Where does Wlad Klitschko rank as a HW ATG

Mainly the age difference and size. There is a belief that Wlad's uninterrupted 10 year reign was purely due to his size, since huge guys he fought were either not elite or didn't belong at world championship level. There is no doubt tht both Joshua and Wilder are championship material (they are both world champs), they are bigger than Wladimir, they are 15 years younger and in absolute prime, plus they are elite level boxers as former Olympians. If Wlad can beat them when he is 40, he would destroy them in his prime at 32-35, and this will forever close the "size made him great" argument.

 

I could see that depending on how both of their careers turn out.

It just seems like a huge jump up the rankings, when Wilder looks suspect to me and Joshua is still only a prospect.

 

I agree, apart from that I don't think they are elite level guys.

Overall, Wilder has looked poor since beating Stiverne, and again, Joshua hasn't really done anything yet. All this hype may soon come crashing down. He's only a world champ due to politics.

 

Bottom half of the top ten.

 

I have him creeping into the top 5.

 

Can't see him cracking the top 10. That Fury loss really exposed him as the one dimensional robot that detractors always claimed he was. Wlad is an All time Pretty Good, not an All Time Great.

 

Yes it may, and they may not be Lennox level elite, but they are the best of this generation. I actually think Joshua is destined for greatness, even if he seems overhyped at the moment. But either way, no other champion in history would do what Wlad would do, by beating much younger prime guys while long past his own prime. That will be a world first for heavyweights (Moorer was a small HW and Foreman got lucky) and for me at leat will justify his inclusion in top 3.

 

I don't agree with you, but I respect your opinion.

I also respect Wlad and his great longevity.

:good

 

All time pretty good with 18 consecutive defenses of 3 belts over 10 years, only Louis eclipsing this, get the eff out of here. :nut

 

Against an era of non moving , low skilled bums. The worst the division has ever produced.

You are meant to look great when you sit upon a terrible era. Wlad couldn't even do that. He needed the rules to be bent by corrupt refs to allow him win by any means necessary.

 

Top 20.

Head to Head maybe in the Top 15.

Can only fight who is in front of him.

 

Very good. Great fighters don't surrender their titles with a whimper. Losing is one thing giving up is another.

 

whatever their weaknesses H2H, its still an outstanding feat for brothers to, at least for some time, share the HW titles between them. Its the first time its been done, although the tag teaming obviously detracts from this feat.

Only the Spinks bros came close to achieving this, and they never did manage it together (although they didn't have the Machiavellian mind to tag team like the K's - if they had perhaps they might have (pre-)replicated it).

Tis a shame that wlad only becomes great when considered with his brother, not on his own.

 

He doesn't!