Ali also won just about every round on the scorecards against Chuvalo, and it was more entertaining than Wladimir-Ibragimov. Yet to you it was "crap".
Young was not a bum to anyone who knows about boxing. During his prime years from 1974 to 1977, he only lost two fights to Ali and Norton.
Young looked bad against Ali. He looked very good against Foreman, Lyle, Norton. Byrd looked bad plenty of times.
How many opponents does Wladimir finish in one round? You over-state his finishing abilities. It took him 12 rounds to dispose of 209 lb Chambers the last time, he couldn't finish Ibragimov in 12, stopped Tony Thompson in 11. If you've watched Wladimir, you know he doesn't go for the KO early. He starts with the jab, and then starts throwing his right with conviction after about 6 rounds.
This doesn't sound like an ill man.
Spinks was not a bum at the time Ali faced him, he was an undefeated Olympic gold medalist whom Ali took lightly. I do not consider the late 1970's a part of the "golden era" of heavyweights, the late 60's and the early 70's are the golden era as far as I'm concerned. The late 70's were a transitional period, with the old stars like Ali aging and the new fighters like Larry Holmes taking over.
And in case that happens, would you no longer consider Wladimir a world champion? Since he won his titles from less than 215 lb Chris Byrd?
There are no limits in the heavyweight division. If a 190 lb man beats a 250 lb champion, then he is a heavyweight champion. If Chad Dawson moved up and beat Wladimir Klitschko, he would be a heavyweight champion. In the previous eras, there were still 6'5+, 250+ lb heavyweights, it's just that the smaller, well-conditioned heavyweights ruled. Today it's the well-conditioned super heavyweight that rule over the smaller, not so well-conditioned heavyweights because the small heavyweights erroneously put on excess weight in order to appear "bigger". The likes of Chambers and Byrd, Wladimir's best wins, could have easily competed at under 200 lbs.
Wladimir is likely to fight former cruiser David Haye in the future and possibly Tomasz Adamek, a former light heavy, if Adamek gets past Arreola. Again two men who could compete under 200 lbs.
That a bum like Jimmy Young (34-19 career, 19% KORatio) was top10 ranked is another proof of how bad Ali's era was.
I agree, Ali was so bad that he makes bums like Young (34-19) look good. Wlad is so good that he makes good boxers like Byrd look like bums.
Take for example this above fight. Wlad would have probably finished Folley in 1 round without even getting hit once. And everybody would shout "Wlad fights bums!".
The final diagnosis came later but the illness started already early.
Who cares? Olympic boxing is different than pro heavyweight. Leon Spinks was and stays a bum (26-17). That is how crappy the 70ies were.
If they define a superheavyweight division (215+), then Wlad's win over Byrd OF COURSE will not be considered a superheavyweight win. It's OBVIOUS. The major idiocy was that they gave the heavyweight division NEW LIMITS but OLD NAME ("heavyweight") although it was suddenly a completely new division. That way fans until very day think that Marciano could beat Wlad because, hey, he was a "heavyweight".
There are no limits in the heavyweight division. If a 190 lb man beats a 250 lb champion, then he is a heavyweight champion. If Chad Dawson moved up and beat Wladimir Klitschko, he would be a heavyweight champion. In the previous eras, there were still 6'5+, 250+ lb heavyweights, it's just that the smaller, well-conditioned heavyweights ruled. Today it's the well-conditioned super heavyweight that rule over the smaller, not so well-conditioned heavyweights because the small heavyweights erroneously put on excess weight in order to appear "bigger". The likes of Chambers and Byrd, Wladimir's best wins, could have easily competed at under 200 lbs.
Wladimir is likely to fight former cruiser David Haye in the future and possibly Tomasz Adamek, a former light heavy, if Adamek gets past Arreola. Again two men who could compete under 200 lbs.
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