He is Top 15 ATG Heavyweight now, if he wants to enter Top 5-10 ATG he needs to become Undisputed..a showdown with a WBC 33-0 (KO 33) Wilder win or lose will be his biggest legacy fight possible :boxer
I like Wilder, he brings excitement. But at this point he does nothing for Wlad legacy. Let him prove he can destroy a couple top 10 fighters and we can reevaluate at that time. Did Lamar Clark do anything for Ali's legacy?
Clark is at the end of the list for a very good reason...Wlad didn't make the listvcause he was stopped by a journeyman...Had he beat the Journeyman he will still be below Wilder at 2.0-1 ratio...Wilder will get his WBC belt this year, Wlad can get his shot now or later Wilder the only Heavyweight boxer to reach 31-0-0-0 (KO 31) doing it vs better competition than Wlad (who failed to reach 31-0) or Foreman This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected 31-0-0-0 (KO 28 ) vs 428-150, 2.9-1 ratio, Bowe 31-0-0-0 (KO 27 ) vs 466-181, 2.6-1 ratio, Mesi 31-0-0-0 (KO 22 ) vs 405-162, 2.5-1 ratio, Holmes 31-0-0-0 (KO 20 ) vs 665-268, 2.5-1 ratio, Nielsen 31-0-0-0 (KO 31 ) vs 428-196, 2.2-1 ratio, Wilder 31-0-0-0 (KO 25 ) vs 473-235, 2.0-1 ratio, Boytsov This content is protected This content is protected
I doubt Wlad has 10 years left, this is boxing and he can always be knocked out and disappear. One thing though: I don't doubt his hunger and dedication, its genuine. Wlad seems fueled by all the hate he is getting, it seems to motivate him.
I hope he retires sometime in no more than 4-5 years tops. I hope he continue to dominate for a few years and then retires while the getting is still great for his health and finances and his legacy is further sealed as Wladimir could still use padding on the resume. 10 years though? Way too long.
I don't see how this could even be possible, at all. I mean: it's probably just another case of misinterpretation/ exaggeration somewhere, until i don't see an original source i won't believe it. For various reasons: 1- No fighter have ever been a dominant, lineal champion over the 40 years old. Ever. Statistics don't lie, if it has never happened so far (not even close, since all the 40plus champions weren't really lineal and dominant) it won't happen, not that way, and certainly not for 45 years elders like this article suggests. Wlad may be a physical freak, a statistics breaker like he has already demonstrated with his resume, but not THAT KIND of exception. 2- In my opinion, Wlad has already started to show signs of ageing and loss of level: a year ago he looked brilliant, explosive and smart against Francesco Pianeta, but some months ago against Povetkin he looked really physically faded, and not really focused or hungry, also. It may have been a night off, but still.
thats probably more to do with povetkin being a good fighter, who Wlad saw as a threat, and Pianeta being...well....Pianeta, than anything on Wlads end