When was prime Vitali Klitschko?

[DreamFighter]

Vitali peak at about 2001-2005, when he still retained his physical peak but had also had a long career's experience from which to draw on tactically.

Shame he wasn't fully active throughout that time.

[Simurgh]

Vitali peak at about 2001-2005, when he still retained his physical peak but had also had a long career's experience from which to draw on tactically.

Shame he wasn't fully active throughout that time.

Especially 2005... ah...

[Dr.Eisenfaust]

I do more believe that when he came back he changed his style not because of his 5 operations but wanted to set up a foolproof style. I agree that during the 2002-2004 period he gave some real bad beatings to the fighters he fought but he was more vulnerable to taking shots. If I list the fights he fought since 2008, they looked like that :

2008 : Samuel Peter got schooled

2009 : Arreola and Gomez got dismantled, Johnson fought extremely safe.

2010 : Sosnowski and Briggs dispatched

2011 : Adamek brutally smashed, Solis could have been a very competitive fight, but I believe Solis has/had the potential of becoming the 3rd best current Heavyweight.

2012: Chisora was under total control despite the circumstances, Charr was more of a cat and mouse play.

And now if you look at the 2002-2004 fights :

2002 : Bean and Donald beaten but in a less spectacular way.

2003 : Lewis fight was amazing but Vitali, despite the fact that he was winning the fight, showed to have some flaws in his defence. Johnson got dismantled and the Sanders fight was quite competitive and Vitali had to take some shots before imposing his will.

2004 : Danny Williams was completely beaten.

My point hear is that Vitali was more impressive before his retirement but wasn't as dominant as he is today.

[yoz]

I do more believe that when he came back he changed his style not because of his 5 operations but wanted to set up a foolproof style. I agree that during the 2002-2004 period he gave some real bad beatings to the fighters he fought but he was more vulnerable to taking shots. If I list the fights he fought since 2008, they looked like that :

2008 : Samuel Peter got schooled

2009 : Arreola and Gomez got dismantled, Johnson fought extremely safe.

2010 : Sosnowski and Briggs dispatched

2011 : Adamek brutally smashed, Solis could have been a very competitive fight, but I believe Solis has/had the potential of becoming the 3rd best current Heavyweight.

2012: Chisora was under total control despite the circumstances, Charr was more of a cat and mouse play.

And now if you look at the 2002-2004 fights :

2002 : Bean and Donald beaten but in a less spectacular way.

2003 : Lewis fight was amazing but Vitali, despite the fact that he was winning the fight, showed to have some flaws in his defence. Johnson got dismantled and the Sanders fight was quite competitive and Vitali had to take some shots before imposing his will.

2004 : Danny Williams was completely beaten.

My point hear is that Vitali was more impressive before his retirement but wasn't as dominant as he is today.

Not sure how you can compare Lewis with the others - they're all cans. That's why they couldn't hit him

[DreamFighter]

Especially 2005... ah...

Ali's peak was arguably starting when he had his licence revoked, same difference. I've actually written 'shame he wasn't fully active' in the post for thick people to understand.

keep up.

[Simurgh]

I do more believe that when he came back he changed his style not because of his 5 operations but wanted to set up a foolproof style. I agree that during the 2002-2004 period he gave some real bad beatings to the fighters he fought but he was more vulnerable to taking shots. If I list the fights he fought since 2008, they looked like that :

2008 : Samuel Peter got schooled

2009 : Arreola and Gomez got dismantled, Johnson fought extremely safe.

2010 : Sosnowski and Briggs dispatched

2011 : Adamek brutally smashed, Solis could have been a very competitive fight, but I believe Solis has/had the potential of becoming the 3rd best current Heavyweight.

2012: Chisora was under total control despite the circumstances, Charr was more of a cat and mouse play.

And now if you look at the 2002-2004 fights :

2002 : Bean and Donald beaten but in a less spectacular way.

2003 : Lewis fight was amazing but Vitali, despite the fact that he was winning the fight, showed to have some flaws in his defence. Johnson got dismantled and the Sanders fight was quite competitive and Vitali had to take some shots before imposing his will.

2004 : Danny Williams was completely beaten.

My point hear is that Vitali was more impressive before his retirement but wasn't as dominant as he is today.

Excellent post!

[Simurgh]

Ali's peak was arguably starting when he had his licence revoked, same difference.

keep up.

yes, a fighter's prime is when he retires and don't fight at all. makes sense, go on...

[DreamFighter]

yes, a fighter's prime is when he retires and don't fight at all. makes sense, go on...

you go on, that would be more interesting. Why did we never see the best Muhammed Ali?

[Simurgh]

Not sure how you can compare Lewis with the others - they're all cans. That's why they couldn't hit him

Of course Lennox is league on his own. But IMO Vitali wasn't fully aware of his weaknesses prior he fought Byrd, Lennox and then injured himself multiple times prior to Rahman.

He needed to rebuild his style and I believe he was an improved and better fighter when he came back.

Not an impressive as he was, but less likely to lose.

[Simurgh]

you go on, that would be more interesting. Why did we never see the best Muhammed Ali?

This sentence doesn't make any sense.

There is always the best version of any fighter. Speculation that some fighter might have been better has nothing to do with it.