Once a guy has lost to the kind of opponents that Wlad has lost to, it's hard for people to look at him as some kind of unstoppage warrior.
Part of being successful as a heavyweight is that people look at you and think "****, I wouldn't want to mess with that guy". That's part of why Tyson was so popular. If Tyson had 3 embarrassing KO/TKO losses on his record when he was coming up through the division, people wouldn't have seen him in the same way. The point was that he was unbeaten and KOing people in 1 or 2 rounds.
Tunney, do you really expect Wlad boring us to tears vs Sultan or Wlad getting put down but being able to win simply because of his size advantage vs Peter to impress people as much as Tyson destroying Berbick?
It would be like if Audley Harrisson beat Sam Peter on points after being knocked down a few times. Of course people would have more respect for him than they do now, but once you've been seen as a joke with a weak chin, it's very hard to change that perception, especially when you fight like Wlad did last time out.
I realise of course that Audley isn't American, but my point is that if people see you as a joke, and if you have a history of being knocked all over the ring, you cannot expect to be treated like a young Mike Tyson just because of a few decent wins. Especially if those wins are as boring as the Sultan fight.
Once a guy has lost to the kind of opponents that Wlad has lost to, it's hard for people to look at him as some kind of unstoppage warrior.
Part of being successful as a heavyweight is that people look at you and think "****, I wouldn't want to mess with that guy". That's part of why Tyson was so popular. If Tyson had 3 embarrassing KO/TKO losses on his record when he was coming up through the division, people wouldn't have seen him in the same way. The point was that he was unbeaten and KOing people in 1 or 2 rounds.
Tunney, do you really expect Wlad boring us to tears vs Sultan or Wlad getting put down but being able to win simply because of his size advantage vs Peter to impress people as much as Tyson destroying Berbick?
It would be like if Audley Harrisson beat Sam Peter on points after being knocked down a few times. Of course people would have more respect for him than they do now, but once you've been seen as a joke with a weak chin, it's very hard to change that perception, especially when you fight like Wlad did last time out.
I realise of course that Audley isn't American, but my point is that if people see you as a joke, and if you have a history of being knocked all over the ring, you cannot expect to be treated like a young Mike Tyson just because of a few decent wins. Especially if those wins are as boring as the Sultan fight.
Half of the excitement about Wlad fighting is the chance that somebody will touch his chin again and he might get floored.
I haven't read the responses, so sorry if this is just a repeat. Wlad being white might have a little to do with it for the majority of black boxing fans, lets face it. However, I think Wlads biggest problem is that he came on the scene immediately after the Lewis, Holyfield, and Tyson era's. Just like Holmes, he doesn't compare to what the era before him had to offer. That has a big reason to do with why Wlad doesn't look all that great to us. Holmes was also compared to guys like Ali, and wasn't readily accepted right away even though he was a black American. Had Wlad come around 10 years or so after Lewis with the division being in the same shape as its in now, things would have been much different. He'd be considered the savior of the HW division.
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