All time Heavyweight tourney #6 Evander Holyfield vs #11 Vitali Klitschko

[M Bison]

Vitali Klitschko was a man who was not ever outboxed soundly, he wasn't even the type of guy who would allow guys to bully him on the inside.
Vitali Klitschko and Lennox Lewis had an inside war and Vitali was more than in that fight, now you go into Vitali's prime and Evanders prime when he was fighting Tyson and Lewis...

Vitali would end up knocking Evander out or picking him apart at range for 12 rounds, its a blatant easy win for Vitali because we can pick up a lot from his fight with Lewis.
If Lewis wasn't having everything his own way on the inside why in heck would Evander Holyfield...

Don't like to say it but I think you're absolutely wrong.

[beez721]

Pretty lopsided voting so far.

surprised with that. holyfield was obviously more skilled but vitali was so damn awckward and strong. I think itd be a very close tough fight for holyfield

[M Bison]

Pretty lopsided voting so far.

Voting off of nostalgia/nationality I'd say.

Lennox Lewis is the only guy who would probably beat Vitali Klitschko If they were to fight 12 rounds but even at that we cannot say because the first one was abruptly ended by an non decisive manner.

[beez721]

Voting off of nostalgia/nationality I'd say.

Lennox Lewis is the only guy who would probably beat Vitali Klitschko If they were to fight 12 rounds but even at that we cannot say because the first one was abruptly ended by an non decisive manner.

I wouldnt draw any comparisons with the lewis fight as lewis was past his best and a totally different fighter than holyfield. I think vitali/holyfield would have been a pick em fight. close to call

[Ray Corso]

Two different rated fighters Vitali a decent big man but doesn't have the skill level that Holyfield amassed through his career! Holyfield has the better competition by far and would strip Vitali down and stop him by 10!
I like Vitali's efforts but that takes him 10 and the real skilled fighter stops him in 10. Holyfield in his prime is an ATG in any era. Vitali is NOT!

Ray.

[M Bison]

I wouldnt draw any comparisons with the lewis fight as lewis was past his best and a totally different fighter than holyfield. I think vitali/holyfield would have been a pick em fight. close to call

Lennox Lewis was a fighter that was said to have grown into his prime in his later years, he even said it after the fight that he was still in good shape and he still felt like he was good enough to carry on fighting.

Maybe Lewis was different but we seen him adopt a similar gameplan to what Holyfield would do and who do you really think would pull that off better, the man weighing 250lbs (who is stronger and punches harder) or the guy who is in around 220lbs?
We have never, NEVER seen Vitali bossed about by a smaller guy on the inside he fought long enough for us to know If it was possible It would have happened but it never.

[beez721]

Two different rated fighters Vitali a decent big man but doesn't have the skill level that Holyfield amassed through his career! Holyfield has the better competition by far and would strip Vitali down and stop him by 10!
I like Vitali's efforts but that takes him 10 and the real skilled fighter stops him in 10. Holyfield in his prime is an ATG in any era. Vitali is NOT!

Ray.

you mean stop him on cuts? Id be pretty shocked if holyfeild would have knocked big vit out. vitali was no wlad in the chin department and holyfield didnt normally knock the bigger sturdier guys out. could see holy winning a decision ala foreman style but closer on points. just my opinion

[LacedUp]

Comon, Vitali schooled lennox, and lennox schooled Holyfield twice. This is one triangle theory that works.

Vitali by brutal ko...

Lewis beat Golota in 1 round, who beat Byrd but was robbed who beat Vitali.

Lewis over Vitali.

Makes as much sense as what you just wrote.

[beez721]

Lennox Lewis was a fighter that was said to have grown into his prime in his later years, he even said it after the fight that he was still in good shape and he still felt like he was good enough to carry on fighting.

Maybe Lewis was different but we seen him adopt a similar gameplan to what Holyfield would do and who do you really think would pull that off better, the man weighing 250lbs (who is stronger and punches harder) or the guy who is in around 220lbs?
We have never, NEVER seen Vitali bossed about by a smaller guy on the inside he fought long enough for us to know If it was possible It would have happened but it never.

vitali wouldnt have been bossed around but I could see holyfield winning on points in the same way he beat foreman. quick combinations and getting out of range. granted,,,vitali would have been much quicker and probably harder to get to than old george but I could see holy winning by ud or md. if holyfield chose to slug it out instead as he did with alex stewart and bowe3 hed have some problems but I think hed fight smart against big vitali

[LacedUp]

As for the fight, I don't know. Evenly matched although Holyfield fought and beat much better opposition than Vitali did - and some would even say beat better fighters than Vitali.

On the other hand, Vitali is massive and has a high output and boxes well on the outside.

Could Holyfield find his way inside and rough Vitali up? Could Vitali keep Holyfield on the outside which no man has ever done?

I'd pick Holyfield by decision. Close.