Direct from Vitali Klitschko: I’m Back!

[Gandalf]

Vitaly vs Ali - I would say Vitaly 8 of 10.

You may well be right. But there is always the element of how much more could the great of yesterday do if pushed to the limits? It might mean being stopped, or it might mean something very special to upset the odds. Always the element of the unknown.

My God. This is a sad day for boxing fans. I like ya Miles, I expect more outta you man. Vitali beat Muhammad Ali? Is it April fools alread? No, I didn't think so. NO fukin way in hell does Vitali even win much more than a round or two against Ali. Ali would make him quit. Vitali would not come out of his corner after about 8 rounds of beating that Ali would put on him. Big George would KO him rather quickly. His jaw ain't steel. Not by any means. Corey Sanders wobbled him several times, but did not have the air to finish him the fatty. Why people think the man has a great jaw is beyond me. Yes he has a better chin than that of his brother, but so does my grandmother.

I was standing on the fence and accepting the unknowable aspect of it all. I was simply condeding that the other guy had a chance of being right and I might be wrong. Ali had never faced anybody the size of Vitali and who is able to impose his jab and distance so well and who has a sturdy chin as well to boot. Ali wouldnt be knocking Vitali out. Ali was a force of nature and may very well have been able to work a decision. I think this is a possibility also. But as always in these cross generational matchups there are the unknown factors and we just dont know how they would interact come fight time. The Ali that fought Foreman would have a shot, but he's got to work on that huge reach advantage that Vitali possseses....

Vitali is a freakin amatuer compared to Ali. I mean who the fuk is Vitali? He made one defense of his title he won from outta shape fringe contender Corey Sanders, against totally outta shape Danny Williams. Primo Carnera was bigger than Vitali, and almost as clumsey and Max Bear DESTROYED him. Jess Willard was much larger than Jack Dempsey and Dempsey DESTROYED him. Now Ali would not DESTROY Vitali with power, but he would outbox him silly, cut him to ribbons and make him or his corner stop the fight. The class difernce between the two would be way too much for Vitali to overcome, he'd be smoked.

Its not just about class, it is about logistics too. Dont get me wrong, Im not jumping on Vitali's side here, Im just accepting the difficulties of comparing and contrasting with fighters of different sizes and eras. To not accept the possibilities of of what might very well be is to really limit one's sense of perspective.

I agree completely that Ali was a great and he accomplished so much. But he wasnt perfect and he could be beaten. Frazier and Norton are testament to that. To say Vitali has no chance is blinkered vision because he would have a realistic chance of beating Ali. Ali starts with the size and weight handicap against a fighter who really shouldnt be compared with Carnera! Just as Vitali has a chance, so does Ali have a shot at beating Vitali.