Wlad's roadmap to GOAT

There is no roadmap for Klitschko to be considered GOAT by anyone who is not a delusional fan of his.

 

I think Wlad is a top10 ATG heavyweight. Arguably #5 or #6 right now. He's 39 and already past his best, so a loss would not affect his status so much, imo.

If he beats a couple more contenders, and if he unifies also the WBC belt, he would be #3 in my book. Although you could always argue that Lewis beat better opponents.

You could argue that Wlad would beat Joe Louis in an actual fight (I think he would). Therefore, if Wlad arrives to 2016 as champion, and he has 20-22 title defenses, you could argue that he's greater than Joe Louis. You could add his WBO belt defenses to argue he has more than 25 defenses.

So, potencially, Wlad could reach the #2 or #3 spot in ATG HW rankings. He needs more fights and the WBC belt.

 

Can you envision a scenario where Klitschko is rated higher than fighters like Ray Robinson or Henry Armstrong?

 

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but I don't see how he could ever be classed as the GOAT.

He truly is a great fighter, but this era of HW's is the weakest it's been in 40 years.

He's gone ten years undefeated. Which has to be respected.

But would he have gone ten years undefeated in the 70's, 80's, 90's?

I don't think he would have done.

He's got great statistics, and with each defence, his resume looks stronger.

Lots of fans like to deal in statistics.

They use them in debates.

Which is cool. But statistics don't allow for circumstances.

I like Wlad. He's an intelligent guy, a great champion, and he's good for the sport.

So I don't want to disrespect him.

But IMHO, he'll never be the GOAT.

Whilst it's great that he's turned his career around and become a great champion, there's three things IMHO, that stop him from being the GOAT.

Which are:

1. This era of HW's is weak. The weakest in 40 years.

2. He was knocked out three times in his 20's, against fighters who weren't great, and he only avenged one of the losses.

3. He's never beaten a great fighter.

 

There was another HOFer in Wlad's era and he never fought him. That was their decision as brothers and it has cost one of them legacy wise.

I also think Wlad was fortunate to not have fought Lewis as at the stage of his career when that fight could have happened Lewis would have wiped him out and it wouldn't be reflective of the fight we'd see from a prime Wlad - who I think still loses a competitive match.

 

Not impossible but pretty unlikely he'll ever be considered the greatest heavy in history.

His 3 losses are going to limit any realistic level for him. I guess he could go on to dominate for another 5-7 years, and that could really push him up there, but I don't think that is going to happen at all.

Right now Wlad is borderline to 10 to me. You can make a case for him being just in or just out of the top 10. I can't see him hanging around long enough to crack the top 5 let alone #1.

 

NO.

Klitschko has only been champion since defeating Povetkin - which means he has only TWO title defenses.

 

Ross Purrity, Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster are ALL problems for Wlad...

 

The WBC are starting a strict new anti-doping program. Thats Wlads hopes of unifying the titles gone.

 

Speaking of "gone", what the **** are you still doing here?

 

He isn't a top 10 ATG HW. He's never beaten a HW ATG.

/end

The era he has reigned over is the weakest we've ever seen.

 

Oh, after proving to be the biggest idiot on the board( besides perhaps MVC, Chicano, Super Hans and Herol Gee), now it turns out he's also a bet welcher. Yeah, he sucks pretty bad:deal

 

really this means map o becoming an atg.

to do so he needs a valid contribution to a record - for me this would be making defences against some opposition who don't struggle against 40somethings.

SO there should be no defences against Price and Pulev types, and certainly never again against Charr/Pianeta nobodies. He needs a string of Stivernes so that he can notch his valid defences out of single figures.

Another way would be to be oldest undisputed champ, though that's more in line wit a HoF claim.