Wladimir Klitschko: Who would he beat?

[ICB]

Okay these are the guys I think he can beat.

John L. Sullivan: Too small and not as advanced yet

Max Baer: 1 hit wonder, and not all that skilled

Jack Dempsey: Too small and wild

Rocky Marciano: Too small and short

Floyd Patterson: too small and short

There you go, Wlad for sure can beat those former HW champs.

So he couldn't beat Jack Johnson? Or Jim Jeffries? or James Corbett? or Jess Willard? And thanks for not being too sarcastic, I certainly appreciate it

Okay to be fair these are the lists of other HW champs, he could take.

-John Ruiz
-Pinklon Thomas
-Oliver McCall
-Herbie Hide
-Trevor Berbick
-Michael Spinks
-Ken Norton
-Ernie Terrell
-James Braddock
-Ingemar Johanson

Herbie Hide at his best was very dangerous, even though the Heavyweight division wasn't his legit weightclass. He still badly wobbled Riddick Bowe numerous times, and even hurt Vitali Klitschko in the 1st round. He also destroyed Tony Tucker in only 2 rounds.

I wouldn't be suprised if Herbie Hide done a Corrie Sanders, on Wladimir Klitschko. Herbie Hide is quick as hell, and has some serious power. Despite being a blown up Cruiserweight.

[Taeth]

ICB, wow, I can't believe how much you underrate Wlad in all aspects. He is so hard too hit. He doesn't have that snapping KO power, but in terms of the power behind his shots it right up there with the All time heavy punchers in the sport.

I don't think its easy to underestimate Klitschko's speed because he cautious he doesn't really show just how fast his hands hard, but you can tell by the way he lands jabs so consistently that not only are his jabs hard to see coming, but they are very quick as well.

I honeslty see him beating most of the heavyweight champs in the history of the sport more often than not. He is way too big and skilled(especially at using his height) for almost anyone around 6 feet tall. At least this version of him.

I think the tall guys who had some power like Bowe would beat him, but I am not sure who I would favor in that fight because Bowe had some really bad fights along with the brilliant ones.

I can't see how any version of Holyfield would be really effective against Wlad. He always had a hard time with guys who could stay away.

I think Wlad has just as good of a jab as Holmes, it may not be as flashy, but its just as accurate and hits harder. I just think his size and power along with that jab would totally negate anything Holmes brings to the table, and I think that Aliesque movement wouldn't work for anyone except Ali against Wlad.

Basically I see Lennox beating Wlad virtually everytime. Same with Vitali. I see Ali winning 7-8/10. I just don't see other guys having enough size, coordination and skill to deal with such a talented individual. Sure there are guys like Foreman, Tyson, Dempsey, Frazier, even Shavers who could use power and/or speed to catch Wlad with a lucky punch but more often than not I see him pummeling them with the jab and stopping Dempsey, Frazier, and Shavers and maybe even Tyson.

[AdamGB]

Simply due to size I have him beating a fair few old heavies... but it's worth noting that most of those guys would be cruiserweights (if they were lucky! look at guys like Bradock and even a younger marciono, not that I think Wlad beats him at his best but to use Rocky as an example - he was heavyweight champ yet if he boxed today he could probably boil down to light heavy!) now days and didn't benefit from the advances we've made in sports and nutritional science...

Very hypothetical a lot of this because if you took the talent and potential that the older guys possessed and trained them nowadays who knows what you'd end up with!

[El Kabong]

I can't see how any version of Holyfield would be really effective against Wlad. He always had a hard time with guys who could stay away.

I like youre thinking Taeth but I can't agree with you on Holyfield. He is the easiest fighter to underestimate, not the strongest, not the biggest, not the hardest or fastest puncher but very very consistent in his work and very effective.

There are 2 ways (that have been demonstrated in history) to beat Wladimir #1 Corrie Sanders - land hard punches and follow up #2 Purrity & Brewster - take everything Wlad hits you with and outlast his stamina.

I think Evander Holyfield's constant pressure, solid defense, granite chin and combination punching would have been too much for Wlad to handle. I mean Holyfield took everything Bowe had, Lennox Lewis had, Mike Tyson had, and he just kept coming forward. He's only been stopped 2 times once by Bowe when he had hepititus or something and once by James Toney when Evander tore up his shoulder.

When we talk about Ali many folks think it's a disgrace to say Wlad could beat him but history proves that Ali had trouble with guys who could box with him...I'm not saying Wlad would dominate Ali, I'm not trying to hate on Ali, I'm just saying he would need a lot more than the "rope-a-dope" to beat Wlad. Although Ali had very quick hands, good defense, and a great chin which probably would have won him fights over lots of people (including Wladimir, I think the big key for Ali is fast hands + combination punching as not many heavyweights ever have both) he wasn't invincible.

[Violent Demise]

If he can avoid a flush left hook, I think Wlad would handle Joe Frazier most of the time. The jab alone would cause Frazier all kinds of problems.

[gest12645]

If he can avoid a flush left hook, I think Wlad would handle Joe Frazier most of the time. The jab alone would cause Frazier all kinds of problems.

I just watched the Ali vs Fraiser fights. If it was a prime Fraiser , he would catch Wlad and ko him. As much as I like Wlad, he wouldnt beat the greats . Well I'd give him a chance agaisnt Marciano, Johnson, and Dempsey/

[match]

Vitaly's the one who would be able to hold his own against virtually any fighter from any era due to his chin. Wlad on the other hand would be blown out inside of three rounds by nearly all the all time greats who possessed power due to his lack of chin.

[El Kabong]

Vitaly's the one who would be able to hold his own against virtually any fighter from any era due to his chin. Wlad on the other hand would be blown out inside of three rounds by nearly all the all time greats who possessed power due to his lack of chin.

....Vitali is easier to hit than Wladimir. Wlad on account of his ability to cover up his flaws is a better fighter

[match]

Vitaly's the one who would be able to hold his own against virtually any fighter from any era due to his chin. Wlad on the other hand would be blown out inside of three rounds by nearly all the all time greats who possessed power due to his lack of chin.

....Vitali is easier to hit than Wladimir. Wlad on account of his ability to cover up his flaws is a better fighter

Honestly, I see it just the opposite. Wlad is clearly more offensively skilled, but I think Vitaly's strengths in total are greater than Wlad's. I hold Vitaly in much higher regard than his brother.

[El Kabong]

Vitali's skill is based on his size and his awkwardness...Wladimir is probably the most technically skilled fighter out there right now not named Mayweather. He does everything correct and I don't know of anyone else who is more effective on the attack than Wladimir fighting these days....maybe Pacquiao but hell Manny has been outboxed several times before and I have rarely seen Wlad so much as frustrated with an opponent's boxing skill...maybe vs Brock or Thompson but he caught both those guys pretty good.

Vitali can get frustrated a little easier IMO, when he's fighting a guy who won't open up like Byrd or Johnson and he wants to land a homerun punch he gets frustrated. Wlad is smart enough to either stick with what works (even if the fans don't like it) like vs Sultan or find a way to get a stoppage like vs Brock and Thompson.

[sumkalambay]

Wladimir is probably the most technically skilled fighter out there right now not named Mayweather.

where do you rate Yuri Foreman and Felix Sturm then?

Wlad wouldn't be in the top 20 let alone the 2nd most technically skilled.

[gest12645]

Wladimir is probably the most technically skilled fighter out there right now not named Mayweather.

where do you rate Yuri Foreman and Felix Sturm then?

Wlad wouldn't be in the top 20 let alone the 2nd most technically skilled.

I agree with Lyle, maybe he isn't number 2, but he's def. in the top 20 of most skilled fighters. Probably in the top 10

[Spicoli]

Ok I'll spot him Joe Hipp.....maybe Bruce Seldon

[rjj tszyu]

One fight that would interest me would be RJJ the night he beat Ruiz against Wlad. I mean my money would go on Wlad but I think Roy could get around the jab with his freak speed and counter Wlad quite a bit. The big problem for Roy though would be that although at MW upto LHW he had freak power, it just didn't carry upto HW, I know he did some damage to Ruiz's face but he never really looked like stopping him at all. Wlad though does have great power and if he hit Jones clean (not that it was easy to do in those days) he would go and over 12 rounds I think you have to give Wlad the benefit of the doubt and say he would catch Jones sooner or later.

[Violent Demise]

Ok I'll spot him Joe Hipp.....maybe Bruce Seldon

No John Tate? Michael Weaver?