitali.

I just can't comprehend Vitali being number 1.

 

vitali wouldn't even dream of getting in the ring with any version of ali, apart perhaps with the retrospective knowledge that 1980s Ali had Parkinsons in his last two fights.

 

He got in the ring with Lewis so why wouldn't he get in the ring with Ali?

Also if there was retrospective knowledge about the Parkinsonis I'd imagine he'd have his licence revoked.

 

I cant comprehend who else outside Tyson and Lewis maybe Wlad that matches against a 6'7 SHW either? and gets dismissed so easily?

 

Wlad doesn't match up well.

Foreman would walk through him imo.

 

because that was old about to retire lewis, just as I said with old about to retire ali.

I used like for like. YOU HAVENT. why haven't you?

if he'd travelled in a tmie machine to 1981, only vitali would have that knowledge, so no.

 

P.S Vitali improved after that fight,BOTh Lewis and Steward were banking on a Johnson win to throw it under the rug...didn't happen he retired.

No foreman is to slow did you see the lyle fight or the other boxers of the 90's out box him? Vitali would take away foreman size needability.

wlad is another story,he could win b/c of the jab I think he k.os foreman of the 70's and win s against him in decision in the 90's.

 

what size needability? plenty of his opposition were big guys, they all fell just as hard and fast.

 

Foreman was never outsized in the 70's unless you include fringe fighter Wepner? a cut easy average skilled and slow fighter.