Why is Vitali so great?

[Chase8400]

Is it Vitali's admirable showing against Lennox Lewis that gets him so much credit? I just don't get it.

It's not just his showing in the Lennox Lewis fight but do you realize though that he is the only guy to ever actually be beating Lennox at the time a Lewis fight had ended?

Aside from that, the other impressive showings Vitali has given are what solidify his place in the sport.

1)He has never been dropped as a pro.
2)He has never been losing in a pro fight at it's end.
3)He has the highest KO ratio of any heavyweight titleholder........ever.
4)He has a 47% connect ratio in his last 6 fights including the LL war.(insane)
5)He is the only heavyweight to retire and regain the heavyweight title in his first fight back.

Vitali may not be a an ATG yet, but if he got some key wins over the next couple of years, it would be hard to deny him. Everyone knows he is the better of the two brothers. I do have immense respect for Wladimir as well but have always felt that Vitali was the better of the two. I also feel that Vitali only stayed retired after he got injured is so that Wladimir could create his own legacy with himself out of the picture. That's an all around awesome man and sibling.

I couldn't have any more respect for Vitali.

[Chase8400]

I noticed that too, it looks like he's on ***** street half the time when he's actually fine.

By the way, Gomez missed a big oppurtunity on Saturday. Vitali's left eye was ready to burst if Gomez put any leather on it at all.

Hahahaha, it wasn't even red. I think you need to get a better television or something.

Vitali doesn't blink a ton in the ring anyways and if he did, apparently it's an advantage considering he's whippin' guys asses.

[mathed]

There's been a whole lotta guys try that. Neither brother has been beat in that manner either.

As a matter of fact, Corrie Sanders was the only fighter to actually be beating a Klitschko in a professional fight at the time the fight was stopped.

That's impressive.

In my opinion, Vitali has really never lost.

Maybe, I usually see them ****ing away at smaller guys with their jabs (the gloves being at the end of their 5 foot arms) and the opponents never seem to be able to really get close. Gomez did, but after he was on the inside he did absolutely nothing but hold on. I don't really want to be thought of as a Klischko hater even though I rag on them. I appreciate their matches although boring as heck (maybe they are so good that they make every fight look easy) for the fact that it is boxing and usually for a title.

After another fight, I want Arreola to slim down and take fighting more seriously so that he may be a decent opponent. It just seems like the entire HW talent pool is junk and they are reaping the benefits by being giants that no one can hit. I mean where is all the talent at? I want to see a match where either of them are at least challenged a bit instead of guys giving up in the ring because they are reliving David vs. Golieth.

[PittyPat]

Vitali doesn't blink a ton in the ring anyways

I think it's you who may have to get a better telly, chum.

Seriously, he does blink a ton - I've never seen other fighters do that. Evidently you adore the guy, but at least acknowledge that he blinks weirdly.

[Chase8400]

Yawn.

Or maybe - JUST MAYBE - he retired happily because he felt old, slow and past it? Good enough reason to hang 'em up and let whoever wants to take the belt shine. Vitali's had an excellent career since then, and Lennox spared himself from injury at the hands of a huge puncher.

I agree with the second highlighted section but i have to say that nobody said Lennox looked old, slow or past it in the Tyson fight prior to finally facing a bigger man in Klitschko. The fact is that Lennox held the keys to the rematch that everyone wanted to see and LL got out of it for a 'reason'. That 'reason' is speculation but most think it's because he knew he couldn't win. It's hard to stand in front of a guy and give him your best shot and it not hurt him at all.

[PittyPat]

I agree with the second highlighted section but i have to say that nobody said Lennox looked old, slow or past it in the Tyson fight prior to finally facing a bigger man in Klitschko. The fact is that Lennox held the keys to the rematch that everyone wanted to see and LL got out of it for a 'reason'. That 'reason' is speculation but most think it's because he knew he couldn't win. It's hard to stand in front of a guy and give him your best shot and it not hurt him at all.

It's been documented many times that a fighter can age in the ring within any space of time, including a year. The fight with Tyson happened exactly 12 months prior, and even by that point it wasn't a prime late-90's Lennox in that ring anymore (and luckily not a prime Tyson either, although I think he would've lost to Lennox at any point in their respective careers).

This debate has been done to death on all manner of forums as far as the eye can read, so I can't really say anything new on the matter other than that Lennox was pretty well past prime by the time of the Vitali fight (for which, IIRC, he hadn't done a whole lot of preparation or conditioning), and the VitMan was a young superstar in the making who was destined to go onto bigger things with or without a win in that match. He showed it on the night, he showed it 10 months later against Sanders, and he showed it last week against Gomez. Who's lost out? Absolutely nobody.

And finally, you hit the nail on the head with the quote I bolded from you, but I'll answer it with a question - why stand in front of a guy, in a rematch coming off a brutal and bloody 1st match, whom you know could end your career and possibly your life in the ring, when you're old and slow and about ready to go out on a high? The answer is, you retire and live a happy life.

[Chase8400]

Maybe, I usually see them ****ing away at smaller guys with their jabs (the gloves being at the end of their 5 foot arms) and the opponents never seem to be able to really get close. Gomez did, but after he was on the inside he did absolutely nothing but hold on. I don't really want to be thought of as a Klischko hater even though I rag on them. I appreciate their matches although boring as heck (maybe they are so good that they make every fight look easy) for the fact that it is boxing and usually for a title.

Allot of their opponents have had a comparable reach and have been able to do nothing with it. If I recall right Rahman and Gomez had a longer reach that the K-brothers and were beaten soundly.

As a matter of fact, 3 of Vitali's last 6 opponents had a longer reach than him. (Lennox Lewis having the longest of all)

At some point people must begin to accept what they are seeing.

Vitali is a legitimately dominating heavyweight.

After another fight, I want Arreola to slim down and take fighting more seriously so that he may be a decent opponent. It just seems like the entire HW talent pool is junk and they are reaping the benefits by being giants that no one can hit. I mean where is all the talent at? I want to see a match where either of them are at least challenged a bit instead of guys giving up in the ring because they are reliving David vs. Golieth.

I would agree with you, but in light of Vitali basically giving the last generations greatest fighter, Lennox Lewis his toughest fight and Wladimir losing 3 times by TKO, I have to decline.

Guys have had their chances and have simply not had enough to handle the brothers. Lennox included.

Vitali has no kinks in his armor and is a complete fighter, no matter how akward he looks at times.

Wladimir is an offensive ring technician with the best jab and straight right hand in the division. (at least as good of a straight right as Vitali, I think)

They dominate for a reason and the competition is not the only reason why.

[Chase8400]

I think it's you who may have to get a better telly, chum.

Seriously, he does blink a ton - I've never seen other fighters do that. Evidently you adore the guy, but at least acknowledge that he blinks weirdly.

IDK, maybe it's just me not paying enough attention. But either way. if that helps, who are we to question why he does it? Apparently it helps him see punches coming and he is able to react fast enough to get out of the way of them.

Wouldn't you say?

And yes, I do adore Vitali. If he was American, he would honestly be as big of a name as Mike Tyson.

[PittyPat]

Vitali is a legitimately dominating heavyweight.

Granted, and it's ****** if anyone denies that. His resume, title credentials and KO record says it all.

Vitali has no kinks in his armor and is a complete fighter, no matter how awkward he looks at times.

Not granted. Everyone's idea of a perfect, "complete" fighter is totally subjective.

[PittyPat]

Apparently it helps him see punches coming and he is able to react fast enough to get out of the way of them.

Wouldn't you say?

Not always. Blinking or not, Lennox and Sanders had him rocked (and running backwards, in the case of the latter) with good shots and he certainly didn't move out of the way of those fast enough. Iron chin and one of the best in the biz, for sure, but he caught a lot of those shots flush and they sounded golden.

And yes, I do adore Vitali.

No probs. Hopefully not on the level of certain nuthuggers around here, though. :wnk1: I mean, there's healthy fandom where one acknowledges the strengths as well as weaknesses of their favourite fighter in an objective manner...

... and there's downright unhealthy obsession with trying to discredit any faults they may have (and every fighter does; that's pretty much a given), and always disproportionately playing up their strengths.

It's impossible to even discuss anything with folks who fall into the latter category, but I can see that you're probably not one of them - otherwise, this would've descended into insults several pages ago. :laff2: