Vitali "The Punisher" Klitschko

[Spray_resistant]

I just realized what an effective volume puncher Vitali has become. I am wondering though if he was always a volume puncher and I just never really noticed. His ko's as of late are not due to bone crushing power and 1 punch ko ability but more just accumulation much like Paul Williams ko% is attributed to the same......so has he adapted because of chronic injury and started punishing opponents with accumulation rather than power or has he always been this way really?

[Earl-Hickey]

From what i can recall, since his comeback, Vitali has only scored 2 knockdowns, both against Gomez, he is honing his skills in the volume department for sure.

[The_Demon]

dudes a beast

[PittyPat]

I've been looking at a few of his earlier fights (pre-Lennox), and it's pretty much the same - a lot of deadly accurate punches being thrown relentlessly, although not necessarily with KO power, and from the weirdest of angles.

About 10 years ago he used to hold his hands up a lot higher, though. Right now you can see he holds them lower than waist-height, but he used to hold 'em up as high as Wlad back then.

Overall, the only things that have changed since the Hide fight in '99 are his footwork (slower), handspeed (also slower) and guard (not high anymore). Otherwise, he's just as nasty now as he used to be.

He's the most awkward HW of recent times, for sure. Everything about him looks clunky, goofy and uncoordinated... but it works. The only way anyone's going to give him trouble is by using a lot of speed (Haye, perhaps) and evading his punches on the way inside.

[Spray_resistant]

I've been looking at a few of his earlier fights (pre-Lennox), and it's pretty much the same - a lot of deadly accurate punches being thrown relentlessly, although not necessarily with KO power, and from the weirdest of angles.

About 10 years ago he used to hold his hands up a lot higher, though. Right now you can see he holds them lower than waist-height, but he used to hold 'em up as high as Wlad back then.

Overall, the only things that have changed since the Hide fight in '99 are his footwork (slower), handspeed (also slower) and guard (not high anymore). Otherwise, he's just as nasty now as he used to be.

He's the most awkward HW of recent times, for sure. Everything about him looks clunky, goofy and uncoordinated... but it works. The only way anyone's going to give him trouble is by using a lot of speed (Haye, perhaps) and evading his punches on the way inside.

I will have to check some punch stats if I can to make sure.....but it just seems to me like he is trying to swamp more than he used to.

[Spray_resistant]

You know, PWill should really take a lesson from Vitali and lean back like he does since he is taller than most of his opponents like Vitali......that way he won't take as much damage.

[PittyPat]

You know, PWill should really take a lesson from Vitali and lean back like he does since he is taller than most of his opponents like Vitali......that way he won't take as much damage.

Good advice. Williams is hunching over way too much for someone of his height. Instead he should be standing tall and straight, and leaning backwards out of the way of punches (like Vitali). Right now, he's not utilising his height effectively, and hence keeps getting dragged into wars.

... which is cool to watch, and it would be a shame if he started to became a safety-first fighter, but anyone who takes as much Punishment (shouldn't it be the other way around?) as he does is bound to become punch-drunk. I fear for his safety with the way he keeps taking flush shots as if they were dinner.

Vitali, meanwhile, is damn near impossible to hit - even though it looks so easy because his hands are down and his feet are planted. All his opponents have ended up finding that out the hard way, which is laughable in some ways because he's not exactly a master technician in there.

[BritishBoxing92]

good thread....and yes Klitchskos are BEASTS!!!