Vladimir Klitschko really this good or just bad contenders??

[Rantcatrat]

I look back at previous heavyweights, and I struggle to find very many heavyweights over the history of the sport that would have been these two at their best.

I think they would have steam rolled Frazier, Marciano, Patterson, Liston, Louis, Foreman. I see absolutley no way how these guys could get in on guys taller and stronger than them with that kind of jab.

I don't think Holmes and Ali's moving on the outside styles would be super effective because at least Wlad who is always in balance would walk them down with his jab.

Norton might present problems for Wlad because he is awkward, but Vitali would destroy.

Honestly besides Lennox Lewis I can't think of a fighter who even in their prime I would give a better than 50/50 chance against these brothers.

I also find it insulting or ignorant to say Wlad hasn't fought quality opposition in the last little run Ibragimov, Chagaev, Peter(at the time), Byrd, Brock, Chambers, and the list goes on were all highly competent fighters. But Wlad has great timing and highly underrated speed, and I can't think of a punch in the history of the heavyweight division that landed more consistently than Wlad's jab, and that jab lands like most heavyweights crosses.

Strong Post. And I agree with most of it. The skills of the Klitschkos are underrated.

I disagree with Lyle about HBO's business reasons for not airing every Klitschko fight. The truth is most casual fans of boxing are Latino and the heavyweight division, other than Arreola, lacks any recognizable Latinos. Recall HBO aired the Arreola heavyweight title fight with Vitali and the Arreola v. Adamek fight and for that matter, most recent Arreola fights. To get the casual fan to tune in and get your ratings up, you need either a Latino heavyweight or opponents that are more recognizable to the casual fan - Haye or Adamek (if he wins) v. the Klitschko's WILL be on HBO. Guaranteed. Two Russians just doesn't excited the American masses even if they happen to be the best heavyweights out there. But, that's no jab at the Klitschko's because they do their thing to perfection and can't be beat, it just means their wins may not make it to american tv.

Would I have tuned in to see the Povetkin fight? Of course.

And I have to agree with Hitman that Wlad needs to make his fights more exciting even if it means exposing himself to more danger if you want to see them on american television more often. It wouldn't hurt for him to knock his opponent out before the 7th round here and there and it's not like he can't do it. He dominates them.

[El Kabong]

Well I think Greenburg made his decision because #1 Recently Wlad has been fighting in Germany a lot and it fucks with the TV schedule and #2 If you're not going to show THE Heavyweight Champion then why bother with the division.

As for Bert Sugar I don't think he's ever had anything good to say about Wladimir

I think Wlad should start to open up earlier and more often, I think the hook off the jab is something that he needs to utilize more (and he will vs Peter as Sam doesn't throw a sharp right cross) and perhaps Wlaqd can put his punches together a bit more, the way he used to do. You know given the state of the division right now and his confidence there aren't too many fighters that would be dangerous for Wlad to fight in his old style....maybe Arreola, maybe Sam Peter, and some others with power or with a solid chin and a good workrate might trouble him but Wlad could go back to fighting in more of a crouch and not really have too much to worry about....and personally I think he should start to mix the two styles (Aggressive and Outside/Safety) during his fights....usually once the first right cross lands his opponents start looking for a way out.

[JonnyFolds]

I look back at previous heavyweights, and I struggle to find very many heavyweights over the history of the sport that would have been these two at their best.

I think they would have steam rolled Frazier, Marciano, Patterson, Liston, Louis, Foreman. I see absolutley no way how these guys could get in on guys taller and stronger than them with that kind of jab.

I don't think Holmes and Ali's moving on the outside styles would be super effective because at least Wlad who is always in balance would walk them down with his jab.

Norton might present problems for Wlad because he is awkward, but Vitali would destroy.

Honestly besides Lennox Lewis I can't think of a fighter who even in their prime I would give a better than 50/50 chance against these brothers.

I also find it insulting or ignorant to say Wlad hasn't fought quality opposition in the last little run Ibragimov, Chagaev, Peter(at the time), Byrd, Brock, Chambers, and the list goes on were all highly competent fighters. But Wlad has great timing and highly underrated speed, and I can't think of a punch in the history of the heavyweight division that landed more consistently than Wlad's jab, and that jab lands like most heavyweights crosses.

Strong Post. And I agree with most of it. The skills of the Klitschkos are underrated.

I disagree with Lyle about HBO's business reasons for not airing every Klitschko fight. The truth is most casual fans of boxing are Latino and the heavyweight division, other than Arreola, lacks any recognizable Latinos. Recall HBO aired the Arreola heavyweight title fight with Vitali and the Arreola v. Adamek fight and for that matter, most recent Arreola fights. To get the casual fan to tune in and get your ratings up, you need either a Latino heavyweight or opponents that are more recognizable to the casual fan - Haye or Adamek (if he wins) v. the Klitschko's WILL be on HBO. Guaranteed. Two Russians just doesn't excited the American masses even if they happen to be the best heavyweights out there. But, that's no jab at the Klitschko's because they do their thing to perfection and can't be beat, it just means their wins may not make it to american tv.

Would I have tuned in to see the Povetkin fight? Of course.

And I have to agree with Hitman that Wlad needs to make his fights more exciting even if it means exposing himself to more danger if you want to see them on american television more often. It wouldn't hurt for him to knock his opponent out before the 7th round here and there and it's not like he can't do it. He dominates them.

I'm confused. Latinos have never had a heavyweight champ outside of Ruiz. So there never was a heavyweight pool to begin with. The reason they were airing Arreolas fights is b/c he was KO MFers out left and right, wasting no time with it.

True the Klitschkos don't have any competition right now. But, I am 100% sure HBO would televise Wlad/Povetikin, Vitali/Haye or Adamek/Haye. The Klits are fighting as at least 5:1 favorites in every single fight. And they can't stop anyone. They just whittle them away. It takes so long for them to throw 250 punches (249 jabs).

I know two <Ukranians, not Russians> that could fight, and every single boxing fan would not pass it up, not even for PPV. MAYBE this is what bothers boxing fans the most and the brothers.

[Master]

Wlad is that good and has built a good legacy.

BTW Lewis was in some thrilling fights against Mercer, Briggs, Grant, where he took chances.

[El Kabong]

Wlad is that good and has built a good legacy.

BTW Lewis was in some thrilling fights against Mercer, Briggs, Grant, where he took chances.

The Briggs fight was a great match...I think Briggs earned a knockdown that wasn't counted but I doubt it would have affected the outcome of the fight....it may have helped Lewis' legacy a touch since he ended up winning the fight and in all other cases once Lennox was down he was done. Great fight though.

Lennox took chances vs Vitali, I think that last round was a HUGE chance Lennox took, because I don't think he had any gas left in the tank and I think Vitali (although cut horribly and bleeding like a stuck pig) still had a little left...he had weathered the worst of it. Also a great fight.

[Beanflicker]

I think they also suffer from this romanticized vision a lot of boxing fans have of eras gone by. Now I'm not disputing the fact that the 70s were the golden age for HW boxing, I just fail to see how guys like Shavers, Chuvalo, Quarry, Bonavena, Henry Cooper, Doug Jones, Terrell, Bugner, ECT ECT were any better than the guys Wlad or Vitali fought.

Rocky Marciano tee'd off on mostly punching bags with arms, with a few washed up greats sprinkled in there, but no one would dare to dispute his greatness.

I guess like some other posters alluded to, the Klits won't get their respect until after they're gone.

[El Kabong]

Beanflicker, all the guys you named had their spot in the limelight and honestly if you think of Sam Peter, Ruslan Chagaev, Lamon Brewster, Chris Byrd, etc they all had their day in the spotlight too. And what's lacking from comparing older fights vs more recent ones is the lack of context ie everyone knows when Ali fought George Foreman everyone thought Foreman was unbeatable due to what he did to Frazier and what Frazier did to Ali, but they didn't take into account the different styles just liek when people look at Wladimir Klitschko-Sam Peter I they don't realize that Wlad was at a career low and his career was on the line for that fight and that Sam Peter had looked amazing in his most recent fights leading up to the match vs Wlad. And it's not just that fight it's all fights in recent history, I mean hell look at Michael Dokes, he used to be a somebody and now you see him on somebody's record and they pay him no mind....Dokes was a pretty solid fighter!

[0james0]

As good as they are, I'll still look forward to the day Haye gets in the ring with one of them and knocks them out!