If Wladimir was American and black, would he be more accepted as a top heavyweight?

[Boofdatruth]

Don King kept Cooney inactive for a year and a half before the Holmes fight, and for two years afterwards, when Cooney was in his prime, in order to ruin him as a fighter. Don King didn't want a white heavyweight champion.

Where did you hear this?

[Hitman932]

One more thing lol. Cooney and Holmes were first scheduled to fight in March of 82 but COONEY pulled out because of a shoulder injury.So what did that have to do with King? Also, it was not a year and half long layoff anyway.Your information is false.

nice little helping of ownage right there.

[Boofdatruth]

If Wlad was American full stop he would be seen as a 'legend' who 'showed amazing heart to come back from those early KOs and rule his division'. He would be an absolute megastar and the fans would routinely bracket him with the likes of Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis etc.

Look, the American public came to respect Lewis, but they didn't like the fact that he was in their minds a passive fighter. Even though he beat both men who beat him, people remembered lewis for getting knocked out twice. Wlad got knocked out 3 times. Ali, Holmes, and even Tyson before he went to jail weren't ko'd 3 times in their primes. Holmes was a slick boxer who never impressed the public, just us diehards. He didn't get respect until his career was over. So please, save the "if he were Black and/or American thoughts. The heavy weight champ is either dominant like ali, a non stop puncher like marciano, or a brutal puncher like mike tyson. Those are the types of fighters America loves. Like most fans, Americans love punchers. Wlad can't fight inside so we won't ever get that kind of fight from him. Americans will never love Wlad. I?t isn't his fault, they just don't like his style of fighting as much as diehard fans do.

[Boofdatruth]

nice little helping of ownage right there.

That's my boy Ja-Born.

[joseph5620]

[QUOTE=Tunney;3672253]One level below "In boxing terms" ? That's just more racist nonsense.

You calling people a racist is a joke when you compare Wladimir Kl to Ali and Larry Holmes.Then try to rewrite history as if Don King sabotaged Cooney's chances of being a white heavyweight champion. Don King made Cooney very rich when Cooney didn't earn it in the ring. Certainly no more than Greg Page who came along at the same time. Being white was to Cooney's advantage.. If Klitschko was black and critics ripped him (like Lennox Lewis) you wouldn't have even have started this thread.Your agenda is very clear.

[Landshark]

Most posters here are like a broken record. The heavyweight "era" is bad. This heavyweight "era" has no competition. This heavyweight "era" is the worst ever. So let me ask all you "era" lovers who always point it out. IS IT WLAD s fault the "era" he is fighting in is horrible? Did he have any decision when he was born to compete in the "era" you all prefered? I mean the guy is the best in the "ERA" he is fighting in!

[Boofdatruth]

Most posters here are like a broken record. The heavyweight "era" is bad. This heavyweight "era" has no competition. This heavyweight "era" is the worst ever. So let me ask all you "era" lovers who always point it out. IS IT WLAD s fault the "era" he is fighting in is horrible? Did he have any decision when he was born to compete in the "era" you all prefered? I mean the guy is the best in the "ERA" he is fighting in!

Yeah, he is probably the best heavy in the worst era of heavies, and it isn't his fault.

[Pugilistic™]

The only reason he is getting critized at the moment was because of his very boring fight with Sultan. If he goes to the thompson fight and wins by ko all should be forgiven.

Being the best heavyweight in the division of course their are going to be critics, every fight at the top gets them. he will just have to keep proving them wrong.

[asiatazi]

It seems to me that people are reluctant to give Wlad credit for his growth as a fighter over the years. I don't think he's the same fighter who lost to Corrie Sanders. I would not call that period his "prime". I think his prime is right now, and I think he has developed his skills in such a way that if he fought those fights over again, the results would be very different. It's true that his fight with Ibragimov was a "stinker", but even the best and most recognized fighters had bad performances in their "prime". Still, he did what was necessary to win.

[ddeg10]

He's criticized because he isn't exciting. Floyd is American and black, and got even more criticism than Wlad, so I don't see how you could say Wlad would receive less if he was American and Black.