How do you rate Vladamir Klitschko right now?

sxt

For a 36 year old , have you seen a heavyweight that looked in as good condition? , how long do you think he can go ? I think he is at his peak right now

Maravilla33

Hes the best HW around and has been for several years. Great jab, footwork and control of range. Uses his size expertly. There will always be question marks about his chin/durability and the fact he was beaten by 3 extremely average boxers has to be held against him imo. He'll never make it inside the HW top 10 of all time for me, for this reason and the fact that his era has been pretty poor. That may not be his fault but its a valid point regardless.

With the way the division is at the moment and with his skills he can probably go as long as he likes.

Fibrescale

Have to agree with Maravilla, I think that he is a brilliant tactician and the best heavyweight for the last couple of years.

walshb

If I could rely on his chin more and if he had more innate fighting skills then he'd be top ten no doubt.

Jarren

Will Vlad be fighting anyone decent/good this year ?

sxt

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Hes the best HW around and has been for several years. Great jab, footwork and control of range. Uses his size expertly. There will always be question marks about his chin/durability and the fact he was beaten by 3 extremely average boxers has to be held against him imo. He'll never make it inside the HW top 10 of all time for me, for this reason and the fact that his era has been pretty poor. That may not be his fault but its a valid point regardless.

With the way the division is at the moment and with his skills he can probably go as long as he likes.

I'm not sure that is completely fair against Corrie Sanders and Lamont Brewster. They won 12 world championship bouts between them, but they they were bad losses and Vlad shouldn't have lost to them .

However those bad defeats made him as a fighter. Every facet of his boxing game and physical and mental conditioning rammed up to another level .He has been honed , coached, sculpted , conditioned into an unstoppable human juggernaut .

Comparing the 2003/2004 to todays version is like comparing This to This

H. Flashman

He's head and shoulders above everybody right now including his brother. He's at his peak.

Maravilla33

sxt wrote: »

I'm not sure that is completely fair against Corrie Sanders and Lamont Brewster. They won 12 world championship bouts between them, but they they were bad losses and Vlad shouldn't have lost to them .

However those bad defeats made him as a fighter. Every facet of his boxing game and physical and mental conditioning rammed up to another level .He has been honed , coached, sculpted , conditioned into an unstoppable human juggernaut .

Comparing the 2003/2004 to todays version is like comparing This to This

Its completely fair on Sanders and Brewster. In no world are they anything but average. I hold Lewis's losses to Rahman and McCall against him and dont see why I should treat Wlad any different.

Wow you really do love the Klitschkos which is fair enough (Not sure I'd compare Wlad to Michelangelo's David though) Hes only a good punch away from being reduced to that block of marble.

Wlad may well be unstoppable right now but if the division wasn't so bad he would be far from unbeatable.

sxt

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Its completely fair on Sanders and Brewster. In no world are they anything but average. I hold Lewis's losses to Rahman and McCall against him and dont see why I should treat Wlad any different.

Wow you really do love the Klitschkos which is fair enough (Not sure I'd compare Wlad to Michelangelo's David though) Hes only a good punch away from being reduced to that block of marble.

Wlad may well be unstoppable right now but if the division wasn't so bad he would be far from unbeatable.

You don't see a very substantial improvement , both in his physical conditioning and all round boxing method ? Watch his second fight against Brewster

I've just watched Sanders and he is not an average heavyweight. A big hitting heavy weigh with very quick hands, and a pretty lethal left hand. He won 6 world title fights You don't give the klitschko brothers or their opponents their dues

megadodge

sxt wrote: »

You don't see a very substantial improvement , both in his physical conditioning and all round boxing method ? Watch his second fight against Brewster

I've just watched Sanders and he is not an average heavyweight. A big hitting heavy weigh with very quick hands, and a pretty lethal left hand. He won 6 world title fights You don't give the klitschko brothers or their opponents their dues

While I have an opinion that Sanders could well have been one of the worst waste of talents I've seen at heavyweight (big man with terrific handspeed and huge power and a southpaw to boot, but his conditioning was always suspect) the highlighted statement above is really disingenuous. The WBU is nobody's idea of a true 'world' title fight. Nobody's!!

Maravilla33

sxt wrote: »

You don't see a very substantial improvement , both in his physical conditioning and all round boxing method ? Watch his second fight against Brewster

I've just watched Sanders and he is not an average heavyweight. A big hitting heavy weigh with very quick hands, and a pretty lethal left hand. He won 6 world title fights You don't give the klitschko brothers or their opponents their dues

Where do I say there hasn't been an improvement? There's been a vast improvement. I give both Klitschkos there dues. What I don't do is over rate their opponents to make them look better than they are. Look at my first comment in this thread. I'm more than willing to praise Wlad and highlight his positives but unfortunately I also have to look at the negatives when judging a fighter.

As megadodge says WBU title is hardly a title and just one way you're over rating Sanders. He was a big lump with a big punch and poor technique.

megadodge

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Where do I say there hasn't been an improvement? There's been a vast improvement. I give both Klitschkos there dues. What I don't do is over rate their opponents to make them look better than they are. Look at my first comment in this thread. I'm more than willing to praise Wlad and highlight his positives but unfortunately I also have to look at the negatives when judging a fighter.

As megadodge says WBU title is hardly a title and just one way you're over rating Sanders. He was a big lump with a big punch and poor technique.

In the interest of fairness, I have to say you're underestimating Sanders somewhat.

sxt

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Where do I say there hasn't been an improvement? There's been a vast improvement. I give both Klitschkos there dues. What I don't do is over rate their opponents to make them look better than they are. Look at my first comment in this thread. I'm more than willing to praise Wlad and highlight his positives but unfortunately I also have to look at the negatives when judging a fighter.

As megadodge says WBU title is hardly a title and just one way you're over rating Sanders. He was a big lump with a big punch and poor technique.

I'm not over rating him. Corrie sanders had 42 wins (32 wins by knock out) and 4 losses . As far as I'm aware he never ducked or avoided any fighter. Most of his wins were either first or second round knock outs . An average professional fighter does not have that kind of record . I think Vladamir clearly underestimated him . You might not admire his technique or his style but he was a dangerous opponent who could get the job done which is what matters . He would have pulverised the likes of Floyd Patterson and Cleveland Williams ( fighters you rate higher than average ?) .

Maravilla33

sxt wrote: »

Maravilla33 wrote: »

Where do I say there hasn't been an improvement? There's been a vast improvement. I give both Klitschkos there dues. What I don't do is over rate their opponents to make them look better than they are. Look at my first comment in this thread. I'm more than willing to praise Wlad and highlight his positives but unfortunately I also have to look at the negatives when judging a fighter.

As megadodge says WBU title is hardly a title and just one way you're over rating Sanders. He was a big lump with a big punch and poor technique.

I'm not over rating him. Corrie sanders had 42 wins (32 wins by knock out) and 4 losses . As far as I'm aware he never ducked or avoided any fighter. Most of his wins were either first or second round knock outs . An average professional fighter does not have that kind of record . I think Vladamir clearly underestimated him . You might not admire his technique or his style but he was a dangerous opponent who could get the job done which is what matters . He would have pulverised the likes of Floyd Patterson and Cleveland Williams ( fighters you rate higher than average ?) .

Seems inappropriate of me to continue this debate as ive just heard the sad news. Rip Corrie very sad news.