Mickey Vann: "Klitschko’s place in history is stronger than Mayweather’s"

[Freedom]

Mickey Vann: "Wladimir Klitschko's place in history is stronger than Floyd Mayweather's"

"If we consider Floyd Mayweather, a very intelligent boxer, as one of the greatest of modern times then we must also give Wladimir Klitschko, who has ruled at heavyweight for many years, at least the same credit.

Unlike Mayweather he hasn’t moved up and down in weight, nor has he fought exclusively on home turf. He has fought many times in America – as well as Germany – while he’s also fought in Switzerland and Russia. Lamon Brewster beat him in Germany eleven years ago, as did Corrie Saunders before that. He has had 67 fights and only lost three of those; the metal toughness exhibited to come back from defeat and prove himself time and again is something Mayweather has not done. And like Mayweather, Klitschko makes special fighters look ordinary.

Perhaps Mayweather is the slicker fighter, but Klitschko’s place in history should be regarded as highly, if not higher. Very few champions – Floyd included – have dominated their divisions like Wladimir. If one of my sons asked me who he should use as a role model between Floyd (rarely boxed out of Las Vegas) Mayweather and Wladimir Klitschko it is a no-brainer.

It looks like Klitschko’s fight with Tyson Fury will now take place on November 28. I don’t for one minute think his injury that caused the postponement is in any way a smoke screen, but I do believe the Klitschko camp are apprehensive, and I think this has been the case ever since the fight was announced.

I understand that the Klitschko team insisted on a return clause in the contract and the return to be in Germany before the contracts would be signed – this for me is not the actions of a team full of confidence.

However, credit to the fighter for taking on Fury in the first place and yet again fighting the best he could; this could not always be said of Mayweather."