A ~220 lb prime Tua (pre-obesity) vs pre or post Sanders/Brewster wald pussy. Does the pre-Sanders/Brewster wald pussy stand any chance at all? Can the later version of wald pussy jab and clutch his way to an ugly 12 round decision vs a young, relatively quick Tua, or does he get caught at some point?
Tua blasts the pre-Sanders Wlad. The pre-Sanders Wlad was very offensive minded ( and far more fun to watch), and he was very hittable, which would play into Tua's hands. The Wlad of recent years jabs, and holds his way to a stinker UD over Tua.
Both versions of Wlad stand way more than a "chance". Post-Sanders Wlad wins a stinky shut out. Tua has more of a punchers chance vs pre-Sanders Wlad, and I still think he'd most likely lose.
Of course Tua has a puncher's chance but that's all. Fatso never could deal with a jab even in his younger days. Wlad would easily keep Tua on the outside. Add in a couple of right hand bombs and he becomes even more passive. It would closely resemble the borefest that was Lewis-Tua.
Maskaev had a chin like papier mâché and was able to outbox Tua for nearly the whole fight. Wlad is substantially better than Maskaev. Like Whiskey said, people forget how subdued Tua could become
A young Tua was substantially better than Lamon Brewster or Ross Puritty or Corrie Sanders (Sanders did have fast hands, but Tua was fairly explosive before he won a title too). He's also substantially better than a faded Sam Peter, who was basically a poor man's Tua. wald pussy barely managed to stink his way to a decision against Peter while falling all over the ring in terror every time Peter got within striking distance.
Like anyone else, if wlad could keep moving for 12 rounds he'd win. If David Izon & Maskaev can outbox Tua Wlad can.
I wouldn't say Tua was substantially better than Sanders at all, after all Sanders has a better win than Tua has ever managed. He might have lost a war with Rahman, but Tua was on his way to a loss to the same guy before cheating his way to a win. Wlad beat Peter pretty convincingly, for a guy who got dropped three times the score was still wide and unanimous.
Peter was absolute basura... Nearly getting stopped several times by him doesn't strike me as a big selling point for wald pussy. Vitali showed Peter's worth by sodomizing him with ease
Apart from the Sanders blast out, Wlad has lost because he became knackered after punching the other guy in the face so much, basically they Homer Simpsoned him. Forgetting Tua's losses, most of his wins against name fighters were pulled out of the bag in fights he was losing, and none of these guys were as good as Wlad.
Tua would be at an incredible height disadvantage here. Let's not forget against Lewis he sported a 6 inch don king hair do and he still looked like a midget next to him. Against wlad, it'd be even worse. Tua would get his ass handed to him. Most likely scenario is he tastes a few right hands and shuts down like he did against lewis. And wlad gets to appear like a master boxer.