Where do you rank Wladimir Klitschko currently amonst list of Heavyweight greats?

Then we are misunderstanding each other.

I agree that triangle theory is not necessarily an indicator of who would beat whom, but in this case I think that it is at least an indicator that Byrd and Ibragimov were on Holyfield's general standard. My point is, that Wlad meets the bar regarding the requisite skill level. Unless you think that Ibragimov and Byrd are bums, in which case Holyfield's ATG status is called into question.

 

To make it perfectly clear: boxers like Byrd and Ibragimov straddle "this" era and the "previous" era. If they managed to chalk up wins over great fighters of the "old" era then it shows that the standard has carried through. If Klitschko beats these intermediate fighters, then it shows that the standards are roughly comparable.

 

That's all you had to say. Age and mileage has to be factored in too.

 

OK, sure, age has to be factored in. What does this say about Wlad, who has a high mileage (66 fights) at age 38, and who is still ruling with an iron fist? :yep

 

see at last you are raising a point with some weight - wlads longevity is his strongest facet by far.

thank you.

 

claiming a standard with a midforties fighter isn't a standard you should be bragging about.

it only remains for you to explain why you are ignoring that.

 

That his opponents either aren't putting up much a fight or Wlad is just that good. The fights are supposed to get tougher as you get older, not easier.:good

 

Ike Ibeauchi blasted away a better version of Byrd in 5 than Wlad when Byrd took him the distance.

Ike didn't have Wlads size but proved he was a better boxer. Is Ike known as a great fighter? No. But he did better against Byrd than Wlad therefore Wlad is not a great fighter either.

 

I believe he was 40 when he lost to Byrd. A year after the Ruiz fights, 2 years after the Lewis fights. Holy could still bang. :bbb

 

Ike may well have been great if he never got locked up. He never lost ...

 

Add Ike the list greater than Wlad.

 

This is why I maintain that Wlad won't find his true ranking until he has retired for five years or so. When the current crop that he has beaten find their feet ... or go down in flames against a new wave of young lions - then we will know

 

:nut :nut

Good ol' dinovelvet, right on cue with the comic post.

 

you are at talking nonsense using byrd - byrd fougth holyman when he was 40, sultan much later.

that's your yardstick and its already flawed by still using a 40something as your measure of whats great.

 

Obviously top 5. Second longest reign as heavyweight champ, soon to have second longest consecutive defenses of the heavyweight title, youngest super heavyweight Olympic gold medalist in history. Ranked number 2 as top pound for pound fighter by U.S. boxing publication, Ring Magazine. He has been ranked by Ring in the top 5 P4P for over 5 years now. Just incredible. His legacy and ranking will of course grow after he retires as fans and boxing ****ysts fully appreciate Wlad's greatness. Heck, even Max Kellerman has got that, I can 't believe this guy is dominating his division so completely, comparing him to Floyd Mayweather more and more of late. Wlad is one of the greats. Enjoy him while you can. Father time is not on the Steelhammer's side.