Vitali Klitschko, the last great heavyweight

[IronDanHamza]

This has been a good discussion.

I was honestly under the impression that Vitali Klitshcko had only beaten 2 or 3 ranked fighters. Had no idea he'd beaten 8. That's not too bad really.

[crold1]

I'm not at home and won't be until tomorrow but will definitely check tomorrow if I do have those issues.

You won’t find the Solis ranking in question in the magazine. As was discussed when this went round and round a couple months ago, Solis could only have been ranked online between issues. The research I did for Ring’s 100th only used print issues and I had to build my own database to do it. There’s no real archive of weekly updates made online over the last 20 years or so and Solis’s ranking didn’t last long enough to make it to the print version. I tried search archives and couldn’t find it but someone else did and Z sent it to me a while back.

So Z was right to recall it, wrong that it was in an actual issue, and I was right all along about where and how he might have been rated going into the fight without it falling into the parameters of my research.

THANKS Bat for tagging me into another round of this. Haha

[BattlingNelson]

I never said so many. I said I've heard it before. It's hard to search contracts as they don't seem to be public. But I believe Haye had a stipulation in his contract as well.

Point is that there's never been anything as the merry-go-round Valuev claims was in his offer. One or even 2 options is fairly standard and has been so among top promotors even before Don King.

So what I basically come forward to is, that Valuev is just not a credible source. I'm sure you agree now.

[BattlingNelson]

You won’t find the Solis ranking in question in the magazine. As was discussed when this went round and round a couple months ago, Solis could only have been ranked online between issues. The research I did for Ring’s 100th only used print issues and I had to build my own database to do it. There’s no real archive of weekly updates made online over the last 20 years or so and Solis’s ranking didn’t last long enough to make it to the print version. I tried search archives and couldn’t find it but someone else did and Z sent it to me a while back.

So Z was right to recall it, wrong that it was in an actual issue, and I was right all along about where and how he might have been rated going into the fight without it falling into the parameters of my research.

THANKS Bat for tagging me into another round of this. Haha

You are welcome Cliff. Thanks for coming back in here. Appreciated.

[Dr. Z]

You keep saying over 200lbs as if it's relevant. Louis could not help that heavyweight began at 176. And you talk about Vits not being able to fight everyone, but you can't refute the facts I've posted. It's funny because Louis fought many more contenders, yet you don't give him the same pass and instead try to say he drew the color line, which is complete rubbish, and everyone knows it. Why did Wlad fight SO many more Ring ranked top 10 fighters than Vits?

Wlad fought many fights ( 60 + ) for a longer period of time, Vitali took a 4 year beak during his prime year to focus on politics! That has something to due with Wald fighting more contenders. You ignore the fact that Louis used the color line big time on fighting 2 African Americans in his 26 title fights. Disgraceful! Louis also lost to three men under 200 pounds and would hade lost more if the judging was fair. I noticed you ignore the facts, and have issues counting right for certain fighters. Judge them on ring ring records Vs raked opponents I say to take all the basis away form the equation. Here Vitali is a proven 8-2, and that winning % is excellent. Now Louis fought the most contenders, but he also used the color line did not fight ANY Eastern Europeans. Just imagine if Ali acted the same way, his resume would be not be special. If Vitali fought Louis competition which ring magazine says is the weakest era of heavyweight boxing , all of those sub 200 pounders you tell me who many wins he would have. As it stands Vitali fought two cruiser former weights champions. They last less the three full rounds!

[Dr. Z]

This has been a good discussion.

I was honestly under the impression that Vitali Klitshcko had only beaten 2 or 3 ranked fighters. Had no idea he'd beaten 8. That's not too bad really.

Kirk Johnson was likely ranked at the time Vitali beat him too, but this was before ring magazine published thier rankings on the web, you would need to check the physical hard copies of the magazine. If he was this brings Vital's total to 9-2 of raked Ring Magazine contenders fought. An excellent winning percentage.

[BattlingNelson]

Kirk Johnson was likely ranked at the time Vitali beat him too, but this was before ring magazine published thier rankings on the web, you would need to check the physical hard copies of the magazine. If he was this brings Vital's total to 9-2 of raked Ring Magazine contenders fought. An excellent winning percentage.

Surely Johnson was ranked?? Weird if he wasn't.

What about Purrity? I haven't checked the whole thread, but there may be a slight chance he was ranked.

[Bundana]

Kirk Johnson was likely ranked at the time Vitali beat him too, but this was before ring magazine published thier rankings on the web, you would need to check the physical hard copies of the magazine. If he was this brings Vital's total to 9-2 of raked Ring Magazine contenders fought. An excellent winning percentage.

Didn't we establish earlier in this thread, that Kirk was indeed ranked when Vitali beat him?

[Dr. Z]

Well then James Toney is only 10-6-2 vs Ring Magazine opponents ( 160-heavyweight ) and Joe Frazier is but 10-4 , but Vitali 8-2 vs ring magazine rated opponents ( not listed here O Solis who as we saw TWICE was rated in ring magazines top ten ) once via box rec link and once via way back machine doesn't warrant greatness depute the fact the he made the hall of fame one the very first year he was eligible but many others including Toney did not?

Here it what Cliff says the raitings were:

• 04/01/2000 - RTD by 9 Chris Byrd (#10 at Heavyweight)
• 06/21/2003 - TKO by 6 Lennox Lewis (Champion at Heavyweight)
• 04/24/2004 - TKO8 Corrie Sanders (#3 at Heavyweight)
• 12/11/2004 - TKO8 Danny Williams (#9 at Heavyweight)
• 10/11/2008 - RTD8 Sam Peter (#2 at Heavyweight)
• 03/21/2009 - TKO9 Juan Carlos Gomez (#9 at Heavyweight)
• 09/26/2009 - RTD10 Chris Arreola (#6 at Heavyweight)
• 12/12/2009 - UD12 Kevin Johnson (#10 at Heavyweight)
• 09/10/2011 - TKO10 Tomasz Adamek (#2 at Heavyweight)

Now add O Solis to the list which brings his confirmed total to 8-2.

@ Budana,

No is has not been established here that Kirk Johnson was ranked when Vitali beat him. I think he was. If this is proven true, it brings Vitali's total to 9-2 vs ring magazine contenders fought.

[IronDanHamza]

Didn't we establish earlier in this thread, that Kirk was indeed ranked when Vitali beat him?

I think that was Kevin Johnson.

The one I found in my December 2009 Ring Magazine issue.