No I'm not denying he is a talented boxer who knows how to negate his opponent's skills. I just can't abide by having a Heavyweight Champion who seems so afraid of getting punched. Every time Chagaev got within punching range, he grabbed hold as quickly as possible. Against Ibragimov he had him finished in the 9th, but let him out of trouble to put us through 3 more rounds of crap. Against Rahman, he could have finished him in the 1st, but again let it go. I just think his lack of belief in himself will be his undoing. Vitali is a real champion. Fights the more dangerous opponents for me and I think he'd KO his brother if they every fought.
Wlad knows as does everyone else in boxing that his biggest problem is his chin, and boxing is first and foremost about winning.
So Wlad spoils a lot now because he knows if he holds when his opponent is on the inside it will basically nullify pretty much anyone out there at the moment because he can use his size and reach to control from the outside and there are not many fast HW's at the minute who can move in under the jab and fire bombs and move away without being held.
For me a prime Tyson would be the Nightmare opponent for modern day Wlad because of the way he bobbed his way in so fast and then hit so damned hard when he did connect, which was often. I think that particular fight would be similar to the Tyson - Holmes fight where Tyson fought the greatest jabber of all time IMO, who fair enough was past his prime
but was still very competent and lets face it no matter how anyone tries to build Wlad up he isn't on the same level as Larry.
But to get back to the point, Wlad isn't the most exciting fighter in the world, but since his last defeat to brewster, except maybe when he was down against Peter (I don't think he looked too troubled) he has not looked at all troubled due to his safety first approach and he won't change a winning formula until it is no longer that.
Wladimir might be the nightmare opponent for Tyson when you look at what limits Tyson's style had. You can bob and weave all you want, but the 1-2 of Wladimir plus the FACT that Tyson throughout his career was easy to tie up...those wouldn't make it an easy fight for Tyson. Now if Tyson connected he'd probably end the fight quickly, but Wladimir is very good at controlling the pace of a fight these days.
As a true fan of Wlad's I am frustrated when he doesn't "go for the kill", but I understand the reasons why he doesn't: Purrity, Sanders, and Brewster. In the Ibragimov fight, Sultan was loading up for a counter left cross for the whole second half of the fight, he just shelled up and was in a position where Wlad had to move Sultan to land any punches on him. In the Rahman fight...I have no idea what happened, when Wlad floored Hasim that SHOULD have been the end of the fight.
I think not only may Wlad be nervous about getting hit, I think he's also apprehensive about someone being able to take his best punches.
talking of tyson, we all know he was a bloody good fighter but when he dominated he didnt have the best opposition, imagine if in his prime lewis, wlad, vitali were abt think it would of been a different story then
i know i have gone off the thread title abut but just a thought
Exactly. Tyson is the best marketed fighter since Leonard and it was easy because of his competition and exciting fast powerful style. I think he beats both brothers though, Wlad is too chinny for a fast monstrous hitter like Tyson, and Vitali is too willing to be hit at times. But never ever would he beat a prime Lennox or Evander.
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