He only got 'respect' because he was finally put in his place. But really, he was excruciating, absolutely excruciating,.. after his unification fight with ....?.. little red,.. I don't know what he did in the ring,.. I didn't just stop watching him, I stopped watching boxing for several years.
He didn't have it in him to defeat Joshua anymore and after a decade of dominance he has little left to prove. In Europe the boxing fans hail him among the three best heavyweights ever, whereas many in America leave him out of top-15. The truth will be somewhere in between and, like all truths, change as the times change
To be forever known as 'The-Greatest-Heavyweight-Boxer-Of-The-Last-Fifteen-Years-To-Lose-To-Tyson-Fury'
Wlad deserves universal acclaim for beating Haye, this above all else enhances his legacy because Haye came up from cruiserweight and won a heavyweight strap, and if you divide up the sum of what Haye weighed at cruiserweight to what he weighed at heavyweight, the way we cater for growing pains in midget divisions, it makes him approximately a "world champion in 4 weight classes",...................how sexy is that?
I will say though that Wlad should be ranked much higher than the Average American ranks him. Most Americans rank him behind Joe Frazier for example, which I don't agree with. Wlad was far more dominant than Frazier was and head to head was a better overall fighter.
Their legion of man groupies can defend them all they want, but overall, the Klit sisters were bad for the sport. Two physical phenoms with great power, who fought with caution that made Floyd look like Tyson by comparison. In 10-15 years, they'll be forgotten everywhere else in the world besides Eastern Europe. Good riddance to both of them.
It also includes Germany, Italy, Denmark etc traditional boxing countries. Mind you, Wlad was the first and only heavyweight since Ali and Tyson who sold out football stadiums. 'they will be forgotten everywhere means that they will be forgotten by 35+ Americans
Vitali was good. I don't think he was ever a pussy, Wlad's a different story even though he was blessed with more natural talent and power.
I agree. It is unfair to paint both brothers with one brush. They both had completely different styles and attitudes.
Wlad is not ranked top 3 ever by most in Europe. Tha'ts UGO talking out of his ass. I'm a long time Wlad hater, but he had a great career. A bit dissapointing that he didn't try to avenge the aj defeat, since he seems to have a good shot at doing so
He was smart not to try to avenge that defeat....in the majority of cases the guy that loses by KO in the first fight also loses the rematch and usually more emphatically. If he stays away now he'll be remembered favorably. You don't want him to go out like Roy Jones; getting knocked out in every 2nd fight.
Frazier's the most disrespected of the great heavyweights. 68-71 he was a fucking BEAST, and there's no way possible I can envision Wald holding him off all night. Nobody could beat Joe Frazier by fighting as a passive pussy.
Vitali was better and tougher than Wald, but the guy gets far too much credit for getting his ass whupped and stopped by an old, fat Lewis. I don't rate the sisters favorably against heavyweight greats.
I didn't say most European fans, I said this opinion is heard in Europe and unlike in US, the opinion is not considered as ridiculous. No need to lose your temper again. Wlad's place in history is easy to defend both ways. You can stress his KO losses, weak opposition and fightung style and rank him low, or you can note his extremely long reign and dominance despite the opposition and rank him high. I believe what Joshua will do in his career will affect Wlad's ranking too, added to the fact that in boxing all fighters become better after twenty years have gone
I'd say Chagaev, Byrd (x2), Povetkin and Haye. All guys who at the fight time were the top #1 contenders or very close to it. That isn't epic by any means but not that far from some other legends either when you consider that all these fights were practically whitewashes (Haye actually did best against him)
He finally cemented his legacy as the second greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, just behind his brother Vitaly.
P4p Frazier beats Wlad. Now I know that they are both heavyweights but the size difference here is like that of a Jnr middle compared with a cruiser weight. Wlad is simply too big. It's not just in terms of weight either...it's also in terms of height and reach. Wlad would just smother Frazier with ugly grappling and pick him off on the outside with punches. Wlad's offensive ability was his best asset and he could certainly hurt and stop Joe....if Bonavena could drop him
Especially in a 15 rounder and with that insane pace that Frazier would fight at. There's no way Wlad doesn't mentally fold at some point from that, plus Frazier hit harder than Cory Sanders, for my money.
Sanders being taller and a southpaw presents a different challenge. Wlad hit harder than Bonavena for my money