Wlad Klit Retires

[Ron Swanson]

I've been saying for a long time I didn't expect this fight to come off. Like anyone I enjoy being right.

Wlad has been a great sportsman. Maybe not an exciting champion but he wasn't going to get caught with a transvestite prostitute. Now hopefully AJ will start fighting the top guys. There are a couple intriguing matchups.

[Mark TKO]

Not really surprised by this. Fair play to him. Nothing more to prove. The hunger no longer there so why bother.

A new era can properly begin now. Wlad and dare I say it Fury both bow out.

David Haye will worm his way back in ffs. It will happen

[Master]

Not really surprised by this. Fair play to him. Nothing more to prove. The hunger no longer there so why bother.

A new era can properly begin now. Wlad and dare I say it Fury both bow out.

David Haye will worm his way back in ffs. It will happen

I read Hughie is being lined up to fight Haye if he wins the WBO title.

[powerpuncher]

I'll say something nice about Wlad since he is retiring. He was a respectable guy outside the ring and he definitely learned from early mistakes in his career and improved himself so respect for that.

I'm so glad he isn't fighting AJ again. Great first fight but a second fight wasn't necessary.

[Kirkland Laing]

He waited till the last fight of his career before being in an exciting fight. He was never going to fight Joshua again, he could never have faced taking another beating.

He'll always be remembered by boxing fans for his greatest moment though:

[El Kabong]

He waited till the last fight of his career before being in an exciting fight. He was never going to fight Joshua again, he could never have faced taking another beating.

He'll always be remembered by boxing fans for his greatest moment though:

Typical classless post from you Kirkland but no matter how much you and any other hater bitches about Wlad you're not going to erase him from the sport where he was one of the best of All-Time, the numbers do not lie.

[X]

A giant of his era and the undoubted dominant heavyweight of his generation. An Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist and the recognised professional heavyweight champion of the world for over a decade. Those achievements alone qualify his to get into the first or second tier of World Heavyweight Champions.

A auperb athlete, 6'6" tall, very well built and an utter professional in his preparation... you never saw Wladimir out of shape between fights, he never undertrained for an opponent and he carried himself with class and dignity throughout his career both inside and outside the ropes. He never demeaned or damaged the reputation of the Heavyweight Champion through any bad behaviour, scandal or newspaper headline. Very very well schooled as an amateur and he successfully carried that style into the pros.

Yes, I felt he could be hurt, and he could gas out quite badly early in his career, but he was intelligent enough to work that out and to develop a style that hugely played to his physical strengths and negates his opponents effectiveness - and he copped a lot of criticism for that which I suspect will slightly tarnish his legacy.

I always thought Vitali was a better fighter, but Wlad achieved more, for longer and it's that longevity that marks him out as something a bit special.

So long, Champ, all the best for the future and thanks for the memories.

[ykdadamaja]

A great champion in a soft era. Era probably softer than that of the Larry Holmes era. I would say Lennox's second half was a much more competitive time than both Wlad and Holmes.