What would a knockout victory against Joshua do for Wlad's legacy?

Honestly not much in my eyes. Wlad was already exposed by Fury. By the time they meet in April Wlad will be 41 years old and 17 months removed from his last fight. While it always looks good to have an ATG name in your win column, the actual value of such a scalp has to be taken with a grain of salt in cases like these. Now, if WLAD beats JOSHUA, it will certainly enhance his legacy given the circumstances.

 

I'd say it would move him up a bit,depending where you personally rank him.

I think it's a smart fight for Joshua ,Wlad will be rusty and 41 years old still very dangerous, but Im looking for the wheels to fall off.

 

I think it would be just about Wlad's best win and would enhance his legacy quite a bit.

 

This sounds like a cashout fight for Klitschko. And the fact that he's agreed to fight Joshua in his own backyard is proof of that to me. If Wlad were serious about continuing onward, he'd probably be in the ring with a tuneup level opponent in March instead of Joshua. I don't think he'll even go in there with a winning mentality. Look for this to be a short night.

 

Wlad could pick anyone he wants. He's picking the best of the lot. If he wanted an easy fight, Wilder or Parker would take their biggest pay day. And Wlad would make a ton there too. Wlad has something to prove. Since Fury is out, he's picking the next best man.

People forget, but he owned Joshua in sparring. Granted it was for the Pulev fight, but Joshua's weakness is being masked by slow and non-power punching opponents who can't counter and are often defeated at the staredown. Only Whyte really fought back and he hurt him. Whyte would rank where among Wlad's 22 title defenses? Probably no higher than 20 yet look what he did? I think Wlad's chances to do the same are about 50/50.

How many other active heavyweights would be 18-0 vs the same? 10? 20? more?

I do agree Wlad should take a quick tune-up in February. At age 41 he's not as good as he once was. But Joshua won't win the same way Fury did. He lacks the legs, and reach and possibly long term stamina.

What would a knockout victory against Joshua do for Wlad's legacy?

Enhance it for sure. How much depends on Joshua's performances afterward.

 

I think it would do a fair bit for Wlads resume, assuming it was a good performance by both fighters, that said I don't think he will pull it off.

 

yeah sorry I got it backwards, but at the end of the paragraph I also said that it would be a big win for Wlad.

 

I think Wlad is only taking this fight for the money and not because he's trying to prove anything. You may have a point about Tyson Fury having tools that Joshua doesn't but remember Tyson fought Wlad a year and a half prior to the date of this fight. And Joshua is five times the fighter that he was three years ago when he was sparring in Wlad in preparation for the Pulev fight.

 

Most likely because any little thing, even the slightest injury, or God forbid a loss could throw him completely out of just about the biggest paying fight of his career or certainly one of them. I don't think this fight is about Wlad winning.. I think its about securing retirement. We saw a similar scenario like this in January of 1988..