Can somebody explain to me why Wladimir Klitchsko is better than Jess Willard?

[Scott9945]

Thanks but I still think that he had a lot of power, being able to knock somebody out after 78 minutes of fighting is damn impressive to me.

I'm guessing that he knocked out a very tired fighter.

[Steak]

Weird that you compare Willard to Wladimir when Willard much more resembles Vitali.

[barfly12]

Regarding the Johnson fight

Johnson did not take a dive against Willard. Let me get this straight: he fought TWENTY-SIX rounds in Havanna, Cuba under a broiling sun, knowing he was going to loose? The ref said the ring floor was so hot his feet were burned after the fight. If Johnson was going to throw the fight, why not do it in round two and save himself a lot of effort. The Johnson who fought Willard was a tired, hounded man, past his prime, physically and emotionally. A younger, bigger, stronger man won. Plain and simple. I would love to see either Klitchko fight 26 rounds in 103 degree heat as did Willard. When he signed to fight Dempsey in Toledo, the fight was scheduled for 45 rounds. Those hard times forged very hard men, the likes of which we will never see again. There are occasional throwbacks like Quarry, Holyfield, Gatti, Ward, etc., but we will never see so many competing simultaneously again.

[SCtrojansbaby]

The Willard who beat Jack Johnson was a very strong, hard, durable man.

LOL and you know this because you watched the fight?

[JAB5239]

LOL and you know this because you watched the fight?

There is film of it as well as a thing called books!!

[BattlingNelson]

Wlad is no speed merchant either. His footwork may be precise but it's also slow and mechanical. His handspeed isn't any great shakes either.

That being said, Wlad DOES have a much better skill-set then Willard and is a much bigger puncher. Contary to popular belief Willard was NOT a big puncher. Strong, yes.....tough as hell, yes.....but not someone who could knock your brains out or have the skills to deliver it consistantly even if he did have the punching power.

The things Willard DID have over Wlad is his chin and stamina. I just don't see Willard being skilled enough for Wlad's chin to come into play.....Willard COULD land something wild and shatter Wlad's glass but like the Hail-Mary in football the odds are long against it.

Poet

Regarding Willards chin read what Gunboat Smith said:

"After I threw my best punch at him his hair wiggled a little bit. That's all. I said: HolyJesus, that was my best punch. No detours, right from the floor, right on his chin.

.......

So in the 10th round I hit him with one of my rights, but it was on the ear. Tore his ear right off. That hushed him up for the rest of the fight. The blood was running down, and oh, God. I. of course, had my gloves "loaded". I had insulation tape laid across my hands."


Smith won a 20 round decision. He was a terrific hitter, but couldn't put him down. Imagine that: A loaded fist in a 4 ounze glove!

[JAB5239]

Regarding Willards chin read what Gunboat Smith said:

"After I threw my best punch at him his hair wiggled a little bit. That's all. I said: HolyJesus, that was my best punch. No detours, right from the floor, right on his chin.

.......

So in the 10th round I hit him with one of my rights, but it was on the ear. Tore his ear right off. That hushed him up for the rest of the fight. The blood was running down, and oh, God. I. of course, had my gloves "loaded". I had insulation tape laid across my hands."


Smith won a 20 round decision. He was a terrific hitter, but couldn't put him down. Imagine that: A loaded fist in a 4 ounze glove!

If nothing else Willard was a tough, tough guy. You might as well be hitting somebody with a rock if you're going to load 4oz gloves. That is brutal!

[BattlingNelson]

That's assuming that:
A. Johnson didn't just say "**** it" and laid down.
B. Johnson didn't go down from shear exhaustion ala Foreman vs Ali. 78 minutes of fighting favors the fighter with the better conditioning. Johnson at that stage in his career wasn't that well conditioned.

Poet

The fight was not a fix. The myth stems from Johnson himself who said it for financial purposes when he was near destitute and sold an alleged confession where he stated that he threw the fight.

BTW let me quote Gunboat Smith again (from "In this corner"):

"That fight with Jess Willard, that was on the level. Dont let anybody tell you it was a fixed fight in Havana. Well you can take my word for it.....

...

Jack Johnson couldnt hit like I could and he hit Willard with everything...

...

Now get this, he went 26 rounds. Now when you are faking a fight, you don't go no 26 rounds. You're going to call a halt in the third, fourth or fifth."

[BattlingNelson]

If nothing else Willard was a tough, tough guy. You might as well be hitting somebody with a rock if you're going to load 4oz gloves. That is brutal!

Yeah brutal stuff.

Smith also used to have a pad that he put on his knuckles and then he put the insulation tape over it to keep it in place.

Almost like the ancient roman caestus (sp?).

[JAB5239]

The fight was not a fix. The myth stems from Johnson himself who said it for financial purposes when he was near destitute and sold an alleged confession where he stated that he threw the fight.

BTW let me quote Gunboat Smith again (from "In this corner"):

"That fight with Jess Willard, that was on the level. Dont let anybody tell you it was a fixed fight in Havana. Well you can take my word for it.....

...

Jack Johnson couldnt hit like I could and he hit Willard with everything...

...

Now get this, he went 26 rounds. Now when you are faking a fight, you don't go no 26 rounds. You're going to call a halt in the third, fourth or fifth."

The whole 26 rounds thing is a very good point.