Jack Johnson vs. Wlad Klitschko

[Barn]

greatness of ledger and favorability in a head to head match are very different animals


wladimir probably wins this one with modern rules


we have to consider the fact that johnson was a giant in his day
his style depended on it and being the tall man and leaning on his opponent and wearing him down
or being able to be more effective at distance and either catching punches and moving back and to angles
or smothering an opponent completely

he's going to have to work unbelievably hard if he wants to get physical and bully a man who would dwarf him by over fifty lbs and a half a foot, so i think he'd try and stay outside and pick off shots and score points
horrible prospect considering how hard and long klitschko's jab is
even if he has trouble putting the right hand behind it

in his time, johnson was a giant. his nickname was the galveston giant.
is it pure coincidence that he was not only bigger than everybody else, but beating them in boxing matches at HW? i think not. even his skills and defensive base were based upon his terrific size (and believe me i'm not degrading the fighter, i'm merely trying to illustrate that his greatest advantage and the likely root of his greatness would not be a factor)

wladimir is 6'7", 250, with 81 inches of reach

johnson was just 6'1", weighed 185 in his prime, and had a 74 inch reach
if he boxed today he'd be a light heavyweight. if you're regularly weighing 185 for a same day weigh in and you're fighting many times a year you can easily weigh 175 for a friday weigh in
as with many historic HW's, johnson would likely at least begin his career as a LHW

the galveston giant would be a TINY hw today.



i'm thinking that with modern rules,
and modern judges and a modern ref,
10 oz grant gloves,
24 foot ring,
johnson would be hard pressed to win seven or more rounds in a 12 round fight
or 8 or more in a 15 round fight



all that being said johnson could certainly find a way to catch wladimir with something funky in a clinch. wladimir's physical advantages stop at his chin and ticker. he doesn't react well to punches when he's hit today
and in the past when he's been folded like a napkin
or on the way in
or after they break

and wladimir could detonate johnson with one hard punch with either hand (when he actually throws them, hence why i think the fight goes the distance)
because in all honesty, and i know we like to think otherwise, nobody alive hit like wladimir during johnson's time.
he'd knock a five foot ten, 178 lb "HW" clean across the ring. even if they remained conscious, he'd literally knock them across the ring.

he's six and a half feet tall and is 250 lbs in fighting shape and a gifted athlete
his jab would feel like the right hands of most of johnson's opponents


but i don't think the fight would end in a stoppage


wladimir in the most boring win of his career. pretty one sided UD
and that's saying something, considering he's about as dull as they get

I would say Langford hit harder than Wladimir.

[Holtol]

Johnson would know Wlads advantages and disadvantages all to well for Wlad to win. Wladimir is not the same kind of fighter as Johnson I doubt Wlad would have even dared step into the ring back in Johnson's day. He would have perfered to put his education to work I think.

Johnson simply makes Wladimir move his weight around the ring forcing him to stop and start with feints and punches. I think Johnson knocks him out in the late rounds when Wladimir is tired. Wladimir in his tiredness starts falling in, gets caught by an uppercutt, gets knocked out.

[New England]

I would say Langford hit harder than Wladimir.

respectfully i would disagree haha

[IronDanHamza]

greatness of ledger and favorability in a head to head match are very different animals


wladimir probably wins this one with modern rules


we have to consider the fact that johnson was a giant in his day
his style depended on it and being the tall man and leaning on his opponent and wearing him down
or being able to be more effective at distance and either catching punches and moving back and to angles
or smothering an opponent completely

he's going to have to work unbelievably hard if he wants to get physical and bully a man who would dwarf him by over fifty lbs and a half a foot, so i think he'd try and stay outside and pick off shots and score points
horrible prospect considering how hard and long klitschko's jab is
even if he has trouble putting the right hand behind it

in his time, johnson was a giant. his nickname was the galveston giant.
is it pure coincidence that he was not only bigger than everybody else, but beating them in boxing matches at HW? i think not. even his skills and defensive base were based upon his terrific size (and believe me i'm not degrading the fighter, i'm merely trying to illustrate that his greatest advantage and the likely root of his greatness would not be a factor)

wladimir is 6'7", 250, with 81 inches of reach

johnson was just 6'1", weighed 185 in his prime, and had a 74 inch reach
if he boxed today he'd be a light heavyweight. if you're regularly weighing 185 for a same day weigh in and you're fighting many times a year you can easily weigh 175 for a friday weigh in
as with many historic HW's, johnson would likely at least begin his career as a LHW

the galveston giant would be a TINY hw today.



i'm thinking that with modern rules,
and modern judges and a modern ref,
10 oz grant gloves,
24 foot ring,
johnson would be hard pressed to win seven or more rounds in a 12 round fight
or 8 or more in a 15 round fight



all that being said johnson could certainly find a way to catch wladimir with something funky in a clinch. wladimir's physical advantages stop at his chin and ticker. he doesn't react well to punches when he's hit today
and in the past when he's been folded like a napkin
or on the way in
or after they break

and wladimir could detonate johnson with one hard punch with either hand (when he actually throws them, hence why i think the fight goes the distance)
because in all honesty, and i know we like to think otherwise, nobody alive hit like wladimir during johnson's time.
he'd knock a five foot ten, 178 lb "HW" clean across the ring. even if they remained conscious, he'd literally knock them across the ring.

he's six and a half feet tall and is 250 lbs in fighting shape and a gifted athlete
his jab would feel like the right hands of most of johnson's opponents


but i don't think the fight would end in a stoppage


wladimir in the most boring win of his career. pretty one sided UD
and that's saying something, considering he's about as dull as they get

I wasn't making a pick off that reasoning. Just responding to Barn's comment.

Personally, I probably pick Wlad. Considering the good point you made about Johnson's usual size advantage.

Then again, I remember how woefully bad Wladimir Klitschko's inside game is. Size advantage of not Johnson would win the inside battle.

But all in all I would probably pick Klitschko to beat him.

Good breakdown, though. You made some good points.

[Jim Jeffries]

I would say Langford hit harder than Wladimir.

The green 156 pound version (same day weigh in) that Johnson fought?

As far as Johnson and W. Klitschko goes, both guys like to clinch and lean on their opponents, I'd give the edge here to Wlad. Wlad probably won't be able to land much besides the jab, so I'm pretty sure it goes the distance. The longer the fight, the more it favors Johnson. But in a 12 rounder, I'd favor Wlad.

Having so little footage of Johnson and given the diminutive size of most of his opponents, makes this one difficult though.

[Barn]

The green 156 pound version (same day weigh in) that Johnson fought?

As far as Johnson and W. Klitschko goes, both guys like to clinch and lean on their opponents, I'd give the edge here to Wlad. Wlad probably won't be able to land much besides the jab, so I'm pretty sure it goes the distance. The longer the fight, the more it favors Johnson. But in a 12 rounder, I'd favor Wlad.

Having so little footage of Johnson and given the diminutive size of most of his opponents, makes this one difficult though.

No he just stated "at that time." ie: 1900-1920

[Terry A]

I would say Langford hit harder than Wladimir.

I gotta respectfully disagree with that also.

Barnburner, you are an elite member / poster here. One of the more knowledgable fellas. But I gotta ask you something.....Are you just being silly & pulling our leg? Maybe just horseing around a little? Slow day at the forums & all?

We can put men on the moon, split an atom that nobody can even see, talk thousands of miles away into wireless cell phones with each other.....Why can't them scientists make us a time-machine for boxing matches?????


One of the firsts things I would do is have ol' Sam hit one of them pads like Ivan Drago did & get a register on his impact. Then, I would have the big Klitschko hit the same pad. Before this test, I would mortgage my house & bet it all that K hits harder then L.


In all seriousness, some of the brethren here say they don't think KO%'s means anything. I am one who does. Every other major sport issues stats and %'s and they're accepted. KO% means something, or else, they wouldn't be talked about or mentioned so often in fights. It's not THE best way of judgeing who hat the bigger punch, but it is one way. That being said, Langford is about as big as Dwight M. Qawi & has a lifetime KO% of 40.82%.* Klitschko is at 84.48%.* And K is getting these KO's over men in the 250-287 lb range!

I just can't figure out why the K's don't garner more respect......

* From BoxRec. Which although sometimes is inaccurate, more times then not, it IS accurate.

[Steak]

frankly, I dont understand how a 150lb Langford hits harder or is a that much of a threat at HW(to HW champion calibur opponents).

not to mention Langford and Wladimir arent even comparable stylistically. hell, theyre like opposites.

Reality is that Johnson almost always used his size to win fights. This defense that people keep going on about mostly consisted of him grabbing the smaller opponent and preventing them from attacking. this worked great for him most the time. But Wladimir would love that, he does it all the time too. and he is the bigger and stronger of the two, so he likely wouldnt be manhandled in the clinch. and I simply dont see Johnson landing his short right uppercut in the clinch on someone as big and grabby as Wladimir.

in a 12 round fight, nothing suggests a Johnson win. who did he beat that was anything like Wladimir? a retired Jeffries who hadnt foght in over 6 years and was dragged out of retirement for racist reasons? Johnson took 15 rounds to do him in even then, and if you dont put pressure on Wladimir then he will give you absolute hell, he eats boxers for breakfast most the time.
Do you think Johnson has the better jab? or more power than Wladimir?

Ive always said that size isnt everything, and just being bigger doesnt make you the bigger puncher magically. But Wladimir isnt just a big heavyweight, the guy can crack. He has some nasty KOs, and one of the best jabs of HW history.

[Terry A]

Thank you

frankly, I dont understand how a 150lb Langford hits harder or is a that much of a threat at HW(to HW champion calibur opponents).

not to mention Langford and Wladimir arent even comparable stylistically. hell, theyre like opposites.

Reality is that Johnson almost always used his size to win fights. This defense that people keep going on about mostly consisted of him grabbing the smaller opponent and preventing them from attacking. this worked great for him most the time. But Wladimir would love that, he does it all the time too. and he is the bigger and stronger of the two, so he likely wouldnt be manhandled in the clinch. and I simply dont see Johnson landing his short right uppercut in the clinch on someone as big and grabby as Wladimir.

in a 12 round fight, nothing suggests a Johnson win. who did he beat that was anything like Wladimir? a retired Jeffries who hadnt foght in over 6 years and was dragged out of retirement for racist reasons? Johnson took 15 rounds to do him in even then, and if you dont put pressure on Wladimir then he will give you absolute hell, he eats boxers for breakfast most the time.
Do you think Johnson has the better jab? or more power than Wladimir?

Ive always said that size isnt everything, and just being bigger doesnt make you the bigger puncher magically. But Wladimir isnt just a big heavyweight, the guy can crack. He has some nasty KOs, and one of the best jabs of HW history.

Exactly right.

[The Smash]

Wlad might have a shot at winning now.....since Johnson's been dead for about 70 years, though that makes him more "live" than any of Wlad's pathetic opponents.

Poet

He's not dead, it's a clever ruse to disguise the fact that he is ducking Martinez.