Who's the Smallest-Ever Fighter You'd Pick to Beat Current Wlad 6+ Times Outta 10?

How does Wlad's chin and hands hold up in an era of smaller gloves?...how does his stamina go in an era where heavyweights could actually fight at a furious pace for 15, even 20 rounds..whereas Wlad has be known to collapse after 5.

These things make these matchups difficult to discuss...because eras are hard to compare.
I reckon most of those much smaller fighters have a very hard time against him in his era.

 

His jabs would kill.

The post-ban Ali loses at least 6-out-of-10 for me. In his prime I'd favor him generally but it would be an awkward fight, and Ali would be hardpressed to avoid getting hit. Against Wlad, Ali can't bully a smaller or slower fighter... he'd be facing a guy with great footwork and active feet, fast hands, tremendous power, great skills and an ATG jab in a massive package. Wlad's biggest enemy has always been his psychology.

I tend to agree, I imagine Joe would get to Wladimir and **** him up, but I can't really see the fight in my head so I'm not confident. Of those three only Carnera is similar to Wlad and Wladimir is more skilled and a much better athlete than Primo.

Frazier would be dangerous for Wlad. He'd be awkward to keep at bay and he'd need to let his hands go and drop bombs to keep Frazier off him. I think I'd favor Wlad to the tune of 6 fights out of ten, but I may have a completely different opinion in a few years when I learn more about the sport. Joe was no joke.



For me, it's Dempsey. I'm not sure Rocky could get to a poised Wlad. If he does, it could end quickly, but a swarmer needs to be fast and smart to get to Wlad, unless Wlad has a mental breakdown. I think Dempsey would get past Wlad's defense and jab and break his body. He has the athleticism, defense, speed and footwork to get to Wlad whereas Rocky might have more trouble.

Don't forget how well Wlad moves on his feet, he can get away from danger and he was an incredible puncher before his "second career".

 

Well i'm just saying that it doesn't bode well for Langford if he twice one-sidedly lost to a fighter similar to but several levels below Wlad. Even if he was past his best. From what i've read, he wasn't even competitive. Everyone knows Dempsey was over the hill against Tunney, but wouldn't you agree that based on what you saw there, a bigger and better version of Tunney (say Holmes or Ali) would likey be favored against a prime version of his?

I think this is a remarkable choice, again. First because we know Frazier is vulenrable early and Wlad definitely has the power to take him out. Second, we also know Wlad will move and tie him up when comes up close. Yes, not the most exciting style, but look at how little Frazier could do when Ali did that in their rematch.

I wouldn't count Frazier out and i think very highly of him, but i strongly doubt he'd win more than 5 out of 10.

 

Ali. Wlad punches real hard and Ali has the best punch resistance and recovery ability.

Ali was a master in psychology warfare

 

What I make of it is that Langford was an empty shell some time before he fought Fulton and at his peak would likley have gone through Fulton prety much like Dempsey did.

You might as well use Leon Spinks's win over Ali to suggest that Marciano would always have beaten him.

My reasons for picking Langford are simple. As a finisher he was more dangerous at creating and exploiting an opening than any heavyweight since him. Wlads jab and grab style is not going to see him to the final bell against a finisher like Langford whatever his physical advantages. Sanders got his oportunity by chance when Wlad made a mistake. Langford would force him to make a mistake somwhere in the fight and then its goodnight sweet prince.

A big reach advantage an a stiff jab alone are no substitute for what Langford had.

 

Tyson, Dempsey, Marciano, Holyfield, Louis, Ali... in fact quite a few more. As regards talent Wlad is a big fish in a VERY small pond, the division sucks and even then he's managed to lose to a part time boxer/golfer... to be compared even head to head with better fighters from better era's is madness imo

 

And Louis isn't exactly Lamon Brewster, either.

 

Vingo wasn't rated but he was a pretty good prospect, and he stood 6'4", although he was a lot lighter than Wlad.

I think pressure fighters like Tyson (not strictly a pressure fighter, but close enough) and Frazier could do damage. Dempsey too.

Personally I can't see Marciano doing much. He's short and simply not big enough. Dempsey weighed the same, more or less, as Marciano but he was a good deal taller and more explosive.
Joe Louis cracks Wlad's chin more often than not, imo. The Patterson call above is interesting. For me though, Patterson's chin could not withstand a powerful right hand from the big Ukrainian.

The list isn't very big if one needs to find a smallish guy that wins 60% of his fights against Wlad, but in a one-off fight there are many more we could add to tha list.

Anyway, I'd say Frazier and Dempsey are my smallest, most likely candidates.

 

5′ 6½″ / 169cm

[url]http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=11023&cat=boxer[/url]

 

Frazier is vulnerable early, but Wlad is no ball of fire in the early rounds either. He was cautious against even the over-the-hill Rahman, in a fight where some felt Wlad was being more aggressive than usual.
To me, Wlad's caution offsets Frazier's slow start.

Wlad will tie Frazier up no doubt, he has the strength to do so. But he has to also deal with a kind of pressure nobody has put on him before. He can tie Frazier up 100 times and Frazier will keep coming at him.

In terms of stamina Frazier is leaps and bounds ahead of Wlad, who even though he is far bigger, has to carry that great bulk around for 12-15 rounds. (Assuming the fight goes that far.)

There is every possibility that Wlad's height can work for him, but also against him.
Frazier fought out of a crouch, and since Wlad has not too much of an uppercut, he's not going to exploit the crouch's weakness as did Foreman.
Wlad is going to have very little other than the top of Frazier's head to aim for, and I can see a situation where he over-extends himself to throw a jab, and Frazier counters with leaping left hooks.
I honestly see Wlad missing much more than he lands against Frazier.

If Wlad doesn't get him early on, I reckon he's in for a long, hard fight.

 

Manny Pacquaio

 

Hey, we have people picking Wlad over Louis, Ali and Liston - that's far more delusional than Marciano being able to do as well as Corrie Sanders, Ross Puritty or Lamon Brewster.

 

Any solid infighter that has a decent chin, and good ability to get inside. Wlad simply cant fight. If you can get inside and make him fight, he falls apart. If you put a 1996 version of Ray Mercer in with him I would pick Mercer to beat him. Hes lost to B and C level opposition that have been able to get under his jab and make it to the later rounds while still applying pressure.
Steward has improved his ability to hold on the inside, but its gotten to the point of cheating, especially in the Peter fight, which was the last time Wlad even faced a fighter that could get close to him.

 

I disagree. No competitive matchup in boxing can ever be a certainty, due to the presence of knockouts, cuts, and corruption/bias of judges. Every contender always has at least a modest chance to win.

 

Wlad was knocked down by Steve Panell and TKO'd by Ross Purritty. If Ross the Boss, a career journeyman, can beat Wlad once then Ali could beat him 10 times easily. Ali is faster than Sanders, who had no problems finding Wlad.

See, I can do that too.