how would the klitschkos have got on during the late 80s/early 90s era??

[HattonTheHammer]

Ive asked myself this question many a time and it would of been quite fascinating to of seen.

Lets be perfectly honest here...the heavyweights of yesteryear were far more exciting than either klitschko hence why the whole world would stop whenever the world heavyweight title was up for grabs as opposed to now days when most of the non-boxing public really couldnt give a damn.

But along with that excitement also came recklesness naturally.

Tyson, Lewis, Holmes, Bowe, Holyfield, ruddock, mccall, bruno etc - the sort of guys that always produced excitement but lewis apart never quite with the tactical guile either of the brothers posseses!

[Wayne]

As much trouble as Wlad had with Ray Mercer I reckon Mercer would have had his way with him back in his prime.

[Taeth]

I don't necessarily think so, I don't see how prime Mercer would have an easier time getting past that jab. Wlad is much better IMO at using his height than Lennox was who fought more athletically and especially against Mercer failed to really impose his size on Mercer, nor did Lennox tie Mercer up on the inside which Wlad would do everytime Mercer got in close.

I think Vitali would be competitive and probably at the top of any division all the way back. IMO it wasn't just Lennox's age that made the fight so hard for him. Vitali is that good. He's so tall, great chin, good defensive skills, and still pretty athletic. This guy could compete with anyone who's ever fought.

[rjj tszyu]

Bowe, Lewis, holyfield and Tyson would have chewed them both up and spat them out. I think they probably beat the rest though!

[Taeth]

Why Bowe? I think Vitali would make him crumple in the wind, I mean Bowe barely had more firepower than Holyfield who is a great fighter, but not a very big heavyweight.

I think Holyfield would have big difficulties with either brother at any point in his career, they are too good against his style of fighting. I think he would chew up Wladimir how he used to fight, but now he doesn't really leave a shorter guy the oppertunity to get anything done. I could see Tyson leaping in and landing on Wlad, but I don't see Holyfield having that explosiveness to reach Wlad who fights so defensively.

[rjj tszyu]

Why Bowe? I think Vitali would make him crumple in the wind, I mean Bowe barely had more firepower than Holyfield who is a great fighter, but not a very big heavyweight.

I think Holyfield would have big difficulties with either brother at any point in his career, they are too good against his style of fighting. I think he would chew up Wladimir how he used to fight, but now he doesn't really leave a shorter guy the oppertunity to get anything done. I could see Tyson leaping in and landing on Wlad, but I don't see Holyfield having that explosiveness to reach Wlad who fights so defensively.

Yeah but look how shite Wlad looks against bums! Holyfield is an ATG. Holyfield would have crushed any version of Wlad in his prime!

[El Kabong]

Wladimir and Vitali would have been OK...I'm not so sure Bowe would have had such an easy time with them. Remember he didn't want to fight Lewis because Lennox wrecked him in the amateurs.

Bowe was an exciting fighter because he gave up his height and liked to fight on the inside....it wouldn't work to his advantage vs either brother. But he did have a hell of a chin.

I think the best style match ups would be:

Mike Tyson for Vitali as in the late 80's and all through the 90's Tyson stopped moving his head and was beatable by guys who had good chins, knew how to box and had good defense.....Vitali is hard to hit unless you are head hunting and if you are he's 6'8 and leans back....it would be difficult for the 5'10 Tyson to connect often enough to cause significant damage IMO.

Riddick Bowe for Wlad, while I think that Riddick was a very good fighter he was 6'5 and gave up his size to fight on the inside because he liked to mix it up which is what made him VERY popular, however, giving up size and distance to let Wlad use how he wants is dangerous for anyone. Bowe had a good chin, was never stopped (he didn't fight many of the best power punchers of his era though), but got dropped by Evander, and vs Golota while he wasn't the same fighter he WAS getting schooled before Golota just blew up.

The worst matchup for the two are:

Lennox Lewis for Vitali...those two seemed evenly matched even when Lewis was SAID to be out of shape. Lewis a great boxer, a self professed "pugilist specialist" when he was younger could box and move as good as anyone before him. Although he could get careless it only happened twice in his career and he was able to avenge those losses.

Evander Holyfield for Wladimir...now I don't doubt that Wlad would totally own Evander for the majority of the fight but Evander has a great chin and the best stamina of his era. Evander would apply great pressure to Wlad and Wlad would bust him up BUT Evander would just take it and keep coming....that's a more dangerous fight than Tyson IMO who yes very well could catch Wlad with a haymaker BUT #1 Wlad doesn't drop from just one punch #2 Tyson allowed people to tie him up all throughout his career and Wlad is bigger and stronger than damn near everyone Tyson ever fought.

[jon09]

I think the Klitschkos would have fared well in any era. I believe Vitali could have beaten Dokes, Witherspoon, Tubbs, Ruddock, Bowe, Tyson, Moorer and probably Holyfield but I think a well trained Lennox could have outboxed him. Now if we are talking the Tyson of the 80's then it might be a different story because of Tysons hunger and that he had better people surrounding him and the fact that he threw every punch in his arsenal with deadly intent. Now with Vlad it can be a coin toss but I believe he could have beaten most of the top fighters in the 80's and 90's as well especially at this stage in his career because he seems to be maturing and learning his craft quite well, like Lennox did. But Vlad still has his short comings to being a complete fighter such as body punching and he needs to throw more uppercuts to compensate for his iffy conditioning and chin. But I think they could have beaten most of the top guys except Lewis and 80's Tyson. And if they beat Lewis the 1st time then I'm sure in the rematch that Lewis would win. =). I also think the early 90's Foreman could have beaten Vlad but not Vitali.

[JonesJrMayweather]

Vitaly would have stood his own and been considered great. Wvlad would have been kayoed by them all...

[:::PSL:::]

A chunk of ear would have bitten off.

[Master]

Vitali could hold his own but would lose to prime Bowe, Holyfield, Tyson and Lewis, but all were inconsistent so at certain time Vitali may have been able to beat them.

Wlad is getting better but would lose to even the inconsistent moments the champs mentioned above may have had.

[ukansodoff]

The division is awful right now. But i believe that the 2 brothers are the only ones good enough to of competed at the top level in those times.

[HattonTheHammer]

Vitali could hold his own but would lose to prime Bowe, Holyfield, Tyson and Lewis, but all were inconsistent so at certain time Vitali may have been able to beat them.

Wlad is getting better but would lose to even the inconsistent moments the champs mentioned above may have had.

i could never see Wlad surviving a holyfield-bowe type war they went through and eventually taking a 10 count on the floor at some point. Vitali on the other hand probably would of been too good a boxer to get drawn into an all out fight like that though whether he would of been good enough to take holyfields ring guile or bowes power i just dont know?

Lewis would of boxed both guys heads off in his prime ive no reason to think otherwise. An 18 year old tyson would of probably steam rollered his way through Wlad the second he was able to get inside though again with vitali he may just of been good enough to play hare for a couple of rounds thus wearing iron mike out!

[Taeth]

Vitali could hold his own but would lose to prime Bowe, Holyfield, Tyson and Lewis, but all were inconsistent so at certain time Vitali may have been able to beat them.

Wlad is getting better but would lose to even the inconsistent moments the champs mentioned above may have had.

Tyson couldn't even beat Buster Douglas when he was a this worst, wasn't able to impose his well on Bonecrusher Smith at his best. If he can't land that big shot then He loses against either brother.

Bowe is so overrated. He was a good fighter who definitely had heart, but Vitali and Wlad are too big, and hit too hard for him. He probably would be favored to beat Wlad due to his chin, but no way does he even come close to beating Vitali.

Only Lennox of those 4 could handle Vitali the rest are simply too small.

[Taeth]

Vitali could hold his own but would lose to prime Bowe, Holyfield, Tyson and Lewis, but all were inconsistent so at certain time Vitali may have been able to beat them.

Wlad is getting better but would lose to even the inconsistent moments the champs mentioned above may have had.

i could never see Wlad surviving a holyfield-bowe type war they went through and eventually taking a 10 count on the floor at some point. Vitali on the other hand probably would of been too good a boxer to get drawn into an all out fight like that though whether he would of been good enough to take holyfields ring guile or bowes power i just dont know?

Lewis would of boxed both guys heads off in his prime ive no reason to think otherwise. An 18 year old tyson would of probably steam rollered his way through Wlad the second he was able to get inside though again with vitali he may just of been good enough to play hare for a couple of rounds thus wearing iron mike out!

Lewis wasn't as good of a pure boxer in his physical prime later on, he was definitely good, but Vitali clearly showed Lennox would never box his head off. Lennox is my favorite heavyweight ever, and I think Vitalit gives him in his prime the hardest fight of his life.

You are right Wladimir Klitschko would never be able to survive a Holyfield-Bowe type war, but he would never a fight agianst a guy 6'2 turn into a war. WHen guys who are 240 can't handle the power of his jab, I would love to see Holyfield do it.