Was Wladimir Klitschko the Best at the "Tall Style"?

Yeah, kinda by default.

Lennox was a more rounded fighter who could rely more on things like timing and even give up big man advantages while still being effective with his technique.

Wlad's entire style is ams style. Manny didn't hide that. Stay tall, stay long, clinch on the inside, because Wlad gets himself KTFO when he tries to go toe-to-toe with a half decent inside or even mid range fighter.

I don't think one is inherently better but heaps do. You can be a specialist and be great. Wlad's kinda like Marciano with his one sided approach but like Marciano that didn't stop him from knocking fools out.


I'd favor Lennox on toughness not skill. If Lennox didn't tak him seriously Wlad might KO him, at range of course.

 

Agreed. Wlad was excellent at shutting down shorter opponents for the reasons that you mentioned, and I can't think of anybody who was better at it.

 

jack johnson was better. different tactics. smaller opponents but smaller man.

wlad very good too, if u ask me who is best at controlling and easily beating smaller fighters johnson is my answer.

 

he used his weight and the clinch sure. don't say wlad never clinched.

 

Yes.
Lewis was a better fighter all round, but Wlad was more adapted to fighting shorter, lighter men, by jabbing, not taking many risks, putting the lead hand in their face and grabbing when up close.
Lewis also was great at boxing shorter men, especially post-Mercer, but didn’t clinch as much as Wlad, which I guess may just mean he’s a more legitimate fighter rather than, as some may see it with Wlad, conning his way through fights, you could make that argument.
Lewis was definitely better at fighting guys his own height or weight, since he didn’t rely on clinching when up close, as we seen against Mercer, Briggs etc when he fought guys that could match him for strength, he could work there, and also he didn’t rely on keeping the fight at arms length, as we saw against Wlad’s brother Vitali.
Klitschko was the most well adapted to fighting shorter lighter men, but Lewis was better against guys who were either his own height, or even against shorter guys who were the same weight.
Conclusion: Who was the best at fighting shorter guys in general? Lennox Lewis, but Wlad was better at fighting shorter, lighter guys.

 

I agree, Manny perfected his control range style. of course the inferiority of his opponents aided that as well but it doesn't take away from the style he mastered. He's a perfect example of a trainer vastly improving a fighter. Kinda rare really

 

In absolute terms, probably.

From a p4p perspective, Monzon was arguably the greatest exponent, even though his multi faceted skillset meant he was more versatile than Wlad.

 

As the years pass like the sands through the hourglass, Wlad inches closer to the top spot in all time heavyweight rankings. It's called perspective.

 

wlad was good at beating physically mismatched opponents? woooooooooooooooo

 

It depends how you define the "tall style".

Panama Al Brown was freakishly tall for a BW at around 5ft 11ins. He didn't fight out of a crouch and certainly utilised his huge advantages in height and reach, but I suspect he was a bit more flashy and versatile than the - jab, jab, jab, straight right, clinch - methodical style that you may be referring to when you cited Wlad -

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Either way, as great as Brown was, Monzon was greater, so he remains my answer to this thread, from a p4p perspective. Wlad from an absolute perspective.

 

Tunney’s performance against Gibbons is one of my favourite examples of a height advantage being used effectively. Excellent management of distance, using the jab to open Gibbons up for those ripping counters. Fury’s second fight against Chisora is another good example of taking advantage of your height and reach.