When was prime Vitali Klitschko?

[Boxing Goat]

I believe it was around 2011-2012. I think he looked great against Adamek and Chisora despite his injury in the 2nd-3rd round. Vitali showed in those two fights that he can play with you instead of fighting you first and dismantles when ever he wants.

I know that some of you consider it as a complete non-sense to include the Chisora fight, so let me give you the reasons why I believe was in his prime during that fight : - if you look at the very first rounds, Chisora kept on marching very aggressively but he didn't touch Vitali with a single headshot. After Vitali got injured, which was clearly obvious during the fight, he fought extremely smart by staying on the backfoot and countering only with his right arm. Chisora, at best, brushed Vitali's face a few times.

And what I find really intriguing with Vitali is that he is a master at not being touched with a very low guard (I will make a thread on low guards).

So, what's your take on that?

To me, Vitali was better when he came back. He seemed to be a better tactician and not just a brute killer. To me he seemed more refined and was always in position to make contact without sacrificing being hit himself.

[Boxing Goat]

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

How do you know we didn't?

[Boxing Goat]

chisora was the first time i remember seeing a marked decline in vitali. he had more trouble with the pressure, and didn't look like he was confident in his hands when he was throwing power.


he punched harder pre layoff, and looked quicker and less awkward. post layoff he was still as effective, though, changing his style a bit to work almost exclusively on the back foot.


i'd have to go through the tapes again, but my vote is the chisora fight, as it was the first time i watched him live and thought "he looks old."

You do know Vitali was injured most of that fight right?

[KillerRightHook]

Exactly and that's why he needs to fight smart.

If 2002 Vitali had injured his arm during the fight, he might be forced to gave up. 2012 Vitali although without many good attributes of 2002 Vitali still won the fight. After that cut in Lennox's fight he didn't even try to protect it - that was ******.

My point is that 2009 Vitali still had pretty much all the good attributes and was much smarter in the ring. I don't know what it means to throw with 'less authority' (less frequent?)

To simplify if 2002 Vitali fights 2009 Vitali IMO 2009 Vitali takes UD or make him give up.

and for your info I was rooting for Lennox in their fight, so comment about me being biased is not true.

They fought again?? Haha! Jokes aside, I agree he would win comfortably, but he was winning pretty easily in the first fight before he pulled out. Yes I understand I can't change history, but what would've happened if Vitali didn't injure his shoulder?? He would've won by a landslide. But that sadly didn't happen.

'less authority' means less powerfully or less aggressively. I throw this term around because Vitali was the more aggressive brother who didn't quite possess his brother's attributes.

After that cut in Lennox's fight he didn't even try to protect it - that was ******.

So you are implying that a Vitali who fights smarter wins? You can make a thread about that on the fantasy forum, and go see what everyone will tell you.

To simplify if 2002 Vitali fights 2009 Vitali IMO 2009 Vitali takes UD or make him give up.

I disagree, just because Vitali injured himself by fighting a more aggressive style in 02-04 doesn't mean it will happen on every occasion. Yes he was more vunerable to injury in 02-04 but more dangerous than 08-10. His style is to be aggressive, he is the better brawler of the two brothers, and by fighting 'smart', you are fighting with less authority (I say it again so you understand) which means he is taking a more cautious approach to avoid injury associated with his encounting age, a sign that he is not in his 'prime' as you voted.

A slower, 37-39 year old Vitali beats a prime 31-33 year old Vitali who put up a great fight with a still good HW top ATG? Come on man, you're stretching it too far. Vitali of 08-10 has nothing that Vitali of 02-04 didn't.

Fighting 'smart' doesn't make you 'prime' as you have voted, it means you fight more cautiously whether it's due to age, injury etc. This is my point, when you can't fight with the aggression you used to fight due to age or injury, then you are NOT in your prime as you are not fighting to your maximum capability. Likewise, if you're somebody such as Vitali who was known as a fantastic puncher in his prime with a 91% KO and break your opponents down with brute force, aren't you considered a tad worse if you fight with 'less aggression' because you can't get the job done as emphatically as you would in his prime??

///End of thread.

[Boxing Goat]

Pretty confusing that people have voted 08-10, so he was prime aged 37-39? What person in their right mind believes an arm-punching Vitali nearing 40 facing relatively poor opposition is prime?? Just because he lost to Lennox doesn't mean he wasn't in his prime in 02-04 which I believe is your motive for not choosing this option, I see that this fight remains in vain for Klitschko fans, they can't admit their fighter who was fighting in his peak (aged 32) was beaten by an out of shape, unmotivated fighter who was looking for one last fight, which is why you see people like Simurgh who worships Klitschko try to save face by making the weak assumption that he was stylistically superior in 08-10. His style adjustment was to compensate for his injuries by fighting with less authority. Can I also mention the idiot Dr.Eisenfaust who voted 2011-12, because clearly he was in his prime aged 40... ****** ****.

Vitali was prime in 02-04, he was a machine in his prime and losing to a slightly out of prime, tad out of shape but still good top 5 All-time HW is no shame at all. Maybe I wouldn't have to rant if some of you didn't have to let your agenda get in the way of your opinion.

He was still good in 08-10, he just wasn't the fighter he quite was in 02-04. It's a shame that his injuries took away most his prime years.

Good post.

That being said,

Physical prime doesn't always correlate with fighting prime which is based on wisdom, experience, etc. If that were the case, Foreman wouldn't have won a title in his comeback and Hopkins wouldn't still be fighting.

I think it was more than obvious that Vitali was a better fighter when he came back from the 4 year retirement. He was older and a little slower but he was definitely better.

Does that mean he was in his physical prime? No.

Does that mean he was a better fighter and would have beaten earlier versions of himself? Yes, it does.

Vitali went from being a tripple G type of fighter to a Mayweather kind of fighter when he returned. He now pays much more attention to defense and catching and countering. That is very easy to recognize.

[Simurgh]

They fought again?? Haha! Jokes aside, I agree he would win comfortably, but he was winning pretty easily in the first fight before he pulled out. Yes I understand I can't change history, but what would've happened if Vitali didn't injure his shoulder?? He would've won by a landslide. But that sadly didn't happen.

'less authority' means less powerfully or less aggressively. I throw this term around because Vitali was the more aggressive brother who didn't quite possess his brother's attributes.



So you are implying that a Vitali who fights smarter wins? You can make a thread about that on the fantasy forum, and go see what everyone will tell you.



I disagree, just because Vitali injured himself by fighting a more aggressive style in 02-04 doesn't mean it will happen on every occasion. Yes he was more vunerable to injury in 02-04 but more dangerous than 08-10. His style is to be aggressive, he is the better brawler of the two brothers, and by fighting 'smart', you are fighting with less authority (I say it again so you understand) which means he is taking a more cautious approach to avoid injury associated with his encounting age, a sign that he is not in his 'prime' as you voted.

A slower, 37-39 year old Vitali beats a prime 31-33 year old Vitali who put up a great fight with a still good HW top ATG? Come on man, you're stretching it too far. Vitali of 08-10 has nothing that Vitali of 02-04 didn't.

Fighting 'smart' doesn't make you 'prime' as you have voted, it means you fight more cautiously whether it's due to age, injury etc. This is my point, when you can't fight with the aggression you used to fight due to age or injury, then you are NOT in your prime as you are not fighting to your maximum capability. Likewise, if you're somebody such as Vitali who was known as a fantastic puncher in his prime with a 91% KO and break your opponents down with brute force, aren't you considered a tad worse if you fight with 'less aggression' because you can't get the job done as emphatically as you would in his prime??

///End of thread.

I was implying to Chissora not Byrd fight in 2012.

Of course he wouldn't suffer injury every time he fights but with his old style it would happen again. It was happening very often... not just in fights but during the training camps.

2002 Vitali takes 9 out 10 fighters in first 6 rounds and suffers one injury and loss.

2009 Vitali bets 10 out of 10 (some of them in 6 rounds, some of them in 10 rounds).

I hope you get the point.

2009 Vitali was less aggressive and less exciting fighter but he was overall a better boxer IMO. Better defense, better distance control, wasn't relying that much on brawling and pure aggression. What happens when you can't take the fighter in first 6 rounds or you have a defensive genius in front of you.

Fighter doesn't just decide to box more cautions and be effective. He learns that - that was what 2002 Vitali was lacking.

2009 Vitali takes round or two, see what you are doing wrong and systematically destroys you in the next 5-6 rounds.

[Boxing Goat]

I was implying to Chissora not Byrd fight in 2012.

Of course he wouldn't suffer injury every time he fights but with his old style it would happen again. It was happening very often... not just in fights but during the training camps.

2002 Vitali takes 9 out 10 fighters in first 6 rounds and suffers one injury and loss.

2009 Vitali bets 10 out of 10 (some of them in 6 rounds, some of them in 10 rounds).

I hope you get the point.

2009 Vitali was less aggressive and less exciting fighter but he was overall a better boxer IMO. Better defense, better distance control, wasn't relying that much on brawling and pure aggression. What happens when you can't take the fighter in first 6 rounds or you have a defensive genius in front of you.

Fighter doesn't just decide to box more cautions and be effective. He learns that - that was what 2002 Vitali was lacking.

2009 Vitali takes round or two, see what you are doing wrong and systematically destroys you in the next 5-6 rounds.

As you will be able to tell by how many times he has replied in here, he doesn't get the point and will not be able to. Why, he will not will remain speculation.

A ton of people on here completely ignore objectivity and are stuck on their brash and sometimes idiotic opinions and will not/cannot be persuaded no matter what.

That's why they have thousands of posts on here. They have all of their feelings and time wrapped up here and in their own self serving opinions to enjoy other things in life.

[Jam Jars]

Vitali being a defensive genius like Mayweather had me .

[Poet682006]

Vitali was just a kitten when he schooled lennox, he was at his best 2009 period imo.

Apparently Grand Wizard Slim thinks Vitali got whiter as the years went on :rolleyes9:

Poet

[KillerRightHook]

As you will be able to tell by how many times he has replied in here, he doesn't get the point and will not be able to. Why, he will not will remain speculation.

A ton of people on here completely ignore objectivity and are stuck on their brash and sometimes idiotic opinions and will not/cannot be persuaded no matter what.

That's why they have thousands of posts on here. They have all of their feelings and time wrapped up here and in their own self serving opinions to enjoy other things in life.

And you are not one of those when you have managed to rack up an impressive 100+ posts in half a month. Oh the irony!