Quote Originally Posted by TitoFan View Post

C'mon Bean... technical doesn't necessarily mean Wlad's style. Lots of fighters, including heavyweights, have exhibited technical skills on defense that result in their not getting hit that much. Foot movement, moving in and out, head movement, leaning back from hooks, blocking shots, using timing and counterpunching, etc, etc, etc. Particularly at the lower weights. Wlad's idea of defense, especially when facing a strong puncher, is to maul, tie up, and lean on these guys throughout the whole fight. Don't tell me you thought the Povetkin fight was a good fight for Wlad (or the fans). Wlad loses fans everytime he has a fight like that.

I'm not saying Wlad has to allow himself to get hit. I'm just saying there's other types of techniques he could use, and probably would use, if he were less afraid of The Big Bang. Which in turn would result in more fan-friendly fights, and probably a larger fan base particularly in the U.S.
I think the key thing you said there was the "particularly at lower weights" part. Take (arguably) the most technical guy in the sport right now, Rigo and compare him to Wlad. Obviously the difference is one guy is 5'4'' and around 130lbs (fight night) and the other guy is 6'6'', 250lbs with a bodybuilder's physique, and that muscle mass eats up a ton of oxygen. Both guys have have to fight the same length of time, 12 rounds or less, so it's not possible for Wlad to fight the same way as a smaller guy, he's carrying around about 100 extra pounds. So again you have to go back to fighting to someone's body type: Wlad's responsibility is to avoid getting hit in a way that will not burn him out and leave him vulnerable in the mid to late rounds (like earlier in his career) and that's what he has done so you have to respect that.

I'm not saying he's exciting, I'm saying he's technically brilliant for a heavyweight. It's not luck that he isn't taking much punishment out there. And people say "oh he's not good, he's just big and tall". If that's all it took, Tye Fields would have been a dominant champ for the last 15 years, or Valuev would still be around.