How many top 5 HW’s did Wladimir Klitschko actually beat?

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

It’s far less than I thought it would be tbh. Going off Ring magazine rankings it’s actually only 5.

Byrd #1 2006
Chagaev #3 2009
Haye #2 2011
Povetkin #2 2013
Pulev #4 2014.

He does have 11 top 10 wins though with Byrd #10 2000, McCline #10 2002, Peter #9 2005, Ibragimov #6 2008, Thompson #9 2008, Chambers #6 2010 and Jennings #8 2015.

[Slicedbread]

It’s far less than I thought it would be tbh. Going off Ring magazine rankings it’s actually only 5.

Byrd #1 2006
Chagaev #3 2009
Haye #2 2011
Povetkin #2 2013
Pulev #4 2014.

He does have 11 top 10 wins though with Byrd #10 2000, McCline #10 2002, Peter #9 2005, Ibragimov #6 2008, Thompson #9 2008, Chambers #6 2010 and Jennings #8 2015.

Sounds about right.

That's why just like Tyson you can't rank him too highly.

However he's around 11th to 13th or so of ATH HWs simply for his longevity and domination.

But head to head I think he matches up very favorably with some of the top 10 ATGs with his hand and especially foot speed. And his power and distance management.

[boliodogs]

I don't remember any top challenger that he did not fight. If a guy was an obvious top challenger he gave them a title shot. No top challenger was denied a shot at Wlad when he was champion. During his second reign as champion he fought all worthy challengers until finally losing to Fury at a very old 39 almost 40 years old.

[strykr619]

Sounds about right.

That's why just like Tyson you can't rank him too highly.

However he's around 11th to 13th or so of ATH HWs simply for his longevity and domination.

But head to head I think he matches up very favorably with some of the top 10 ATGs with his hand and especially foot speed. And his power and distance management.

You can't lay the blame on a fighter for who was available to fight in his era....

Wlad Beat everyone who was anyone in his reign (except his older brother and IMO would lose to Vitali).

Mike Tyson is enigma, fought whomever he could, his prison time IMO ruined him and he was never the same.

Mike Tyson and Wlad is at least for me Top 30's ATG boxers.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Not saying he ducked these guys whatsoever as he probably beats them all relatively comfortably but just based on the rankings, the only guys he didn’t fight who were consistently in and around the top 5 for a few years were John Ruiz, James Toney and Oleg Maskaev. Adamek was consistently top 5 for a few years too but Vitali absolutely dominated him.

[_Rexy_]

Not surprising. Wlad didn't give voluntaries. A fact that most people seem to forget.

[Marchegiano]

I don't remember any top challenger that he did not fight. If a guy was an obvious top challenger he gave them a title shot. No top challenger was denied a shot at Wlad when he was champion. During his second reign as champion he fought all worthy challengers until finally losing to Fury at a very old 39 almost 40 years old.

Wlad only fought mandatories. His career overlaps some really good names but of them he only fought Byrd.

I'll say it like this. In 2012, according to Ring:

Vitali Klitschko
Alexander Povetkin
David Haye
Kubrat Pulev
Tomasz Adamek
Robert Helenius
Denis Boytsov
Ruslan Chagaev
Chris Arreola
Tyson Fury

In 2012 Wlad fought:

Mormeck
Thompson
Wach


The mandos only thing really limited his potential resume.

People give him a break on Vitali, I could go either way really on that, but the rest of the potential marque fights he let slide by are his fault.

Wlad's championship run overlaps Tua, even Tyson, Holy, of course Briggs, Golota, etc. there's plenty.

I'm not saying an old name is worth a lot, but, **** is much better than Mormeck's HW career.

When he was up for a soft mando like Mormeck he should have scheduled vols for right after that way he gets his easy mando handled and have something to sell to people.

I'm not trying to dig into Wlad here, I'm just saying the top contenders excuse is a bit bull****. Jean Mormeck may have worked the sanctioning body ranking to get into position quickly, but, he was never a serious contender in the HW division.



Finally, the brothers thing is interesting. If Fury and Joshua announced they're gay for one another would the call for them to fight die? Would it be okay for Joshua to sit on three belts with no intention of undisputed and only fighting mandos?

Are Josh's best fights mandos? Aren't Martin, Parker, Wlad, and Ruiz all vols? Making Joshua's best mando Wlad's best mando too, Pov....and highlighting the problem with fighting only mandos.

[RJJ-94-02=GOAT]

Not surprising. Wlad didn't give voluntaries. A fact that most people seem to forget.

It actually exposes how bad the ABC rankings are.

[_Rexy_]

Wlad only fought mandatories. His career overlaps some really good names but of them he only fought Byrd.

I'll say it like this. In 2012, according to Ring:

Vitali Klitschko
Alexander Povetkin
David Haye
Kubrat Pulev
Tomasz Adamek
Robert Helenius
Denis Boytsov
Ruslan Chagaev
Chris Arreola
Tyson Fury

In 2012 Wlad fought:

Mormeck
Thompson
Wach


The mandos only thing really limited his potential resume.

People give him a break on Vitali, I could go either way really on that, but the rest of the potential marque fights he let slide by are his fault.

Wlad's championship run overlaps Tua, even Tyson, Holy, of course Briggs, Golota, etc. there's plenty.

I'm not saying an old name is worth a lot, but, **** is much better than Mormeck's HW career.

When he was up for a soft mando like Mormeck he should have scheduled vols for right after that way he gets his easy mando handled and have something to sell to people.

I'm not trying to dig into Wlad here, I'm just saying the top contenders excuse is a bit bull****. Jean Mormeck may have worked the sanctioning body ranking to get into position quickly, but, he was never a serious contender in the HW division.



Finally, the brothers thing is interesting. If Fury and Joshua announced they're gay for one another would the call for them to fight die? Would it be okay for Joshua to sit on three belts with no intention of undisputed and only fighting mandos?

Are Josh's best fights mandos? Aren't Martin, Parker, Wlad, and Ruiz all vols? Making Joshua's best mando Wlad's best mando too, Pov....and highlighting the problem with fighting only mandos.

Martin was for the IBF championship. Martin gave Joshua a voluntary. Wlad was for the vacant WBA and Parker was for a belt too. Ruiz was a voluntary lol

[BillyBoxing]

Sounds about right.

That's why just like Tyson you can't rank him too highly.

However he's around 11th to 13th or so of ATH HWs simply for his longevity and domination.

But head to head I think he matches up very favorably with some of the top 10 ATGs with his hand and especially foot speed. And his power and distance management.

Not many HW have 5 TOP 5 wins in history.

It means that Wlad cleaned the division during his decade wich is true.