Is Wladimir Klitschko a top ten ATG heavyweight?

[sunny31]

None of them have any prime HOFamers on their resume.
Closest is Marciano vs Walcott, but even he was getting on heavily. Or Tyson vs Spinks.

Neither of those two fights can overthrow what Wladimir did for 10 years, even if it was a very weak division.

Marciano had a better career than Wlad. He might not have that longevity or dominance but he has the quality and beat a vast array of styles. You could argue that Wlad for a significant portion of his career was not even the best heavyweight in his era, his brother was.

In terms of the thread in no particular order (because I can't be bothered to break it down right now)

Dempsey
Ali
Liston
Frazier
Foreman
Louis
Marciano
Holmes
Lewis
Holyfield.

You could easily have Johnson in there, and a lot of people would. Wlad is on the fringes to me but 11-20 is probably more apt.

Tyson and Wlad for different reasons, you could make a good argument for who was greater in both scenarios.

Most people would disagree with me here, but I would have Vitali over Wlad on my All Time List. His accomplishments are not as spectacular but in an era where they were head and shoulders above everyone else, does Wlad beating a few more C level fighters and contenders count for that much? Not for me. There aren't many heavyweights past or present that Vitali could not have beat H2H at his best, and he competed on even terms for 6 rounds with one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, even if it was a slightly faded version.

If anything I could make a strong argument that Vitali is a top 10 All Time, although it would be hard to oust the above guys.

[LacedUp]

Marciano had a better career than Wlad. He might not have that longevity or dominance but he has the quality and beat a vast array of styles. You could argue that Wlad for a significant portion of his career was not even the best heavyweight in his era, his brother was.

In terms of the thread in no particular order (because I can't be bothered to break it down right now)

Dempsey
Ali
Liston
Frazier
Foreman
Louis
Marciano
Holmes
Lewis
Holyfield.

You could easily have Johnson in there, and a lot of people would. Wlad is on the fringes to me but 11-20 is probably more apt.

Tyson and Wlad for different reasons, you could make a good argument for who was greater in both scenarios.

Most people would disagree with me here, but I would have Vitali over Wlad on my All Time List. His accomplishments are not as spectacular but in an era where they were head and shoulders above everyone else, does Wlad beating a few more C level fighters and contenders count for that much? Not for me. There aren't many heavyweights past or present that Vitali could not have beat H2H at his best, and he competed on even terms for 6 rounds with one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, even if it was a slightly faded version.

If anything I could make a strong argument that Vitali is a top 10 All Time, although it would be hard to oust the above guys.

Rocky Marciano had 3 years at the top, fighting guys who were over the hill. Those are facts.

In no way whatsoever did he have a better career than Wlad.

[SN!PER]

The Marciano vs. Louis fight was just wrong.

Even Marciano himself admitted he felt bad after that.

[sunny31]

Rocky Marciano had 3 years at the top, fighting guys who were over the hill. Those are facts.

In no way whatsoever did he have a better career than Wlad.

You might be right, but Wlad never even stepped in with past prime elite fighters. David Haye was a very good Cruiserweight in my opinion. That is a good win. Povetkin and Byrd solid wins, all of which Wlad had a big size advantage.

The first big men with ability Wlad stepped in with he lost, a lot of people attribute this to him being faded, but to me its not the case.

I am willing to concede that he might have had a better career though, and Marciano is generally overrated. I just feel Wlad's record lacks substance.

[Kigali]

Vlad is nowhere near top anything.

[The Time]

Vlad is nowhere near top anything.

Lost to Ross Purritty, Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua


I can give him a pass for Joshua and Fury.

And he fought the best fight of his career against Joshua that actually made me respect him more.

But it doesn't excuse losing to Purritty, Sanders and Brewster.

One of the most boring fighters in boxing history until his last fight and early in his career pre-Emanuel Steward

Neither Klitschko is top 10

Top 15 or 20 can be argued

Top 10, Hell nah

[Kigali]

Lost to Ross Purritty, Corrie Sanders, Lamon Brewster, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua


I can give him a pass for Joshua and Fury.

And he fought the best fight of his career against Joshua that actually made me respect him more.

But it doesn't excuse losing to Purritty, Sanders and Brewster.

One of the most boring fighters in boxing history until his last fight and early in his career pre-Emanuel Steward

Neither Klitschko is top 10

15-20 can be argued

Top 10, Hell nah

15-20 is way too generous.

Vlad would be a ring card girl back in the day

[The Time]

15-20 is way too generous.

Vlad would be a ring card girl back in the day

........lol

[chitownfightfan]

He never beat anyone then crumbled at the first sign of talent, rebuilt himself, and crumbled again.

Wlad's resume doesn't hold up, and all anyone ever talks about is the longevity of his reign over the era of elderly, overweight, and/or undersized HWs.

I mean let's be real, the dude was fighting back when Ike Ibeabuchi was relevant and David Haye is about the best name on his resume. He got knocked out by guys who were considered bums, then reigned over an era where top tens were worse than the bums who knocked him out and now that we're just getting back to the quality fighters that are about par with the bums that knocked him out in the top tens he can't get a W.

Dude wouldn't even be a topic in any other era. All he did was bridge the gap between times when guys who are active HWs kinda look like Mike Tyson if they were less ****. AJ's a lesser Mike just like Tua was a lesser Mike...he didn't do well in either era, just the ****ty one in between with names like ****ing Mormeck.

He bludgeoned Axel Shultz who was robbed in both the Foreman and Moorer fights, both of whom fought even or outfought the roided Holyfield.

He steamrolled thru American contenders and then titlists like a machine. Bostice, Barrett, Byrd, Jefferson, McCline.

He beat down Botha when he was a highly relevant contender, and mercilessly massacred Ray Mercer, who was just a few bouts removed from giving Lewis all he could handle.

He was "EXPOSED" as chinny vs Sanders, so in his return to title contention, he picks out the biggest murderous puncher in the game at the time and systematically beats him down, only dropping from rabbit punches, but showing true resolve in getting right back up and continuing the clinic.

Yeah, he gassed/was doped/who the F knows vs Brewster, but the rematch was more the same without the controversy.

Byrd 2 was another massacre, and what followed was one of boxings greatest runs in history in ANY WEIGHT CLASS!!!

Haters gonna hate, but the only reason the guys you call undersized, fat, whatever, didnt win a title was cause K2 dominated HW boxing like nothing we have seen or may ever see again.

Lennox Lewis
Ali
Foreman
Holmes
Wlad
Marciano
Louis
Vitali
Tyson
Holyfield

[The Big Dunn]

The majority have him top 10. i have him right outside but I won't quibble.