Where do you rank Wladimir Klitschko among the ATG heavyweights?

[Chris Bauermeis]

How would you rate his career up until the end of 2014?

I've made this thread a couple of times over the years, but since the last time Wladimir has beaten the #1 and #2 ranked heavyweights (Pulev and Povetkin).

I think he's clearly in the all-time top ten now, arguably in the top 5.

He's too fragile to be in the top 50 let alone top 5

Vlad can dish it out but he can't take it..typical of Eastern Europeans.


his stanima isn't ATG level
his defense sure as hell ain't
his heart and toughness ain't either



Vlad and his quitting brother are too SLOPPY to be mentioned along with the greats that painted the canvas with excellence.

It took TWO Klitchkos to beat ONE Chris Byrd.

They are not ATG material.

[who_necks]

It's a tough one to call. His achievements are great but there has no competition out there and that's not because he's too good, it's because heavyweights now are just not world class boxers.

His reign and beating all the fighters in his era puts him quite high in the list. I think he could compete in any area due to size but in reality, a lot of heavyweights throughout history would beat him. He panics when he gets attacked and looks vulnerable but there isn't any heavyweights around athletic enough to exploit it and to get into him and attack him. Not just because he has a good jab and knows how to keep them away but also because his opponents are mostly terrible. I just think a lot of heavyweights from era's when heavyweights actually looked like fighters and were athletic, strong and fast would have given him nightmares and beaten him.

[NearHypnos]

Top 5. If it wasn't for his chin or nationality everyone would agree. He isn't flashy but he's sure as hell effective. Hand to hand against "the greats" it's easy to say what the others can do to him but no one wants to realistically think about what he can do to them. Honestly, people are living in the past and can't give credit where it's due.


Wlad is special. Hopefully he doesnt start slowing down as this new potentially good generation of fighters come into their own. What's scary about Wlad is he's avoiding no one and is essentially giving no fighters a chance to even build themselves as a threat. Oh..this guy here is considered good? Wlad goes and crushes him in his next fight. Wlad's dominance won't be seen for a long time. He's rulin with an iron fist and I firmly believe that if he wasnt holding the division hostage it'd be more interesting and fighters would be considered "better" without him as the comparison. At some point we have to sit back and think that maybe he really IS that good and its not that his division is that bad. Put Wlad aside and the division is honestly kind of interesting with a good share of vibrant personalities. Seriously... This type of longevity can't be a coincidence. Yeah, there could be a drought for a few years but THIS long? Wlad is the common denominator and I can't deny him any longer.

[Simurgh]

Top 5. If it wasn't for his chin or nationality everyone would agree. He isn't flashy but he's sure as hell effective. Hand to hand against "the greats" it's easy to say what the others can do to him but no one wants to realistically think about what he can do to them. Honestly, people are living in the past and can't give credit where it's due.


Wlad is special. Hopefully he doesnt start slowing down as this new potentially good generation of fighters come into their own. What's scary about Wlad is he's avoiding no one and is essentially giving no fighters a chance to even build themselves as a threat. Oh..this guy here is considered good? Wlad goes and crushes him in his next fight. Wlad's dominance won't be seen for a long time. He's rulin with an iron fist and I firmly believe that if he wasnt holding the division hostage it'd be more interesting and fighters would be considered "better" without him as the comparison. At some point we have to sit back and think that maybe he really IS that good and its not that his division is that bad. Put Wlad aside and the division is honestly kind of interesting with a good share of vibrant personalities. Seriously... This type of longevity can't be a coincidence. Yeah, there could be a drought for a few years but THIS long? Wlad is the common denominator and I can't deny him any longer.

This one,right here.

top 5 for me.

[New England]

i haven't hashed out a top 10 at HW in several years. the only two concrete guys are ali and louis at 1 and 2 respectively.


i have no issues with saying that wladimir is a top 15 HW. if somebody wants to make a case for the top 10, i'll at least listen to what he's got to say.



wladimir showed a chin and toughness last night. we know his chin isn't spectacular, but he took big shots from a 250 lb guy, and he was getting nailed on the back of the head all night and kept his cool. found that peach of a left hook. landed it.


great performance. pulev put up a good fight. his wildness and rabbit punches didn't allow wladimir to tie him up and make him complacent. pulev being a legit 6'4" with tall ass shoulders didn't help that, either.

[Guest]

He's beaten everybody in his division during the past decade, and avoided no one.

That's some deep competition, for sure. We won't see the likes of Marius Wach again soon.

[billeau2]

It's a tough one to call. His achievements are great but there has no competition out there and that's not because he's too good, it's because heavyweights now are just not world class boxers.

His reign and beating all the fighters in his era puts him quite high in the list. I think he could compete in any area due to size but in reality, a lot of heavyweights throughout history would beat him. He panics when he gets attacked and looks vulnerable but there isn't any heavyweights around athletic enough to exploit it and to get into him and attack him. Not just because he has a good jab and knows how to keep them away but also because his opponents are mostly terrible. I just think a lot of heavyweights from era's when heavyweights actually looked like fighters and were athletic, strong and fast would have given him nightmares and beaten him.

Exactly how I feel. I would love to see him up against a presser, someone like a prime Holyfield. Also most guys with technique who could move would time his jab. Vlad would have a lot of problems with guys who could fight inside and would not let him clinch as well. Vlad can punch and he always has a puncher's chance.

[crold1]

How would you rate his career up until the end of 2014?

I've made this thread a couple of times over the years, but since the last time Wladimir has beaten the #1 and #2 ranked heavyweights (Pulev and Povetkin).

I think he's clearly in the all-time top ten now, arguably in the top 5.

Top ten. At 38, I think he's hit a point where a loss won't move him below that.

[billeau2]

i haven't hashed out a top 10 at HW in several years. the only two concrete guys are ali and louis at 1 and 2 respectively.


i have no issues with saying that wladimir is a top 15 HW. if somebody wants to make a case for the top 10, i'll at least listen to what he's got to say.



wladimir showed a chin and toughness last night. we know his chin isn't spectacular, but he took big shots from a 250 lb guy, and he was getting nailed on the back of the head all night and kept his cool. found that peach of a left hook. landed it.


great performance. pulev put up a good fight. his wildness and rabbit punches didn't allow wladimir to tie him up and make him complacent. pulev being a legit 6'4" with tall ass shoulders didn't help that, either.

A chin? against a powder fist....Seriously!

[BTL]

Top 5... easy