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

[TheGreatA]

He fought all top contenders availble to him.

He did and he fought some solid opposition too but he isn't given credit for it because he lost to Buster Douglas and because of his antics in the 90's (biting off ears, **** convictions, beating people up on the streets, etc.)

You better get used to criticism when you're at the top.

[Benny Leonard]

He fought all top contenders availble to him.

Yeah, but he pissed many off with his outside antics and threw his talent down the drain. When people get mad, they turn on you and will re-write history.

People want to say Tyson was never any good because they don't want to feel like they were fooled, so they rewrite what they saw to ease their mind because if they admitted they saw someone great throw it all a way, it would be very depressing.

[Left2body]

Yeah he would recieve the same criticism. Look at America's history and you'll see that exciting (flashy or KO artist) fighters are far more embraced than non-exciting technical boxers.

Holmes, Hopkins, Winky were always criticized and never got the stardom that other fighters recieved. Mike Tyson, Hagler, RJJ, Hearns, Leonard were all much more popular because of this.

Klitchko's style is effective but its often boring there is nothing nationalistic about that its just the truth.

[Benny Leonard]

Yeah he would recieve the same criticism. Look at America's history and you'll see that exciting (flashy or KO artist) fighters are far more embraced than non-exciting technical boxers.

Holmes, Hopkins, Winky were always criticized and never got the stardom that other fighters recieved. Mike Tyson, Hagler, RJJ, Hearns, Leonard were all much more popular because of this.

Klitchko's style is effective but its often boring there is nothing nationalistic about that its just the truth.

This is true: Hopkins couldn't even sell out, let alone a row, in his home-town.

This is also why people still talk about Tyson; because he was exciting...although only "great" for a short period when he was mentally and physically prepared/willing.

[FloydFanatic]

This is true: Hopkins couldn't even sell out, let alone a row, in his home-town.

yeah rite. more hate son. peeps sayin he cant sell tickets in philly. only reason thats hard is cause peeps r poor but he still can.

[Benny Leonard]

yeah rite. more hate son. peeps sayin he cant sell tickets in philly. only reason thats hard is cause peeps r poor but he still can.

Hate? I'm from Philly. We have enough money to spend on Eagles tickets, drugs, beer, hookers, expensive cars and rims (with spinners), Blue-APBT (dogs), etc., yet we choose not to go see Hopkins.

Tyson fought here against Buster Mathis Jr. and people went crazy.

Celine Dion sells out every time and her tickets can go upwards of $14,000, or so I hear.

[TheGreatA]

I think FloydFanatic is a joke account... I sure hope so.

[CraigM]

It seems to me Wladimir klitschko has always received more criticism than he deserves. The boxing writers and commentators, as well as some boxing fans, have always been very hard on him.

He's from the Ukraine and unlike the top heavyweights of the past 50 years like Ali, Holmes and Tyson, he's white.

If he was American and black, who he be better accepted?

in a word, no... none of the heavyweights really get much respect at the moment because of the interest in the skills of the lower divisions

[Benny Leonard]

I think FloydFanatic is a joke account... I sure hope so.

Hahahaha...that video was funny.

I like Hopkins, but only up to Tito, when he was a good fighter. After that, nobody oiled him and like the Tin-Man, he became stiff and grey.

[Derranged]

That's partly because of the opponent who he fought, Ray Austin.

Wladimir blamed the title organizations for making Austin a mandatory for his IBF title because of the 'draw' he had over an out of shape Iggy and Wlad was right, there was no way Austin should've been in the same ring as Wladimir. The fight was a waste of time.

Critics wanted him to unify the titles, well now he did (atleast the IBF/WBO titles) and those critics don't give him credit for it. That's what happens when you're at the top.

Every champion has been criticized, some people hate Ali as if he had killed their mother or something. Atleast Wladimir hasn't been banned from boxing like Ali was.

Holmes wasn't given credit for anything he did during his career until 10-20 years after. People wanted Gerry Cooney to destroy him.

Tyson was hyped up at the time but right now people say he is an overrated joke who fought no one.

Lewis said 'the history will treat me far better than my critics' or something like that and he was right. He wasn't given credit then but he is given credit now.

I don't even need to talk about Liston and Foreman who were treated as barbaric thugs.

Good post.