BoxRec

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The answer today would be Wlad. But who knows what tomorrow will bring. And a few years ago Vital would have been the answer.

i agree exactly with buzz. vitali would have to be mighty impressive when he comes back i think.

Vitali is a just a footnote, and Wlad is another KO loss away from being a footnote himself, but he's at least put a winning streak together and managed to last through training camp.

They're both footnotes to be fair, Vitali wuill always be remembered for giving Lennox Lewis a good fight, and Wladimir will be remembered for being a champion in a pooer era, but I can't see Wlad ever getting any re-evaluation of his standing in history after he retires, as, with the greatest of respect, he's pretty crap.

dempseyfire wrote:Vitali is a just a footnote, and Wlad is another KO loss away from being a footnote himself, but he's at least put a winning streak together and managed to last through training camp.

..and at least Wlad won more than one major belt.

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:

dempseyfire wrote:Vitali is a just a footnote, and Wlad is another KO loss away from being a footnote himself, but he's at least put a winning streak together and managed to last through training camp.

..and at least Wlad won more than one major belt.

agree atm but vitali could come back and do something but he would need a win over vlad of the guy that beats vlad and both are very doubtable

dempseyfire wrote:Vitali is a just a footnote, and Wlad is another KO loss away from being a footnote himself, but he's at least put a winning streak together and managed to last through training camp.

Correction. Vitlai has many footnotes. Among them are the all time knock out percentage among heavyweight champions, the best ratio of rounds won to lost among champions, and never being floored by a punch.

If Vitali comes back at age 37+, with injuries and a 4 year layoff to win a belt with no warm up fights, you won't find ANY fighter out there who did the same.

championship record 5 - 2

p4p1 wrote:championship record 5 - 2

And stopped by feather fisted Byrd.

so i wouldn be shouting his greatness from the tree tops

I'm not sure how this is going to sound, but Vitali didn't truly get stopped by "feather fisted Byrd" did he? I mean yes in one respect he was. But didn't he really get stopped by not being able to control his own strength? I'm laughing as I read this, but a torn rotator comes from throwing a punch completely wrong, correct? I mean Byrd didn't bring that on right?

So it was about his own inability to correctly throw his arm out toward Byrd that did him in.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Sort of like when Zellenoff missed the bag and nearly lost his trousers.

BoxBuzz wrote:I'm not sure how this is going to sound, but Vitali didn't truly get stopped by "feather fisted Byrd" did he? I mean yes in one respect he was. But didn't he really get stopped by not being able to control his own strength? I'm laughing as I read this, but a torn rotator comes from throwing a punch completely wrong, correct? I mean Byrd didn't bring that on right?
So it was about his own inability to correctly throw his arm out toward Byrd that did him in.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Sort of like when Zellenoff missed the bag and nearly lost his trousers.

This has been argued many times.

Byrd won the fight by stoppage. Byrd's elusive pesky style contributed significantly to causing Vitali's injury.

A guy like you, who has never had a fight in his life, ought to refrain from taking credit away from real fighters.

How is that different than Patterson throwing his back out against Muhammad Ali in their first fight?

I don't remember a bad back being an issue with Patterson before the fight....

Collins2000 wrote:

BoxBuzz wrote:I'm not sure how this is going to sound, but Vitali didn't truly get stopped by "feather fisted Byrd" did he? I mean yes in one respect he was. But didn't he really get stopped by not being able to control his own strength? I'm laughing as I read this, but a torn rotator comes from throwing a punch completely wrong, correct? I mean Byrd didn't bring that on right?
So it was about his own inability to correctly throw his arm out toward Byrd that did him in.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Sort of like when Zellenoff missed the bag and nearly lost his trousers.

This has been argued many times.

Byrd won the fight by stoppage. Byrd's elusive pesky style contributed significantly to causing Vitali's injury.

A guy like you, who has never had a fight in his life, ought to refrain from taking credit away from real fighters.

Well I meant no disrespect as you know Collie. And you have simply taken my argument and given it personal value to Chris....and that works for me. Like I said it was Chris that Vitali was "throwing his arm out" at. A more stationary target might not have blown that particular fuse.

Imo it's the big spectacular fights that make a fighter and Vlad, in spite all of his considerable qualities, had -- none. While Vitali had and wil always have had this gruelling battle with LL that will stay in the boxing world's collective memory. Arguably the most thrilling heavyweight bout of the past 10 years.

BoxBuzz wrote:

Collins2000 wrote:

BoxBuzz wrote:I'm not sure how this is going to sound, but Vitali didn't truly get stopped by "feather fisted Byrd" did he? I mean yes in one respect he was. But didn't he really get stopped by not being able to control his own strength? I'm laughing as I read this, but a torn rotator comes from throwing a punch completely wrong, correct? I mean Byrd didn't bring that on right?
So it was about his own inability to correctly throw his arm out toward Byrd that did him in.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Sort of like when Zellenoff missed the bag and nearly lost his trousers.

This has been argued many times.

Byrd won the fight by stoppage. Byrd's elusive pesky style contributed significantly to causing Vitali's injury.

A guy like you, who has never had a fight in his life, ought to refrain from taking credit away from real fighters.

Well I meant no disrespect as you know Collie. And you have simply taken my argument and given it personal value to Chris....and that works for me. Like I said it was Chris that Vitali was "throwing his arm out" at. A more stationary target might not have blown that particular fuse.

So what. Blowing a fuse is not what boxing is about.

p4p1 wrote:championship record 5 - 2

He is really 2-1. The WBO wasn't considered a major title when he had it and eventually lost it to Byrd. HBO had yet to issue that decree to us sheep/boxing fans.

Hard to say which Klitschko brother will be judged better.
Wladimir had more talent and scored more impressive victories (ie. he had some ok ones while Vitaly did nothing.)

They fought in a horrible era, but atleast Wladimir beat some of the best that was available.
On the other hand, Wladimir had more embarrassing moments.

Wladimir is still active and Vitaly supposedly is going to fight again (though still time to pull out with yet another mysterious injury) so it may be a little early to say how they will be remembered.

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:

dempseyfire wrote:Vitali is a just a footnote, and Wlad is another KO loss away from being a footnote himself, but he's at least put a winning streak together and managed to last through training camp.

..and at least Wlad won more than one major belt.

Joe Louis only won one major belt...

oliverfennell wrote:

Emerson Poncey Name Ghent wrote:

dempseyfire wrote:Vitali is a just a footnote, and Wlad is another KO loss away from being a footnote himself, but he's at least put a winning streak together and managed to last through training camp.

..and at least Wlad won more than one major belt.

Joe Louis only won one major belt...

wasnt there the ny world champion and the nba world champion at the time? but they were normally unified in their champion?

just looked it up he won the NYSAC and NBA world titles