If Wladimir Klitschko was David Haye's size could he have ever been a world champion?

[FlatLine]

Wladimir is a good boxer in my opinion, he's mastered his simplistic style which relies on his huge size advantage. But I'm highly doubtful that without that size advantage Wlad would have ever become a world champ - maybe not even a Euro champ.

His style is very predictable and repetitive - the main reason it works is because of that size advantage. However, he does have a good jab and while that weapon would still be useful if he was smaller I'm not sure it would be enough to compete at world level.

Some might say that Wladimir would change his style if he was smaller but the truth is that Wladimir had a different style before he met Steward and he got beat 3 times before. Steward constructed a style for Wladimir which kept him safe while using his size and reach advantage. Without those advantages, it's debatable as to Wladimir would even reach contender status.

What's the general consensus?

[yoz]

He'd be cruiserweight champion.

[elgranluchadore]

i think he would be heavyweight champion, just look at the opposition there, he just wouldnt be so dominant as he is right now

[Luilun]

Wladimir is a good boxer in my opinion, he's mastered his simplistic style which relies on his huge size advantage. But I'm highly doubtful that without that size advantage Wlad would have ever become a world champ - maybe not even a Euro champ.

His style is very predictable and repetitive - the main reason it works is because of that size advantage. However, he does have a good jab and while that weapon would still be useful if he was smaller I'm not sure it would be enough to compete at world level.

Some might say that Wladimir would change his style if he was smaller but the truth is that Wladimir had a different style before he met Steward and he got beat 3 times before. Steward constructed a style for Wladimir which kept him safe while using his size and reach advantage. Without those advantages, it's debatable as to Wladimir would even reach contender status.

What's the general consensus?

Have you ever thought that if he was Haye's size he would have better movement with speed. If your heavy handed it doesn't matter how big you are. I use train kids and I would have heavy handed kids who weigh 100 pounds hit harder than someone who weighs 165

[FrankieBruno]

He woudnt have a chance if he was Hayes size, Wlad has no chin, his height and reach is what keeps his chin safe, if he were shorter, he'd get caught more, and tko'd

Wlad has no inside game, his chin doesnt allow him to get in to brawls.

Wlads size and reach is his biggest advantage, take that away and you have a very basic boxer with a glass jaw.

[The Hammer]

Another troll thread from Flatline.

[Spray_resistant]

He woudnt have a chance if he was Hayes size, Wlad has no chin, his height and reach is what keeps his chin safe, if he were shorter, he'd get caught more, and tko'd

Wlad has no inside game, his chin doesnt allow him to get in to brawls.

Wlads size and reach is his biggest advantage, take that away and you have a very basic boxer with a glass jaw.

Its hard to say how he would do because certainly if he was Haye's size he wouldn't be able to jab at a distance and without his size so easily wrap up opponents when they had gotten close so he would have had to learn to fight differently, either that or fail.

[Tom Cruise]

Hard to tell. If he was Hayes size he would likely have been much quicker and lighter on his feet than he is now. He would also have had to learn how to close distance and other stuff you have to do if your normal height. He would have still been a damn good heavy, though maybe not as dominant

[FrankieBruno]

Its hard to say how he would do because certainly if he was Haye's size he wouldn't be able to jab at a distance and without his size so easily wrap up opponents when they had gotten close so he would have had to learn to fight differently, either that or fail.

To me taking Wlads height and reach away is like taking Hayes reflexes away, it's these details which make a fighter special. Wlads size is what allows him to control fights and win on points via jab

Lets take the stats for the Haye fight, Wlad landed more jabs and Haye landed more power shots. It was the jab what won it for Wlad, now if you take away Wlads height and reach, that jab advantage is gone. Not only will rounds be closer, he will be hit more frequently and his chin will not handle such punishment.

[Spray_resistant]

To me taking Wlads height and reach away is like taking Hayes reflexes away, it's these details which make a fighter special. Wlads size is what allows him to control fights and win on points via jab

Lets take the stats for the Haye fight, Wlad landed more jabs and Haye landed more power shots. It was the jab what won it for Wlad, now if you take away Wlads height and reach, that jab advantage is gone. Not only will rounds be closer, he will be hit more frequently and his chin will not handle such punishment.

Wlad wins most of his fights by stoppage its just Haye is very fast and dodges punches extremely well so he would still have power and maybe be faster since he is fast for a man his size already, maybe he would fight more like Haye if he was his size but who knows its like asking how Haye would do if he was Wlad's size maybe he would fight more like Wlad does.