Has Wlad changed as a fighter or is it the opponents?

People can say what they want about the state of the heavyweight division. Wlad is definitely a better fighter than he was when he was being hailed as the second coming.

I guess the question is, if he were this type of fighter in the first half of the 00's, would he be just as effective. I'd say even more so... although I'm not sure the networks would have been as interested in him. During his initial run, he was as dominant an offensive fighter as there was, but seemed clueless once someone began punching back.

Now, rather than throwing 75-80 punches a round and exhausting himself, he picks his spots, doesn't allow his opponents to get off, and rarely loses rounds. Can't see how anyone can argue his newfound success isn't due to his change in style.

If he were still the same fighter he was 5-6 years ago, guys like Eddie Chambers, Sultan Ibragimov, Ruslan Chagaev and a few others would figure out a way to ride out the storm and jump on him late. Whereas I wouldn't give Lamon Brewster, Corrie Sanders, Jameel McCline, et al much of a chance against the more cautious Wlad of today.

I still don't find him to be a fighter I absolutely have to watch (whereas I've warmed up to Vitali since his comeback), but there's no question that he's the dominant heavyweight of his generation. Vitali can be, but since they'll never fight each other, Wlad deserves the credit due to lineage and the fact that he has consistently faced top opposition in recent years.

Perhaps the best of the rest isn't all that great, but the only top fighters he's not facing these days are those who are being guided in other directions - Haye running scared, Povetkin being held way back by Atlass (not a typo). Point being, he's fighting the best available competition and dominating every time out.

 

Jake...tell me.....apart from a young Mike Tyson...what has Atlas{s} EVER done to get the attention he deserves?