Prime Vitali vs Fury/Wilder/Joshua?

[jamesmcdonnell]

Vitali v Wilder: Vitali by late stoppage. Wilder always has a punchers chance but Vitali's defence was better than often given credit for. Vitali's all round ring nous, toughness and workrate would win the day here. Will likely have to overcome a couple of shaky moments ala Corrie Sanders.

Vitali v Joshua: A real close fight. Could go either way on the scorecards. But I'll just edge Vitali on workrate.

Vitali v Fury: Another one for the scorecards, and another close one. I'll edge for Fury on another close decision.

But really, who knows?

Arguably we never got to see the best of Vitali as rotator cuff, knee and back injuries seemed to plague for much of his career (at least at the highest level). Check out any of his earlier fights and you'll see his handspeed is much quicker than it was later in his career. It was arguably the speed that gave him power as he never delivered punches with full weight behind it.

His footwork was also underrated - as was Wlad's for most of his career.

Agreed, in his prime , he was pretty nippy, and that coupled with his high punch output, meant that he pushed people pretty hard, the last few years of his career he was clearly creaking, as the movement around the ring and the punch output dropped off pretty sharply.

Think he would have been a nighmare for Joshua, the combination of an absolutely rock solid chin, high punch output, and workrate, would have given AJ big problems late in the fight. Vitali definitely had the better stamina of the two men, and I wouldn't discount him stopping AJ late.

I think he'd have edged fury because he would simply have landed more. Fury is extremely negative.

[Tuan_Jim]

Wlad actually fought the best of the weak crop. Can't fault him.

Not his fault at all. Wlad fought everyone he could. Even Thompson twice if memory serves me correctly.

He fought the best HW’s that were was at his era. All the best mandatories.

No he didn't. When he was boxing Byrd, Jefferson, Shufford, Mercer et al the best fighters were Lewis, Holyfield, Tyson, Tua, etc. He was king of the B class.

Corrie Sanders was lifted from the grave in a caper that went horribly awry. What on earth was he doing fighting Corrie Sanders in 2003? He never pursued a rematch with Sanders (just as he never pursued one with Puritty) and he wouldn't rematch Brewster till year later when he was beaten, used up and banned from boxing in the U.S.!

He's hardly an example of a man who boxed the best. In 2006 he was given the option of boxing Brewster for the WBO belt or Byrd for the IBF belt. Brewster was still caving guy's brains in and Byrd was visibly fading and had already lost comprehensively to Wlad. Who did Wlad opt to fight?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Not his fault at all. Wlad fought everyone he could. Even Thompson twice if memory serves me correctly.

He fought the best HW’s that were was at his era. All the best mandatories.

No he didn't. When he was boxing Byrd, Jefferson, Shufford, Mercer et al the best fighters were Lewis, Holyfield, Tyson, Tua, etc. He was king of the B class.

Corrie Sanders was lifted from the grave in a caper that went horribly awry. What on earth was he doing fighting Corrie Sanders in 2003? He never pursued a rematch with Sanders (just as he never pursued one with Puritty) and he wouldn't rematch Brewster till year later when he was beaten, used up and banned from boxing in the U.S.!

He's hardly an example of a man who boxed the best. In 2006 he was given the option of boxing Brewster for the WBO belt or Byrd for the IBF belt. Brewster was still caving guy's brains in and Byrd was visibly fading and had already lost comprehensively to Wlad. Who did Wlad opt to fight?

I meant whilst he was champion. 2006 onwards. Wlad wasn’t really a big name HW from 2000-2005.. his brother was. Even though Wlad did hold the lesser regarded WBO belt in that time.

[Tuan_Jim]

He fought the best HW’s that were was at his era. All the best mandatories.

No he didn't. When he was boxing Byrd, Jefferson, Shufford, Mercer et al the best fighters were Lewis, Holyfield, Tyson, Tua, etc. He was king of the B class.

Corrie Sanders was lifted from the grave in a caper that went horribly awry. What on earth was he doing fighting Corrie Sanders in 2003? He never pursued a rematch with Sanders (just as he never pursued one with Puritty) and he wouldn't rematch Brewster till year later when he was beaten, used up and banned from boxing in the U.S.!

He's hardly an example of a man who boxed the best. In 2006 he was given the option of boxing Brewster for the WBO belt or Byrd for the IBF belt. Brewster was still caving guy's brains in and Byrd was visibly fading and had already lost comprehensively to Wlad. Who did Wlad opt to fight?

I meant whilst he was champion. 2006 onwards. Wlad wasn’t really a big name HW from 2000-2005.. his brother was. Even though Wlad did hold the lesser regarded WBO belt in that time.

Is this a serious remark?

HBO were hyping a Lewis/Wladimir fight from at least 2000. The expectation after beating Jameel McCline in the US was that he would be fighting Lewis next--and then him and his team decided to extend his WBO run even longer with the utterly bizarre decision to fight Corrie Sanders in Germany.

He was a big, big name in 2000-2005.

[Tuan_Jim]

You're right that he seemed game to fight everyone from 2006 onwards though. I don't think that took any real balls though, given the competition.

[Ruthless-RKO]

You're right that he seemed game to fight everyone from 2006 onwards though. I don't think that took any real balls though, given the competition.

He did what he needed to do. Fought all his mando’s Along with any unifications.

[Onetimeonly]

Johnson was a terrific survivor, only ko'd twice and later in his career. I'm not saying Vitali was better than Wilder, but just being fair. No one said Vitali had any skills over his brother, just the chin and durability. He was a thudder.

I think vitali was better than wilder. He was a slapper, not a thudder and he would definitely struggle to land on guys the size of wilder and Joshua. Johnson definitely survives first and foremost, but he didn't even take much punishment.

Vitali may not have had the one punch KO of his brother, but he was certainly not a slapper, he was a bit of an arm puncher, but he threw a lot and landed a lot and slaps they were not.

He definitely didn't have one punch power and he was a slapping arm puncher. He didn't land anything on Johnson, yes he threw and landed a lot on the other bums he faced.

[Boxing Writer]

Vitali who ran Lewis close.

For my money he was alway the better brother and he beats all three.

Thoughts?

vs Wilder - Vitaly by schooling and late TKO

vs AJ - Vitaly by late TKO or AJ by TKO on cuts

vs Fury - Fury by UD

[jamesmcdonnell]

I think vitali was better than wilder. He was a slapper, not a thudder and he would definitely struggle to land on guys the size of wilder and Joshua. Johnson definitely survives first and foremost, but he didn't even take much punishment.

Vitali may not have had the one punch KO of his brother, but he was certainly not a slapper, he was a bit of an arm puncher, but he threw a lot and landed a lot and slaps they were not.

He definitely didn't have one punch power and he was a slapping arm puncher. He didn't land anything on Johnson, yes he threw and landed a lot on the other bums he faced.

He didn't slap, slap implies punching with an open glove, which he certainly didn't do.

[Dixonian]

Vitali v Wilder: Vitali by late stoppage. Wilder always has a punchers chance but Vitali's defence was better than often given credit for. Vitali's all round ring nous, toughness and workrate would win the day here. Will likely have to overcome a couple of shaky moments ala Corrie Sanders.

Vitali v Joshua: A real close fight. Could go either way on the scorecards. But I'll just edge Vitali on workrate.

Vitali v Fury: Another one for the scorecards, and another close one. I'll edge for Fury on another close decision.

But really, who knows?

Arguably we never got to see the best of Vitali as rotator cuff, knee and back injuries seemed to plague for much of his career (at least at the highest level). Check out any of his earlier fights and you'll see his handspeed is much quicker than it was later in his career. It was arguably the speed that gave him power as he never delivered punches with full weight behind it.

His footwork was also underrated - as was Wlad's for most of his career.

Agreed, in his prime , he was pretty nippy, and that coupled with his high punch output, meant that he pushed people pretty hard, the last few years of his career he was clearly creaking, as the movement around the ring and the punch output dropped off pretty sharply.

Think he would have been a nighmare for Joshua, the combination of an absolutely rock solid chin, high punch output, and workrate, would have given AJ big problems late in the fight. Vitali definitely had the better stamina of the two men, and I wouldn't discount him stopping AJ late.

I think he'd have edged fury because he would simply have landed more. Fury is extremely negative.

Yeah quite possibly - a guaranteed distance fight for sure. And of course, Vitali wouldn't be dissuaded from throwing punches and being aggressive like his brother was.

[banjo]

Lewis v Wlad was about to happen until George Clooney turned the lights out

[oogiebe]

Lewis v Wlad was about to happen until George Clooney turned the lights out

LMAO! that was the closest we came!!!

[ElJefe]

I think he stops Wilder in about round 6 but Wilder, as always, would have a punchers chance as long as he's standing and Vitali wasn't the most difficult to hit. Vitali would probably be better off walking Wilder down from the start.

Vitali vs AJ is probably the most competitive. Vitali's output could cause big problems for Joshua who does slow down at times, although Joshua is probably the more polished boxer. I'd lean towards AJ by close decision but it's not a confident pick.

Vitali would make Fury work harder than Wlad (overly cautious) or Wilder (lack of skill) did but if Fury was at 100% fitness I'd pick him to survive a few hairy moments and win an 8-4 type decision.

[Onetimeonly]

Vitali may not have had the one punch KO of his brother, but he was certainly not a slapper, he was a bit of an arm puncher, but he threw a lot and landed a lot and slaps they were not.

He definitely didn't have one punch power and he was a slapping arm puncher. He didn't land anything on Johnson, yes he threw and landed a lot on the other bums he faced.

He didn't slap, slap implies punching with an open glove, which he certainly didn't do.

OK.

[jamesmcdonnell]

He definitely didn't have one punch power and he was a slapping arm puncher. He didn't land anything on Johnson, yes he threw and landed a lot on the other bums he faced.

He didn't slap, slap implies punching with an open glove, which he certainly didn't do.

OK.

well its an important distinction.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Vitali v Wilder: Vitali by late stoppage. Wilder always has a punchers chance but Vitali's defence was better than often given credit for. Vitali's all round ring nous, toughness and workrate would win the day here. Will likely have to overcome a couple of shaky moments ala Corrie Sanders.

Vitali v Joshua: A real close fight. Could go either way on the scorecards. But I'll just edge Vitali on workrate.

Vitali v Fury: Another one for the scorecards, and another close one. I'll edge for Fury on another close decision.

But really, who knows?

Arguably we never got to see the best of Vitali as rotator cuff, knee and back injuries seemed to plague for much of his career (at least at the highest level). Check out any of his earlier fights and you'll see his handspeed is much quicker than it was later in his career. It was arguably the speed that gave him power as he never delivered punches with full weight behind it.

His footwork was also underrated - as was Wlad's for most of his career.

Agreed, in his prime , he was pretty nippy, and that coupled with his high punch output, meant that he pushed people pretty hard, the last few years of his career he was clearly creaking, as the movement around the ring and the punch output dropped off pretty sharply.

That's the difference I thnk, Vitali would have kept on chasing Fury down, and landed enough to win most of the rounds, he could pretty much have walked through anything Fury threw, no chance Tyson hurts him.

Think he would have been a nighmare for Joshua, the combination of an absolutely rock solid chin, high punch output, and workrate, would have given AJ big problems late in the fight. Vitali definitely had the better stamina of the two men, and I wouldn't discount him stopping AJ late.

I think he'd have edged fury because he would simply have landed more. Fury is extremely negative.

Yeah quite possibly - a guaranteed distance fight for sure. And of course, Vitali wouldn't be dissuaded from throwing punches and being aggressive like his brother was.

[oogiebe]

You guys are overrating Vitali. Don't be over impressed by his size..it was a pretty weak era. He was tough, but against lesser opposition. He had a chin, but he got stunned more often than most of us remember (watch Corrie Sanders). Let's just ease off any thoughts of him being dominant in today's division. He wasn't that good.

[jamamb]

when did sanders hurt him aside from round 1, id say for as overrated as he is his chin was legit, prob at least as good as any hw today has and better then ajs, furys, wilders, whytes, etc

[oogiebe]

when did sanders hurt him aside from round 1

Go watch the fight. I don't have it memorized but there was at least one or two other occasion where the two were in pretty good exchanges. Of course once Lewis found the uppercut he got stung, and was getting the best of Vitali as the fight was stopped. That's no shame v. Lewis. LOL! You are so 'challenging.'

[jamamb]

i only recall him being rocked that first round

he took some monster shots from big len, i dont know that any hw today has as good a chin, but there may be some who are better overall

[oogiebe]

i only recall him being rocked that first round

he took some monster shots from big len, i dont know that any hw today has as good a chin, but there may be some who are better overall

Oh his chin was sick, no doubt about it, but some of these posters seem to think he was indestructible.

[jamamb]

his eye and shoulder certainly werent

[oogiebe]

his eye and shoulder certainly werent

LOL! Didn't he beat Chisora with one arm? I seem to remember thinking why he didn't do that vs Byrd.
BTW, Sanders knocked Vitali off balance in the second round, not stunned. I'll let mexi-poster know to keep score.

[Onetimeonly]

He didn't slap, slap implies punching with an open glove, which he certainly didn't do.

OK.

well its an important distinction.

You really thought that's what I meant?

[Tuan_Jim]

Sanders certainly rocked him. You could have scored it a KD as he hit the floor not long after, as Sanders was flinging some follow ups. Slip or KD? Depends on the ref. If Wilder jolted him with that right, he wouldn't gas trying to get him out of there, like old perma-gut Corrie.