Comments Thread For: The Beltline: Would the chronically cautious Wladimir Klitschko really risk returning to the ring?

[BrankoB]

I know it isn't their fault, but the K brothers era was really weak. I was happy to see it pretty much end with AJ, Fury, Wilder...

I think that sounds like selective memory. The K brothers beat everyone out there and dominated for so long, so in retrospect it might seem weak. I remember watching Vitali fight Lennox Lewis and getting the better of him in most exchanges until the fight was stopped on cuts. Lennox knew he was lucky to escape the beating of his life. Right there and then I knew that Lennox would never, ever again step foot inside the ring with Vitali. Of course, he retired rather than face Vitali again and get knocked out in a rematch.

[Cyborg Fangerloo]

He was always vulnerable, pre steward he had a different style, he leanded forward was more aggressive and didnt use his height advantage the same way vitali did. I think it was a matter of time until someone caught him like Sanders with the quick right hand did.

The brewster fight I do believe him to have some kind of medical issue though. He gassed after like 2 rounds. Yeah he gassed before but his stamina wasnt THAT BAD, remember he stays in shape year round. The hospital found he had low blood sugar in the first round of test and then they lost his samples. conspiracy theory is he was dosed with something and who knows doesnt have to be brewsters team could be anyone with money on the fight for him to lose, being brewster was a huge underdog they could have made big money on it. Or less of a conspiracy theory is he had some kind of medical issue.


And for sanders, he was a bit like Ruiz for AJ, they underestimate the guy, he looks like a fat sack of **** but he still got quick hands and power. AJ and Wlad both had defensive lapses.

I agree with you on the Brewster fight. I don't think it was just that shot or the subsequent shots, but rather there was something physically wrong with him. he just looked so wrong, like his brain was violently struggling to determine what was happening with his body and correct it to get back to the domination he was used to likely in all sports his whole life

[Left Hook Louie]

He would 1000% if ***** was his opponent in the ring...

Who is apparently censored. So "the current leader of the country that's invading his country"?

No doubt Wlad would love to get 72-year old Poutine in the ring.
He would beat him senseless at the very least.

[Winky-Wright]

Wlad and Vlad vs Logan and Jake, B samples would be dirtier than a Dillian Whyte and an eggy Benn Coocktail on a matchroom undercard.

[johnnycontrolet]

Breaking George Foreman's age record is a nice and very obvious narrative.
Wlad is only coming back at 49 because the Saudis are paying him a huge purse.
I still can't understand why Wlad wants to take this extreme health risk. He has certainly earned more than enough in his long career.

[1Eriugenus]

'I think that sounds like selective memory. The K brothers beat everyone out there and dominated for so long, so in retrospect it might seem weak. I remember watching Vitali fight Lennox Lewis and getting the better of him in most exchanges until the fight was stopped on cuts. Lennox knew he was lucky to escape the beating of his life. Right there and then I knew that Lennox would never, ever again step foot inside the ring with Vitali. Of course, he retired rather than face Vitali again and get knocked out in a rematch'.

That definitely sounds like selective memory, BrankoB. You are right that when Vitali fought Lennox Lewis he was getting the better of him in most exchanges until Lennox landed one of the hardest punches I've ever seen in my life. I will never know how Vitali took that uppercut. Shortly after that the fight was stopped on cuts because, as the ringside doctor put it, otherwise Vitali's eye & all the jelly around it would've been sloshing around in the ring. He also said that he'd never seen anything more horrific than Vitali's eye & he'd served as a medic in 'Nam!

Lennox retired because he'd had enough. He always said he didn't want to make the same mistakes other champions had. Listen today to Lennox speaking, then listen to (say) Holyfield, Bowe or Toney speaking & you can hear that he made a good choice.

[crimsonfalcon07]

This is a boxing site.

And I mentioned an opponent, perhaps the ONLY opponent, that would guarantee a return to the boxing ring for Klitschko. And it's also a completely factual alternative description of said individual, since the censorship on this site is ridiculous. I made no opinions one way or the other on anything political, unlike many others, and you don't chime in when there's blatant political discussion. Perhaps you're a stooge for fascism. Either way, get back in your corner and mind your own business.

[BrankoB]

'I think that sounds like selective memory. The K brothers beat everyone out there and dominated for so long, so in retrospect it might seem weak. I remember watching Vitali fight Lennox Lewis and getting the better of him in most exchanges until the fight was stopped on cuts. Lennox knew he was lucky to escape the beating of his life. Right there and then I knew that Lennox would never, ever again step foot inside the ring with Vitali. Of course, he retired rather than face Vitali again and get knocked out in a rematch'.

That definitely sounds like selective memory, BrankoB. You are right that when Vitali fought Lennox Lewis he was getting the better of him in most exchanges until Lennox landed one of the hardest punches I've ever seen in my life. I will never know how Vitali took that uppercut. Shortly after that the fight was stopped on cuts because, as the ringside doctor put it, otherwise Vitali's eye & all the jelly around it would've been sloshing around in the ring. He also said that he'd never seen anything more horrific than Vitali's eye & he'd served as a medic in 'Nam!

Lennox retired because he'd had enough. He always said he didn't want to make the same mistakes other champions had. Listen today to Lennox speaking, then listen to (say) Holyfield, Bowe or Toney speaking & you can hear that he made a good choice.

I do remember that uppercut and I also remember that Vitali took it well. That would have been disheartening to Lennox. I also agree that cut was very nasty. Not dis*****g any of that. One punch does not change the fact that Vitali was more than Lennox's equal based on what we saw in that fight.

My point was that the previous poster said the K brothers were fighting in an era that was weak and Lennox Lewis was definitely not weak. He was one of the best heavyweight champions in a very, very long time who would have been competitive with anyone in history and Vitali was getting the better of him. That is all.

[493dart]

'i think that sounds like selective memory. The k brothers beat everyone out there and dominated for so long, so in retrospect it might seem weak. I remember watching vitali fight lennox lewis and getting the better of him in most exchanges until the fight was stopped on cuts. Lennox knew he was lucky to escape the beating of his life. Right there and then i knew that lennox would never, ever again step foot inside the ring with vitali. Of course, he retired rather than face vitali again and get knocked out in a rematch'.

that definitely sounds like selective memory, brankob. You are right that when vitali fought lennox lewis he was getting the better of him in most exchanges until lennox landed one of the hardest punches i've ever seen in my life. I will never know how vitali took that uppercut. Shortly after that the fight was stopped on cuts because, as the ringside doctor put it, otherwise vitali's eye & all the jelly around it would've been sloshing around in the ring. He also said that he'd never seen anything more horrific than vitali's eye & he'd served as a medic in 'nam!

Lennox retired because he'd had enough. He always said he didn't want to make the same mistakes other champions had. Listen today to lennox speaking, then listen to (say) holyfield, bowe or toney speaking & you can hear that he made a good choice.

spot on

[1Eriugenus]

BrankoB - very fair. I wouldn't have a problem with calling Vitali Klitschko a great heavyweight. My view of the top 10 of all time is Johnson, Louis, Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Holmes, Holyfield, Lewis. I then have a problem because there are 2 remaining spots in the top 10 & 3 fighters: Tyson, Liston, Vitali. Problem is that I know Liston would beat Tyson like a b!tch, just behind his jab. I'm 90% sure that Liston couldn't beat Vitali because his size & reach disadvantage would be too much. I also think a peak Tyson beats Vitali. He may have had an iron chin but we saw that just gave Pinklon Thomas a more extended beating. So, not sure.

Just to say, I think Marciano, Ezzard Charles & Floyd Patterson were truly exceptional boxers but they were also Cruiserweights &, by today's more lenient rules, they might even have got down to 175, so I can't include them as ATG H/Ws.