"quality" opponents Wlad "fought"

[Silkeyjoe]

When I scan through other great heavies recs and compare it to Wlads there usually isnt a whole lot of difference in quality. I think Wlad is missing a career defining win against another all time great heavy.

If you look at Lewis for example he does have a few better names. Tyson was clearly shot though and Holyfield would struggle would struggle with any decent bigger heavy. He would be an easy opponent for Wlad. Vitali is what makes Lewis' career and record better than Wlads imo.

Should Wlad continue to fight and end up beating an unbeaten Wilder, Fury or even Joshua, after they have proven themselves as elite fighters then he has to be given credit he deserves.

[Max Power]

When I scan through other great heavies recs and compare it to Wlads there usually isnt a whole lot of difference in quality. I think Wlad is missing a career defining win against another all time great heavy.

If you look at Lewis for example he does have a few better names. Tyson was clearly shot though and Holyfield would struggle would struggle with any decent bigger heavy. He would be an easy opponent for Wlad. Vitali is what makes Lewis' career and record better than Wlads imo.

Should Wlad continue to fight and end up beating an unbeaten Wilder, Fury or even Joshua, after they have proven themselves as elite fighters then he has to be given credit he deserves.

Yes, LEnnox has a Holyfield and a Tyson on his resume. But the only difference really between these guys and good Wlad opponents is the NAMES.

Ibragimov DID beat Holyfield
Thompson would have beat Tyson that Lennox did.

All of Wlad's wins are good wins. It's just that Lennox had some difficulties with some opponents which created an aura of competition. Whereas Wladimir dispatched all of his with fewer issues because he is more focussed. Lennox blew out about 4 of his good opponents whereas Wladimir only managed to blow out 1 or 2 of his really good ones early, because Wladimir is even more tactical (and also less risky).

I don't know who was really better prime for prime but one thing is certain.

Wladimir has had a much more extensive career, has been more dominant and has fought+beaten MORE decent opponents than Lennox. That much is a fact.

[Master]

Wladimir has had a much more extensive career, has been more dominant and has fought+beaten MORE decent opponents than Lennox.

How can you say the above?

Lennox would pulverise Wlad and yet you have the audacity to make the statement above.

[Max Power]

Wladimir has had a much more extensive career, has been more dominant and has fought+beaten MORE decent opponents than Lennox.

How can you say the above?

Lennox would pulverise Wlad and yet you have the audacity to make the statement above.

I think Lennox vs Wladimir is something close to a 50/50 fight, and these days the slight edge might be even given to WK! Factoring Emanuel Steward into the picture it might even be determined as others have said before me, by which corner he happened to sit in (were he to be around).

The only time Lennox fought anybody close to Wladimir's level, Vitali, he in my opinion got pulverised himself but that is another argument.

The best version of Wladimir imo is a tougher opponent for Lennox than the version of Vitali he fought and only managed to get by through unconventional means.

The most elite versions of WK, VK and LL are basically comparable. They all never were really outclassed at all and basically punched the living shit out of all of their opponents like no others have.

[Beanflicker]

Lennox Lewis vs Wlad would have been a great fight to see.

[El Kabong]

Wlad has fought plenty of quality opponents...if the haters stop adjusting the goal posts.


The quality Lennox Lewis fought is different how? Tyson? Bowe, Holyfield, Moorer?


Who do they have on their resumes that put them so far ahead of Wlad? Wlad has beaten the young up and comers, the old vets, the comebacks, avenged defeats, got up off the canvas to win, he's beaten the flavors of the month, the undefeated to that point.....stop asking the impossible of the guy and appreciate what he has accomplished for fucks sake.


Oh once he retires the division will be more competitive? Yeah allow me to ask, will that be for the better or worse? Will we see stand and trade toughman fights or will we see good boxing? Wlad is so far ahead of everyone else in heavyweight boxing today he won't be fully appreciated until he does retire and you guys finally get a look at who is left in the division.....certainly no one as dominant as Wladimir! He's behind Holmes and Joe fucking Louis as the longest reigning heavyweight champion of ALL TIME! Show some God damned respect

[Silkeyjoe]

Wlad has fought plenty of quality opponents...if the haters stop adjusting the goal posts.


The quality Lennox Lewis fought is different how? Tyson? Bowe, Holyfield, Moorer?


Who do they have on their resumes that put them so far ahead of Wlad? Wlad has beaten the young up and comers, the old vets, the comebacks, avenged defeats, got up off the canvas to win, he's beaten the flavors of the month, the undefeated to that point.....stop asking the impossible of the guy and appreciate what he has accomplished for fucks sake.


Oh once he retires the division will be more competitive? Yeah allow me to ask, will that be for the better or worse? Will we see stand and trade toughman fights or will we see good boxing? Wlad is so far ahead of everyone else in heavyweight boxing today he won't be fully appreciated until he does retire and you guys finally get a look at who is left in the division.....certainly no one as dominant as Wladimir! He's behind Holmes and Joe fucking Louis as the longest reigning heavyweight champion of ALL TIME! Show some God damned respect

Vitali. Wlad has beaten nobody close to Vitalis level

[SlimTrae]

The quality Lennox Lewis fought is different how?

Who do they have on their resumes that put them so far ahead of Wlad?

Wlad is so far ahead of everyone else in heavyweight boxing today he won't be fully appreciated until he does retire and you guys finally get a look at who is left in the division..... Show some God damned respect

Good post:
Do you remember Lennox went through the same ordeal when he fought? The guy couldn't live up to the expectations of the fans.
He retires, and now people look back on his reign as a wonderous ordeal.
Agree?

Same with Holyfield. I remember when he was called a blown up cruiser & he was dogged for not being able to stop Forman, dogged for his fight with Dokes.

He loses to Bowe--and THEN he got his respect from the fans. No longer was he the real-deal Holyfield, he became Evander the Warrior.
He didnt get respect by winning titles he got his trial by fire. Not saying it was right, but it is...what it is...

I truly think the same with Wlad.
It's no so much of just saying Wlad does not have skilled fighters on his resume as much as saying he doesnt have the type of fighters on his resume who go out on their shield, such as Haye's weak romp with him.
From your knowlegeable post may I seriously ask you: Do you think Haye gave it his all?

On one hand Wlad has steamrolled his foes and ruled with dominance, (we all seem in agreement with that)

But doubters have the right to look at his whole career and remember the limited guys with skill gave it their all- Sanders, Purrity, Brewster just as tired as he was & they got the win over Him.

But the current fighters on Wlad's resume who are more skilled than Sanders & crew, didn't go all out, so we can't even come close to putting any of Wlad's recent foes on the Great defeats threads. They belong on a {they punked out) thread.

Last: Wlad's mentor Manny Steward who shaped Hearns' jab, Lennox's jab has done the same for Wlad- Perfected it. So he may not get his due until he retires...

[Max Power]

Wlad has fought plenty of quality opponents...if the haters stop adjusting the goal posts.


The quality Lennox Lewis fought is different how? Tyson? Bowe, Holyfield, Moorer?


Who do they have on their resumes that put them so far ahead of Wlad? Wlad has beaten the young up and comers, the old vets, the comebacks, avenged defeats, got up off the canvas to win, he's beaten the flavors of the month, the undefeated to that point.....stop asking the impossible of the guy and appreciate what he has accomplished for fucks sake.


Oh once he retires the division will be more competitive? Yeah allow me to ask, will that be for the better or worse? Will we see stand and trade toughman fights or will we see good boxing? Wlad is so far ahead of everyone else in heavyweight boxing today he won't be fully appreciated until he does retire and you guys finally get a look at who is left in the division.....certainly no one as dominant as Wladimir! He's behind Holmes and Joe fucking Louis as the longest reigning heavyweight champion of ALL TIME! Show some God damned respect

Just like with Lennox and all the top champs, their widespread acceptance wont be complete until after their retirement.

Except these days the difference is many realise the true worth BEFORE the era is ling in the past.

[boyla]

I think Wlads opponents have been discussed enough previously, the undiscussed problem is that there was more than one heavy weight champion which watered down every single contender, and all a top twenty fighter had to do was wait a year for a payday against either brother.