Wlad vs the ATG HWs such as Ali, Holmes, Tyson, Holyfield, Foreman, Lewis, etc.

[ICB]

Ali: I take the '67 Ali which would be the closest to his prime to beat Wlad the majority of the time if they fought. Had great chin and speed of hand and foot with decent power, not to mentioned high ring IQ and adaptability. Wlad of course would beat the 70s version of Ali, but we're talking at their peak here.

Foreman: Had 2 careers, the 70s version of his prime physically but the 80s/90s version was a better well rounded boxer that knew how to conserve stamina and had smarts. But the 70s version was a wreckless wrecking ball, so I pick Wlad to beat him majority of the time if they were to fight on multiple occasions, but make no mistake if Foreman landed it's lights out for Wlad.

Lewis: Best version of Lewis takes it for me almost every time. I don't see Wlad having a chance to beat a motivated and determined Lewis. A fat, out of shape, semi-shot, inactive, and 38 year old Lewis still managed to turned Wlad's older brother's face into spaghetti and meat balls. The worst version of Lewis was still able to beat a prime Vitali, so just think of what a prime and motivated Lewis would do to younger bro.

Holyfield: A prime HW version of Holyfield circa 88-92 takes Wlad. This version had good speed and power, mobility, heart, chin, and iron will. He was momentarily staggered by Foreman with a flush shot but still came back and fired off multiple punches and push Foreman back in 1 of the earlier rounds of their fight, so yes he can handle Wlad's power. People seem to be under the impression since he lost to Lewis in '99 at 37 years old that he would have a problem with the bigger and taller hws, I disagree for that version was not at his best anymore and has started to seriously fade.

Holmes: Has great boxing ability, but I don't know if his chin can hold up considering a prime one went life and death against Norton who was past it. I think his chin wouldn't hold up and Wlad takes it most of the time.

Tyson: 80s version with Rooney training him was a wrecking ball. He takes it most of the time because of head movement, speed, power, and granite chin. Wlad beats post prison Tyson not 80s Rooney trained one.

You must be joking Larry Holmes had a 10x better chin than Wladimir Klitschko, and Wladimir Klitschko would never stop Larry Holmes. This is the same Wladimir Klitschko who didn't take a chance against someone like Sultan Ibragimov, and you think he stops Larry Holmes ?

Larry Holmes took a flush shot from Earnie Shavers right on the button. One of the single most devastating shot's in Heavyweight history, and he was up within 4 seconds.

I think you need to watch more of Larry Holmes. He had a better jab than Wladimir Klitschko, better stamina, better speed, better footwork, better chin. The only thing Wladimir Klitschko beats Larry Holmes on is power. But Larry Holmes had enough power to stop Wladimir Klitschko very easily.

As for Ken Norton he wasn't past it, that was his best performance of his career outside of the 1st and 3rd Muhammad Ali fights. Ken Norton gave boxers like Holmes, Ali, trouble. But his style is very awkward and is nothing like Wladimir Klitschko.

Nor does Wladimir Klitschko put on anywhere near the pressure Ken Norton did, and you may not know this but Larry Holmes had a torn bicep going into the fight with Ken Norton.

And still beat him by atleast 4 rounds. I think its an overrated close fight in all honesty. Ken Norton hardly won a round between 2-9, he won alot of the later rounds but still not enough to make up for losing pretty much almost all the early rounds.

I've seen almost all of Holmes fights.
You must be a Holmes fanboy. Fact was Holmes fought in a crappy hw era much like this one. He's the same age and born in the same year as George Forman but didn't fight the same level of competition that Foreman did in the 70s. His biggest win in the 1970s before he ruled the division? A past his prime Ken Norton that was 35 years old that had been in so many HW wars with lots of wear and tear. So are you going to tell me that Ken Norton was in his prime and fresh when he fought Holmes? And yet he went life and death with Norton. Shavers was in his mid 30s with lots of wear and tear also. Are you saying Shavers was in his prime too? Holmes best wins were 2 past it fighters in Shavers, Norton. In the 80s it was Cooney, Marvis Frazier and a shot Ali that that had Parkinsons disease.

ANd yeah I stand by my opinion that Holmes loses the majority of the time if he were to fight Wlad. He has better movement and stamina, but I don't think his chin is strong enough to withstand a right from Wlad.

What about Gerry Cooney ? Tim Witherspoon ? Wladimir Klitschko has fought no one and has been KO'ed twice while he was near enough in his prime by two mediocre fighters.

He just fights scared most of the time now, throwing the same basic jab, right hand, combo. You say Larry Holmes never fought anyone, but i'd a pick Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Tim Witherspoon, ETC. Over any of Wladimir Klitschko's garbage opposition.

As for Earnie Shavers hold on a minute, the 1st time he fought Larry Holmes he was coming off his best performance vs Muhammad Ali. And when they fought a 2nd time he was just coming off destroying Ken Norton.

So how could he have been shot ? just because he was in his 30's doesn't mean he was shot. He had some of his best performance's of his career between 77-79 which is when he fought Larry Holmes. And he was considered the favourite going into the 1st Larry Holmes fight.

Ken Norton was 34 but again just because he was in his 30's, doesn't mean he wasn't near enough at his best. Between when he fought Muhammad Ali 3rd time and Larry Holmes.

He had many good performances especially against Muhammad Ali, Duane Bobick. So going into the Larry Holmes fight he was on a very good run, and certainly was nowhere near past his best.

How could he be ? he fought amazing fight vs Larry Holmes, i thought Larry Holmes won more clearly than the scorecard's suggested. But he still fought an amazing fight in what should of been the FOTY.

Larry Holmes never fought anyone toe to toe, that wasn't his style unless he had to. He was a smarter fighter than Wladimir Klitschko, and had all the better attributes.

Larry Holmes's chin has been tested and he's passed the test, i don't see where your getting the idea that Wladimir Klitschko would stop Larry Holmes.

When has Wladimir Klitschko ever really tried to stop a top level fighter ? in a big unfication fight with Sultan Ibragimov he was happy to clinch and jab for 12 rounds in one of the worst Heavyweight unification fights of all time.

Im sorry but Larry Holmes would win the jab battle, and would eventually find his underrated right hand on Wladimir Klitschko's chin. And would stop Wladimir Klitschko in about 10 rounds.

[El Kabong]

....I hate to disagree iCB but if you look at the Wlad-Sultan fight (yes it was poor) but you see SULTAN doing the holding and the running and leaning waaaaay over to his left and crouching down low to make himself a small target and hoping to uncork a Hail Mary counter left when Wlad unloaded the right cross (one of the reasons he didn't throw it much). Wlad had 1 chance of stopping Sultan (it was the 1 time he was still enough)...Wlad hit him, Sultan was held up by the ropes and then tried to tackle Wlad to avoid more punishment and the ref broke them up.


As for Cooney and Witherspoon, give me a break Holmes fought has beens and fighters that weren't ready to be tested like Renaldo Snipes (who knocked Lary down if I remember correctly). Shavers....freaking Earnie Shavers, huge power but a tiny little guy...Larry got lazy in that fight and had that punch landed about 10 seconds sooner Larry would have lost by TKO.

Larry was a great boxer who was given a bad era, poor competition....I don't hold it against him, but I don't think many boxing greats would feel "at ease" fighting a 6'6 245 pound boxer that can outpoint you and knock you cold. Not only is Wlad big and athletic...he's got very good hand eye coordination and he sticks to a gameplan pretty damn good. I haven't seen him really lose focus in any of his fights like Holmes and Lewis did...vs Brock when Wlad was cut, he went out and ended the fight, vs Peter when he got fouled repeatedly and knocked down due to those fouls he didn't complain to the ref he just fought through it and came out the winner.

I don't want to disrespect any of the fighters listed and of course these are all hypothetical and it's nice to think about, but as far as right now and who Wlad has fought, could fight, and will fight.....he's as dominant as you can get.

[Mr140]

I dont like Wald but i starting feel have to back him because of hate he gets sometime. Ali have no idea how that would look for once he would not be the tallest guy or biggest. Foreman i think Older version would have a better shot then the younger one would. Holyfeild i go with him he was very skilled had one of the best chins in boxing history and was used to fighting giants. Holmes not to sure his era was shit just like this one was mean come on Cooney, Witherspoon were never that great. Also Norton didn't really do shit after the Holmes fight it was pretty much over for him. If i had to say who i would think would win i pretty much say its a 50 50 and be a pretty boring fucking fight as well.

[nikola_ganchev]

Ken Norton has the perfect style for boxers. He is extreamly atletic and with this cross arm defence can block streight punches all day long! His only problem was that he didn't duck, but against boxers he is just perfect. He will give W hell of a night and most likely KO him because of better endurance!
Against Forman... Wlad isn't the one punch KO artist. I don't thing he can hurt Forman. If you can't hurt him he will just walk through you! W is to big and his stamina is bad because of that!
I don't want to take anything from W, but almost all his oponents were really non educated boxers with bad technique(the mexican punching bag type)... I don't see him against someone so accomplished like Louis. There he won't be able to clinch. In order to stop some how Louis not to go inside and unlish this short punches W must go really low. This means he wont be able to move. To use the right hand is almost impossible beacuase of the way Louis stands... It will be nice batering

[BIG H]

Wlad vs. ALi? - Ali UD

Wlad vs. Foreman (70s version) Foreman KO

Wlad vs Holyfield? Wlad SD

Wlad vs. Lennox Lewis? Lewis UD

Wlad vs. Larry Holmes? Holmes UD

Wlad vs. Tyson (80s version) Tyson KO

[Mctaggert]

I have no doubt in my mind that Lewis, Foreman and Tyson would all have found Wlads china chin at some point and knocked him out. Ali and Holyfield are more difficult to say but I'd say Ali would still win the majority of the time.

The problem is that Wlad is so utterly untested thanks the awful opponents he's had to fight against in this poor era of heavyweight boxing. It's unfair to say he sucks compared to champs of other eras because he's not had a chance to prove himself against opponents like the others have.

oh and Holmes also beats Wlad but by UD I reckon, Larry had skills.

[Master]

Wlad vs. ALi? Ali points

Wlad vs. Foreman (70s version)? Foreman late KO

Wlad vs Holyfield? Holyfield points if it was the one that fought Buster.

Wlad vs. Lennox Lewis? Lewis points

Wlad vs. Larry Holmes? Holmes points split decision

Wlad vs. Tyson (80s version)? Tyson KO mid 6th round

[:::PSL:::]

Prime Tyson would eat him alive.








...literaly

[El Kabong]

Prime Tyson would eat him alive.








...literaly

I don't buy that at all, Wlad has the PERFECT style to beat any version of Tyson. Sure Tyson could catch him and follow up but he's got to get to him and being 5'10 and facing a fighter with a dominant jab that isn't an easy task.

One would think that head movement is a key to beat Wlad, but no one does it because no matter where you move your head Wlad finds it with the jab, the hook, or the right cross.

Also even in his prime Tyson could be tied up on the inside.

[nikola_ganchev]

Tyson tie himself when he is inside most of the times... He is not an in fighter, but he is a good example why being shorter is not disadvantage. He uses his speed, when once in distance he has power in every shot because he is punching up. If you are tall and whant to punch with power you must go on the high level of the oder boxer and than you wont be mobile!

[Master]

Prime Tyson would eat him alive.








...literaly

I don't buy that at all, Wlad has the PERFECT style to beat any version of Tyson. Sure Tyson could catch him and follow up but he's got to get to him and being 5'10 and facing a fighter with a dominant jab that isn't an easy task.

One would think that head movement is a key to beat Wlad, but no one does it because no matter where you move your head Wlad finds it with the jab, the hook, or the right cross.

Also even in his prime Tyson could be tied up on the inside.

Yes Tyson could be tied up but not for 36 minutes, he would eventually find Wlad. Even if Wlad was successful he would be too negative and give way the rounds and lose the fight.

[X]

70's Foreman was a monster, I just think he walks straight through Wlad and totally crushes him.

[TitoFan]

Larry Holmes might eke out a decision win.... then go on a post-fight tirade about how Wlad gets more press 'cause he's white.

[El Kabong]

Prime Tyson would eat him alive.








...literaly

I don't buy that at all, Wlad has the PERFECT style to beat any version of Tyson. Sure Tyson could catch him and follow up but he's got to get to him and being 5'10 and facing a fighter with a dominant jab that isn't an easy task.

One would think that head movement is a key to beat Wlad, but no one does it because no matter where you move your head Wlad finds it with the jab, the hook, or the right cross.

Also even in his prime Tyson could be tied up on the inside.

Yes Tyson could be tied up but not for 36 minutes, he would eventually find Wlad. Even if Wlad was successful he would be too negative and give way the rounds and lose the fight.

....wouldn't take 36 minutes, Tyson didn't lose decisions

[WelshDevilRob]

Good topic and its nice to compare the current No.1 to those of years gone by.

Wlad vs. ALi - Ali has too much speed and movement and runs rings around Wlad. One sided.

Wlad vs. Foreman (70s version) - Foreman was a strong, powerful and brutal Heavyweight and Wlad's chin is made for George's fists. KO early for Foreman.

Wlad vs Holyfield - Interesting this one and the one Wlad has the most chance in. Holyfield had underated skills and speed and could move in and out while also very tough and physical. I see him outworking Wlad who is less fluid than say Riddick Bowe.

Wlad vs. Lennox Lewis - They match up sizewise but the advantages in speed and power are with Lennox. This is another fight I don't see lasting very long.

Wlad vs. Larry Holmes - Holmes has the better jab and overall skills, he also finds Wlads weakspot (the chin) often enough to end it around the mid to late rounds.

Wlad vs. Tyson (80s version) - Tyson would be like a hot knife through warm butter. A devastating highlight reel for Tyson to add to the many others.