Wladimir Klitschko born 25 March 1976) is a [url]Ukrainian[/url] [url]heavyweight[/url] professional [url]boxer[/url]. Klitschko is the current [url]Transnational Boxing Rankings Board[/url], [url]lineal[/url], [url]WBA (Super)[/url], [url]IBF[/url], [url]WBO[/url], [url]IBO[/url] and [url]The Ring[/url] world champion. Klitschko is the longest reigning IBF, WBO & IBO heavyweight champion in history with the most title defenses for those organizations. Overall, he is the [url]second longest reigning Heavyweight Champion of all time[/url] with the second most successful career grand total title defenses with 22 (including his "super" title recognition). On 13 October 2013, [url]Boxrec[/url] rated Klitschko as the number two pound-for-pound fighter in the world. On 15 April 2014, he reached a career peak of number three on the [url]pound-for-pound[/url] list of [url]The Ring[/url]. Klitschko is second on the all-time list for most heavyweight title fights with 26, behind only [url]Joe Louis[/url] with 27. He is the younger brother of former [url]WBC[/url], WBO & Ring magazine heavyweight champion [url]Vitali Klitschko[/url]. Since 2005 Vladimir Klitschko has been the dominant force in the heavyweight division, defeating a majority of the top heavyweights in the rankings. When Klitschko won the IBF title against [url]Chris Byrd[/url] there were four separate Heavyweight Champions. Since then, he has unified the IBF, IBO, WBO & WBA belts and defeated the WBA Champion in recess. Following his win over [url]Ruslan Chagaev[/url], Klitschko was awarded the vacant Ring Magazine Heavyweight title. Klitschko has held at least a piece of the heavyweight championship since 2006, when he won the IBF title. The most recent bout in which he claimed a piece of the undisputed title was when he won the WBA championship from [url]David Haye[/url] in 2011. What will be hes place in history if he beat Joe Louis record of 25 total title defenses?
Man, I don't know. Louis defended the undisputed belt. I believe some of these you are throwing in are even from his WBO reign. There is a real question her about what is legitimately a defense of the heavyweight championship. That being said, love the man, and I think he has beaten some very good fighters. Have him as the tenth greatest heavy ever.
Its hard to rank anyone from present and past. Fighter change, the entire boxing change. Now its a lor more tactical and the heavyweight are at 250 pounds, this is just insane, every shot can end the fight ... Its not that easy as most guys think. I never like to compare past star to presents and future ones. The most important thing is that you develop the sport and leave a big trace behind you.
He is a great fighter.....he put on a great show Saturday night. Would like to see more of that kind of fights in the future fights of klitschko
Regarding title defenses, Wlad has said Louis' record is still very far away (at least 4 years). He realizes it is difficult for this era to achieve something like that. He's now competing more with Holmes and their numbers are similar (19 vs. 17 legitimate defenses and 20 vs. 22 overall defenses). I think he will stay there, he shouldn't force himself to fight until he's in his mid 40s.
