Anybody watching VK bill on Eurosport?

[ILikeBeer]

Hearn would've charged £18 for that.

[reggaereggae]

In many ways a great win for Wlad. But an odd fight in a few ways.

I thought Pulev hurt Klit a couple of times, even though he was dominated.
I also thought that Wlad should have levelled Pulev in the 1st and would've done it if he unloaded. Pulev was so gone, and Wlad still went back to jab and grab.
Wlad is an excellent heavyweight, but he is so cautious and clinical, he is prob most boring dominant heavy ever.

Klit is a bit like Maywether (not in style (boxing and fashion!)) in that he is so good at what he does, he never needs to change his tactics..... But it doesn't make for excitement.

[Benelio]

Gutted. Hoped Pulev might have been in with a shot. Liked the fact that he roughed Clinchko up when he grabbed hold of him. Sadly, every time it looked like he was having some success, a left hook or straight right just cracked him on the jaw.

Unfortunately, it feels like Pulev was the last, best hope of knocking him off his perch. Any other prospects are either massively untested, or have weaknesses that makes anything other than a Klitschko victory unlikely.

Maybe Briggs can clock him spark out in round one. :)

[lefty]

In many ways a great win for Wlad. But an odd fight in a few ways.

I thought Pulev hurt Klit a couple of times, even though he was dominated.
I also thought that Wlad should have levelled Pulev in the 1st and would've done it if he unloaded. Pulev was so gone, and Wlad still went back to jab and grab.
Wlad is an excellent heavyweight, but he is so cautious and clinical, he is prob most boring dominant heavy ever.

Klit is a bit like Maywether (not in style (boxing and fashion!)) in that he is so good at what he does, he never needs to change his tactics..... But it doesn't make for excitement.

I thought Wlad was hurt in the first round after that strong jab that Pulev landed actually.

[Benelio]

Another observation... I think Pulev has been the first Wlad opponent in years that genuinely believed he was going to win the fight. Which was refreshing to see.

[reggaereggae]

In many ways a great win for Wlad. But an odd fight in a few ways.

I thought Pulev hurt Klit a couple of times, even though he was dominated.
I also thought that Wlad should have levelled Pulev in the 1st and would've done it if he unloaded. Pulev was so gone, and Wlad still went back to jab and grab.
Wlad is an excellent heavyweight, but he is so cautious and clinical, he is prob most boring dominant heavy ever.

Klit is a bit like Maywether (not in style (boxing and fashion!)) in that he is so good at what he does, he never needs to change his tactics..... But it doesn't make for excitement.

I thought Wlad was hurt in the first round after that strong jab that Pulev landed actually.

Yeah I agree. And he hurt him in the fifth. But he got caught and hurt much worse soon after. Throughout the fight Pulev was somewhat disdainful in that he seemed to hold his chin high. But as the last poster says, he at least came to win and thought he would win.

[crusader]

I thought Wlad seemed slightly shaken in the first round but I don't think he was hurt at any other point.

Pulev hasn't come across as a fragile fighter to me, so I was impressed with how Wlad was bouncing him off the canvas.

[TheLeprechaun]

I think that loss will stay with Pulev. The way he was fighting - he really really thought he was going to win.

[rhino222]

absolute stonker of a left hook from wlad, just agter he had been tagged a bit himself, superb finish.

in theory wlad is right up there in the top 6 heavyweights ever, he is a superb boxer, vitali was a better fighter, but wladimir is a delicious boxer, very slick.

[Finn]

I thought Wlad seemed slightly shaken in the first round but I don't think he was hurt at any other point.

Pulev hasn't come across as a fragile fighter to me, so I was impressed with how Wlad was bouncing him off the canvas.

yeah he switched from his usual spearing jab to a left hook and its an absolute beast of a punch, i didnt realise he had so much power in his left hand.

[crusader]

Offensively Wlad is a gifted fighter. It isn't as apparent these days as he's changed his style, but circa 2000 he'd regularly mix in hooks with his jab and straight right, and it wasn't uncommon for him to throw 3, 4, or even 5 punch combos with good speed.

[cobbler80]

Enjoyed that for a change

Thought Wlad's legs looks wobbly in the first round after a strong jab.

Pulev has decent recovery to have survived as long as he did

Would like to see Wlad and Wilder in the US. Still no idea how good Wilder is but i'd like to see him throwing wild bombs at Wlad

[handsofstone]

Superb fight,the records will state this as another walkover,whic it was but for Wlad,this was one of the most testing of his defences,offensively he was brutal but he had to take a few shots,I was impressed with his chin as I was with his finish,left hook happy he was lol

The undercard was awful,that is all

[reggaereggae]

I watched the fight again
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rUdW4YluD5Y

This was the first Wlad fight in a bit when the challenger seemed as physically strong

[ThereByTheGrace]

I watched the fight again
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rUdW4YluD5Y

This was the first Wlad fight in a bit when the challenger seemed as physically strong

I'll get tortured for this for years to come from boxrecers, but I honestly think Fury has a chance when he reaches his physical peak. He has the size and the speed (not sure about the power or the technique), but he has the tools that's for sure. Maybe in 2/3 years.

[reggaereggae]

I watched the fight again
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rUdW4YluD5Y

This was the first Wlad fight in a bit when the challenger seemed as physically strong

I'll get tortured for this for years to come from boxrecers, but I honestly think Fury has a chance when he reaches his physical peak. He has the size and the speed (not sure about the power or the technique), but he has the tools that's for sure. Maybe in 2/3 years.

Heavyweight boxing is weird. In shape Fury is a good fighter. But even in shape he does t come close to a top athlete like Wlad.

One thing about Tyson, I'm pretty sure he would t be intimidated

[TheLeprechaun]

I watched the fight again
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rUdW4YluD5Y

This was the first Wlad fight in a bit when the challenger seemed as physically strong

I'll get tortured for this for years to come from boxrecers, but I honestly think Fury has a chance when he reaches his physical peak. He has the size and the speed (not sure about the power or the technique), but he has the tools that's for sure. Maybe in 2/3 years.

Heavyweight boxing is weird. In shape Fury is a good fighter. But even in shape he does t come close to a top athlete like Wlad.

One thing about Tyson, I'm pretty sure he would t be intimidated

Problem is he wouldn't be able to afford taking one right hand or left hook, which makes it a fight he cannot win imo. You need to be able to give and take with these Klitschkos. Look at Lennox vs Vitali - Lewis had to take quite a bit but was, in my opinion, on top towards the end and had Vitali hanging on at the end of the 6th, busted up and tiring. But Lennox had to absorb quite a few shots. The prospect of doing that again was enough to force him into retirement, although I'm pretty sure he'd have beaten Vitali in a rematch but he knew he would have had to press forward and take some shots in doing so. Wlad seems to hit quite a bit harder than Vitali though. Lets not forget that he will go down if clipped himself. But you still need to be able to take their shots and then land your own. I think most heavyweights in history would have had to take some shots to beat this version of Wlad and I'm not sure Fury has the punch resistance.

[lillywhite14]

I watched the fight again
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rUdW4YluD5Y

This was the first Wlad fight in a bit when the challenger seemed as physically strong

I'll get tortured for this for years to come from boxrecers, but I honestly think Fury has a chance when he reaches his physical peak. He has the size and the speed (not sure about the power or the technique), but he has the tools that's for sure. Maybe in 2/3 years.

I have always thought Furys size would be a big disadvantage against Wlad.

Far too easy to hit. Moving that mass out of the way will be impossible and he will get tagged at will. It's still boxing, not wrestling. Standing in range and leaning all over Cunningham is one thing...

The only way I see Fury lasting past the halfway point is if Wlad becomes old. That's his only chance.

[lillywhite14]

I watched the fight again
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rUdW4YluD5Y

This was the first Wlad fight in a bit when the challenger seemed as physically strong

I'll get tortured for this for years to come from boxrecers, but I honestly think Fury has a chance when he reaches his physical peak. He has the size and the speed (not sure about the power or the technique), but he has the tools that's for sure. Maybe in 2/3 years.

Heavyweight boxing is weird. In shape Fury is a good fighter. But even in shape he does t come close to a top athlete like Wlad.

One thing about Tyson, I'm pretty sure he would t be intimidated

He would give it a real shot, intimidated or not. ( I think he would be a little intimidated, the Ustinov/Price/Pulev things showed that Fury isn't exactly fearless and as willing to fight anyone as he claims, not that being a little wary/nervous is a bad thing, it can make you perform better )

[JC]

Good fight.

Goes to show that a lot of Wlad's 'boringness' is due to a lack of opponents with the size and will to force him into a fight. Same with a lot of big beasts who like to fight at range.

Wlad/Povetkin, Lewis/Tua, Vitali/Peter = dull

Wlad/Wach, Wlad/Pulev, Lewis/Grant, Lewis/Vitali = fun

[Tuan_Jim]

The best and worst of Wladimir K. The heavyweight champion of the world came out and the first thing he did was . . . hold. And hold some more. And get wobbled by a jab. But then his punching was hard & heavy, though combined with a lot of pushing.

Why do heavyweight contenders arrive at this stage with such glaring technical deficiences? Pulev has always boxed wide open with zero head movement. That's why I expected him to get KOd. Tyson Fury is wide open and uncoordinated. Deontay Wilder is wide open and uncoordinated. With such a shallow talent pool, low activity and a dearth of competent trainers I could see Wladimir getting away with this for years.

[cold187]

once again wald won every round
but once for a long time, he was getting hit and credit to pulev

wlad was shocked by pulev jabs in the 1st round which knocked wlad off balance. he had someone who came to fight for once which led to an amazing spectacle. pulev i tip my hat off to you....

next up - Bryant Jennings - monster reach 4 inches longer than wlad.

[Benelio]

Thing with reach is that it helps to be taller than the guy you're fighting, otherwise you give up a lot of the reach by having to angle your punches upwards.

Wlad's jab will only have to come straight out from his shoulder in a horizontal line to Jenning's face, whereas Jenning's jab will have to be on an upwards angle to get Wlad, meaning he'd need to be stood a little closer.

[arlovski]

absolute stonker of a left hook from wlad, just agter he had been tagged a bit himself, superb finish.

in theory wlad is right up there in the top 6 heavyweights ever, he is a superb boxer, vitali was a better fighter, but wladimir is a delicious boxer, very slick.

You must have a very different definition of 'slick' to me...

In my opinion a boxer who deserves to be described as that has head movement, can ride and roll shots, counter punch, is comfortable trading shots in the pocket, and can fight on the inside - ie McCallum, Toney, Pernell, Nunn, Locche, even Calzaghe to an extent.

Wlad doesn't really have any of the above attributes, and he's never really needed them - he's so effective as he's huge, athletic, big punching, massive reach, and usually carries all of these as big advantages over his out sized-opponents.

His holding really is embarrassing, every time Pulev got within punching range he grabbed on for dear life, effective yes but the very antithesis of 'slick', it's unbelievable that he gets away with it fight after fight, i'd love a ref to have the balls to warn him/dock points and force him to fight.

I don't blame Wlad for using his physical advantages, he's a real athletic freak of nature, especially at his age; but take away 3 inches of height, a stone in weight and a couple of inches reach and he's absolutely bang average in terms of boxing ability, especially if he's in with a ref not paid off to let him get away with his spoiling tactics

[1 nut]

What a performance from the wee man