How would the Klitschkos do in any other era?

[Pirao]

hmm...well i've got "black and white syndrome" so I am biased I suppose.....although one could claim Klit fans have Klit syndrome...anyway to my point.

From the Lennox era on back there is a guy with the power to do what Lennox did. Basically Lennox lost the boxing but won the fight. He hit Vitali hard and ripped his face to ****. ( to say Wlad's immune to this is to negate the similarities in facial structure...if he looked very different from his brother I'd guess accordingly) Tyson would have done the same, but faster. After those era's your getting into the golden age....they have no chance against a dude like Shavers or Quarry. KTFO is how they do there....they wouldn't make it to Ali, Frazier, or Foreman. And then theres Rocco's era, which many see as too small, but Rocky is no cutie. He'd eat many-a-jab to hit, and you'd better not let him catch you too flush....he may break your ****ing skull. 20-some career ending KO's. The truth is, and a lot of people don't recognize these stats, if your in the ring with Rocky it is vast majority probability that you will be knocked out. Of those KO's the majority quit boxing with in 5 fights. So yeah I believe here the brothers get KTFO. The Louis era is as laughable as the Golden Age...even if they were able to rid themselves of a Prime Walcott, Baer, Charles, Godoy etc No way in hell does Joe lose to the jab-a-tron. Left hook, right uppercut, counter-jab...walk back to your corner Joe and get that money. As you go back guys just get harder, meaner, and more resiliant.

LMAO, one of the biggest dumbasses around, no doubt.

[bojangles1987]

I'll keep it in the 70's forward, because from the 60's and going backwards guys are just too small for the most part.

70s: Dangerous heavyweights that might win a title but as with most heavyweights outside Ali would constantly be in wars.

80s: They'd be holding titles often, and Vitali might be dominant if healthy.

90s: I think they'd struggle more than in the 80s, because Holyfield, Bowe, and Lewis are better fighters IMO, and they dominated the 90s. Still they would be right alongside those three mostly.

At the very least they are a hard night for 95% of the heavyweight world, no matter when they are fighting.

[SCtrojansbaby]

Wlad is basically Lennox but with more power. Say he fought Bowe Evander and Lewis 2x each I think he only goes 5-1 or 4-2

[IMDAZED]

They've done well against pretty poor opposition. How would they fare in any era up until now? I can't see either of them making an impression any time but now.

They'd get their ass beat. I don't even see them beating a prime Ray Mercer.

[someone090]

lol. bunch of jokes commenting in this thread. both Klitschkos would beat most of the champs from other eras. Of course Ali, Foreman and Larry Holmes have a chance, but I think even against those the Klitschkos should be favorites. Not saying they would beat all of them, but I think I would favor them over pretty much all of the other champs from other eras.
Guys like Marciano, Liston and Frazier have almost NO CHANCE against the Klitschkos cause they are too small

[Slick_Rick]

Both are capable of being champ in any era, IMO, obviously they wont be as dominate but I think they "could" beat any fighter in history.

[Boxing Scene]

Am I missing something? Any time I've seen Vitali he seems to spend the whole fight tap-tap his opponent then run away.

Just wow. Now Vitali runs huh.

[New England]

vitaly would do well in any era, he is a beast, well coordinated for a big man and his chin is good. In other eras he would meet styles, he hasnt seen before, but due to his size, chin and workrate, my guess would be, that he does good. He would probably would have more losses, but would still be sticking close to the belt. He has a chance to become champ, in any era.

wlad im noit convinced by, i find his chin and mentality to be too fragile. Thoes traits would cause him to fold, when he goes in against the best guys. Nonetheless, his physical tools would ensure, that there wouldnt be an era, where he wouldnt be a top 10 or better

i agree with most of this


vitali has a tremendous chin
wladimir doesnt.


they are both fantastic fighters
against historic top tier competition wladimir would get hit on the chin
and if he wasnt able to impliment his gameplan he'd likely get stopped.

the chin is without a doubt the most important trait of a great heavyweight in terms of his matchups with other great heavyweights.

vitali is a different animal than wladimir. i dont think he's as pure of an athletic talent in terms of his coordination and speed and power
he's been stopped on cuts and a blown shoulder
he's got hand problems
but otherwise he's very durable. he's only been stunned a handful of times in a long carrer as a top tier heavyweight. in any era that is remarkable.


in the same breath that we're talking about the level of competition that vitali hasn't faced, we've got to talk about the stuff that vitali brings to the table that would be unique and unseen by his other great heavyweight counterparts

he's gigantic. he's got 80 inches of reach, which some of the heavyweight juggernauts have bested, but he's 6'8" with a very high set of shoulders (think andrew bynum.)
he is / was 245 lbs plus of unbelievably conditioned man in his prime
most of the plodders these days that tip the scales big would be tens of lbs. lighter if they were strict about their conditioning.

solis should be 210
arreola about 220
etc.

vitali should be 250.
that cant be overlooked.

his size and his abilities to use it are why he is so good.
he's a very sound boxer given his physical makeup.

the incresed size of the human race may eventaully lead to freakishly athletic, juggernaut, seven foot men with 90 inches of reach (they play in the nba,) in boxing.
HW is the only division where the maximum size of the athletes involved will be an advantage, and that will only go up in time.

most of the HW division is made up of dismal athletic specimens today.
the best large athletes used to box. most of them head elsewhere these days.


the depth of the divisions and the experience of the past great heavyweights are what would lead for me to give them the nod over vitali.


however, to say that shavers and quarry roll over vitali klitschko is laughable

[Levcon8686]

I'll keep it in the 70's forward, because from the 60's and going backwards guys are just too small for the most part.

70s: Dangerous heavyweights that might win a title but as with most heavyweights outside Ali would constantly be in wars.

80s: They'd be holding titles often, and Vitali might be dominant if healthy.

90s: I think they'd struggle more than in the 80s, because Holyfield, Bowe, and Lewis are better fighters IMO, and they dominated the 90s. Still they would be right alongside those three mostly.

At the very least they are a hard night for 95% of the heavyweight world, no matter when they are fighting.

Ah, the voice of reason.

They don't have to be in your top 10 HW of all time, but I can't see them being anything other than very competitive with the champions of the past.

[Levcon8686]

Am I missing something? Any time I've seen Vitali he seems to spend the whole fight tap-tap his opponent then run away. It doesn't impress me. I haven't seen much of Wlad fighting anyone decent, but I do remember Lamon Brewster rubberising him with a couple of swipes. Again I'm not impressed. Here's a list of who I think would prevail over either brother:

Muhammad Ali
Joe Frazier
Larry Holmes
Mike Tyson
Ken Norton
George Foreman
Ezzard Charles
Joe Louis
Joe Walcott
Jack Dempsey
Rocky Marciano
Evander Holyfield...

...just to name a dozen off the top of my head.

The Klits have been dominant for so long simply because they're the best of a bad bunch it seems to me. In the kingdom of the blind the one-eyed man is king. The heavyweight division badly needs a hungry, aggressive and skilled new superstar a la prime Tyson but I don't see anyone on the horizon. It's depressing.

Yes.

If you think that's how Vitali Klitschko fights, you've only been casually watching him.