The Klitshckos and Today's Heavyweight Division

[edgarg]

Yes, all those fighters are worse than Tommy Morrison, Razor Ruddock, Andrew Golota, Ray Mercer, Chris Byrd, Frank Bruno, and the other fringe contenders that Holyfield, Tyson, Bowe, and Lewis beat. Hell 90% of the fighters the Klitschkos beat couldn't even beat John Ruiz at his best.

If you are actually watching Klitschko fights and thinking that what you are seeing compares to even the level of skill shown in fights in the late 80s or 90s, then you are a nuthugger.

Not exactly Bojangles Bill R. Everything is RELATIVE. Todays heavyweights are generally good, and would have good fights amongst themselves. But the Klitschkos stand well above them.

Were Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti amongst the best?? Not by a long shot, they were both very ordinary in every department except intestinal fortitude. So they matched up well together and had a terriffic fight. The second and third were not so good because gatti changed his style to boxing, so as to win.

Thats why the MATCHMAKER is the most important-but most underrated- man on a promoter's team.

[edgarg]

I didn't know that Klitschko fought at least 90% of same guys as Ruiz...
hmmm there is something I learn every day.

I get the "sarcasm". But in fact Ruiz was one of the most difficult fighters to beat. Lewis avoided him. His tactics of 1 hit and 2 clutches, (wait until broken up by ref) was perfectly legal, which was why he was never cautioned or had points taken away. So he would beat guys who were technically far more advanced than he was showing.

I say "than he was showing": because when he was younger, before he became champion, he was a really good, well rounded fighter with all the weapons, and was exciting to boot.

I think this all changed when he was KO'd in the 1st 20 seconds by David Tua.

[edgarg]

There is not a single guy on wlad's or vitali's resume that would beat Bruno or moorer, Lewis aside. The 90's was deeper and better. Vitali and wlad clearly belong in the same breath as holy, bowe and Lewis, but please do not try and build up their resumes. Wlads is solid, vital's is good because of Lewis fight.

Klitschko can lay claim to being good even on a single fight, and that is his fight against WBC Champion Samuel Peter. He made Peter quit in his corner. We forget that Klitschko had come back after 4 years out of the ring due to a career ending injury, and fought Peter with NO TUNE UP fight. Who else can or ever did, this???

Even the "so-called" great, Mayweather needs one or more tune=ups after being out of the ring a mere year or so.

[Forza]

Great post. the racist blacks and self hating white ******* americans just hate the K bros

[edgarg]

Its ridiculous. When they can no longer speak with logic they make up the absurd.

That sounds like a Sherlock Holmes axiom.

[bojangles1987]

Not exactly Bojangles Bill R. Everything is RELATIVE. Todays heavyweights are generally good, and would have good fights amongst themselves. But the Klitschkos stand well above them.

Were Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti amongst the best?? Not by a long shot, they were both very ordinary in every department except intestinal fortitude. So they matched up well together and had a terriffic fight. The second and third were not so good because gatti changed his style to boxing, so as to win.

Thats why the MATCHMAKER is the most important-but most underrated- man on a promoter's team.

They would have competitive fights. They would not be good fights. There is a difference.

[americanbot]

this era is filled with fat slop.......

larry holmes takes both of the klit bums apart........

how can you put the klit brothers as top 10 heavyweights when fighters such as larry holmes are far above them?????

the klits FEAST on SLOP.

(this is what a REAL heavyweight looks like)

[!! Mr. Soprano]

The 2000's had 2 elite fighters. Neither will fight each other, with good reason.
The 1990's era had 4 elite fighters, Lewis, Holyfield, Bowe and Tyson, who fought each other on several occasions.

Holyfield fought all 3 elite contenders, having 7 fights against them
Lewis fought Holyfield twice and Tyson once.
Tyson fought Holyfield twice and Lewis once.
Bowe fought Holyfield 3 times.

So the 1990's had a trilogy of fights between Holyfield and Bowe, 2 between Tyson and Holyfield and 2 between Holyfield and Lewis That's 7 fights between the division's elite.

The 2000's had Lewis vs Tyson and Lewis vs Vitali. So that's 2 fights between the divisions elite. And neither of those were between that generations true elite fighters.

So there were far more elite fights in the 1990's

It's not the Klits fault that their only real contender was blood related. But that's the reality.

You can't say Wlad had tougher challenges than he would have done in the 1990's, cos if he wanted to dominate in the 90's he would have had to fight several fights against elite opposition. He has dominated the past decade with 0 fights against elite opposition.

So please explain to me how this is tougher?

No one is comparing the quality of fights.... of course those fights were more entertaining and will always be a classic... I'm talking about the quality of boxers.

Today's, as you call them, "Elite" fighters fights smarter and minimize the risk of getting KOed. (after all, this is what boxing is... hit and don't get hit) HOWEVER, YES! This is NOT as pleasing to us the fans... But does this mean that if two guys won't stand in the middle of a ring and try to knock each other's heads off automatically mean they SUCK? NO! Just more strategic.

Comparing Haye running his mouth to Ali (before the Foreman fight) Foreman tried to knock Ali's head off... and Ali was there to fight... what did we see this weekend? Haye's talk talk talk and when the time fight came, it was a chess game.

[!! Mr. Soprano]

this era is filled with fat slop.......

larry holmes takes both of the klit bums apart........

how can you put the klit brothers as top 10 heavyweights when fighters such as larry holmes are far above them?????

the klits FEAST on SLOP.

(this is what a REAL heavyweight looks like)

What are you showing here, an all time great is fighting a BUMB with a padded record who beat up a bunch of nobodies or smaller guys AND lost ALL of his major fights?

This is target practice for Holmes, landing at will, lands everything he throws... and yet he couldn't put him out in 15 rounds.

Do you honestly think Randall Cobb would last even 6 rounds with either Klitschko?

Don't Hate.

[Welsh Jon]

No one is comparing the quality of fights.... of course those fights were more entertaining and will always be a classic... I'm talking about the quality of boxers.

Today's, as you call them, "Elite" fighters fights smarter and minimize the risk of getting KOed. (after all, this is what boxing is... hit and don't get hit) HOWEVER, YES! This is NOT as pleasing to us the fans... But does this mean that if two guys won't stand in the middle of a ring and try to knock each other's heads off automatically mean they SUCK? NO! Just more strategic.

Comparing Haye running his mouth to Ali (before the Foreman fight) Foreman tried to knock Ali's head off... and Ali was there to fight... what did we see this weekend? Haye's talk talk talk and when the time fight came, it was a chess game.

Wasn't the point of this thread that the 90's boxers were no better than the 2000's boxer? Wasn't the implication that Wlad would have dominated the 1990's like he's dominating currently? The fact that there were more elite fighters in that decade, immediately suggests those contentions are wrong.

To get to the top in the 1990's Evander Holyfield had to fight those 7 elite level fights I earlier talked about. It doesn't really matter whether Lamon Brewster is better than Michael Moorer, or if David Haye is better than Ray Mercer, if Adamek is better than Golota, or Peter is better than Tua. I'm sure Wlad beats most of the fighters of the 1990's as easily as he beat the guys in his own era. But to be the dominate force in the 1990's he would have had to fights against Holyfield, Lewis, Bowe and Tyson, and even if you believe he beats all those guys (I don't) he doesn't beat them as easily as he beats the guys already on his resume.

Therefore it is blindingly obvious that the 1990's heavyweight division was better than the 2000's, and Wlad would not dominate that generation like he does today.