Could Vitali win Vladimir's last 2 fights?

[ssx]

Aw, you're crazy. Lewis would knock the shit out of Wlad.

You could be right... I'd have to rewatch the fight, but I remember thinking Lewis looked like he barely trained at all in the Vitali fight.

 

[ssx]

I just rewatched it. Lewis landed more hard punches than I remembered, but he was getting hit clean by Vitali and got stunned pretty bad in the second round. Vitali is an awkward arm puncher who doesn't have anywhere near the same pop as Wladimir. Lewis was out of shape and not sharp at all. I supposed he could have landed one big right and turned out the lights on Wlad, but the question was prime Wlad vs the version of Lewis that fought Vitali. I'd still take Wlad to take that version of Lewis out.

 

[wilddeuces]

Aw, you're crazy. Lewis would knock the shit out of Wlad.

Both guys have shown a tendency to get wobbled and both have power so I don't think a resulting win for either is out of the question. Wlad has a better jab, he could frustrate Lewis who often pawed with it. Not saying Wlad gets a blow out win, but I think the Lewis from 2003 loses the Wlad, but prime vs prime - we are talking greats of the division here - the fights gets interesting, and rightfully so.

 

[wilddeuces]

Less skilled, less athletic, but way more awkward than Wlad

Fury wouldnt get drawn in to a fight with Vitali, it would look a lot like Wlad vs Fury honestly, AJ would get be very tempted to chin check Vitali and walk into straight rights but can easily outbox him if he chooses

Vitali, was just to robotic and had a very European boxing stance, AJ and Fury I feel are more versatile than all of Vitalis previous opponents by a mile

Well is he robotic or awkward? I think he is more aggressive and willing to take risks to pressure Fury. Fury, for his own part wouldn't have the power to get any respect. I think Fury gets caught more. Vitali has a good chance.

 

[Mr2urbo]

Well is he robotic or awkward? I think he is more aggressive and willing to take risks to pressure Fury. Fury, for his own part wouldn't have the power to get any respect. I think Fury gets caught more. Vitali has a good chance.

Mechanical because of his stiff arm punches and small slow steps, awkward because of his lead hand always being low and would mix it up by either leading with his right or jab, which was very effective, but his aggressiveness would play into Furys favor, landing power punches would be the last thing on Furys mind, against AJ though Vitaly could do better

 

[Seano]

Both guys have shown a tendency to get wobbled and both have power so I don't think a resulting win for either is out of the question. Wlad has a better jab, he could frustrate Lewis who often pawed with it. Not saying Wlad gets a blow out win, but I think the Lewis from 2003 loses the Wlad, but prime vs prime - we are talking greats of the division here - the fights gets interesting, and rightfully so.

I don't agree Wlad has a better jab than Lewis. Lewis beat better fighters than Wlad has with his jab.

I also never saw Lewis struggle with guys his own size like Wlad does. Lewis would knock him out.

 

[wilddeuces]

I don't agree Wlad has a better jab than Lewis. Lewis beat better fighters than Wlad has with his jab.

I also never saw Lewis struggle with guys his own size like Wlad does. Lewis would knock him out.

Lewis's jab is good but he paws with it. Sure he's used his left with reasonable effectiveness, but he's struggled against guys that can get their timing and distance and jab back. Ray Mercer, for instance, gave him fits with his jab when they fought a rather competitive bout. When the guy can't get close, Lewis will jab or, even worse post out. He indeed has power, but usually his jab looked its best when he was throwing it into guys that would stand in front of him. Tua, for example. A slower, older Holyfield was hit with it, but in the rematch, it was less effective when a more invigorated version of Holyfield showed up.

Wlad moves reasonably well, left and right too, times a strong jab (and when he strings a right hand behind it, can be downright destructive), and avoids putting himself in bad spots. Lewis won't have such an easy time. What made Vitali lose was his willingness to brawl, this gave Lewis openings. Wlad is a very sharp puncher. He's a big guy, and even if it can be conceded that Lewis is on the same level as Wlad with the jab (I'm not wholly convinced of this), Wlad moves well enough to turn Lewis, and Lewis will have to be more aggressive than he perhaps might like to be.

I'm not saying it's an open and shut case here. It's interesting, but not something so easy to write off..

 

[wilddeuces]

Mechanical because of his stiff arm punches and small slow steps, awkward because of his lead hand always being low and would mix it up by either leading with his right or jab, which was very effective, but his aggressiveness would play into Furys favor, landing power punches would be the last thing on Furys mind, against AJ though Vitaly could do better

If a guy like Cunningham can close the gap and flatten Fury, then Vitali's awkwardness (and power) puts him in good stead here. Especially with that low lead hand, he can sweep in with a left hook and catch Fury who, for reasons that are his own, likes to fight with both his hands down.

Also, if Vitali doesn't do the job, Fury might just do it for him:

 

[Seano]

Lewis's jab is good but he paws with it. Sure he's used his left with reasonable effectiveness, but he's struggled against guys that can get their timing and distance and jab back. Ray Mercer, for instance, gave him fits with his jab when they fought a rather competitive bout. When the guy can't get close, Lewis will jab or, even worse post out. He indeed has power, but usually his jab looked its best when he was throwing it into guys that would stand in front of him. Tua, for example. A slower, older Holyfield was hit with it, but in the rematch, it was less effective when a more invigorated version of Holyfield showed up.

Wlad moves reasonably well, left and right too, times a strong jab (and when he strings a right hand behind it, can be downright destructive), and avoids putting himself in bad spots. Lewis won't have such an easy time. What made Vitali lose was his willingness to brawl, this gave Lewis openings. Wlad is a very sharp puncher. He's a big guy, and even if it can be conceded that Lewis is on the same level as Wlad with the jab (I'm not wholly convinced of this), Wlad moves well enough to turn Lewis, and Lewis will have to be more aggressive than he perhaps might like to be.

I'm not saying it's an open and shut case here. It's interesting, but not something so easy to write off..

I disagree with you on Lewis' jab. He had a crisp, solid jab. Check out what he did to Tua, Tyson and Morrison with the jab. Thats not to say he never used it as just a range finder, he did that often but his jab was what set him apart from the other HWs of the era. Lewis didn't need a foot of height on a guy to have an effective jab either.

I would agree perhaps that Wlad had a more consistent power jab.

 

[chiefwiggum]

You could be right... I'd have to rewatch the fight, but I remember thinking Lewis looked like he barely trained at all in the Vitali fight.

Vitalis a tough awkward guy to fight.
Whoever was vitalis cutman let him down that fight. He was making his cuts much worse

 

[treelo]

i dont think any version of Wlad beats any version of Lewis ever

Wlad was and is a timid fighter, when Lewis senses that in fighters, he starts throwing and puts people away early

why on earth has Wlad suddenly become this amazing fighter since he got knocked out by a guy with 18 fights?

 

[Hypetrainhipsta]

i dont think any version of Wlad beats any version of Lewis ever

Wlad was and is a timid fighter, when Lewis senses that in fighters, he starts throwing and puts people away early

why on earth has Wlad suddenly become this amazing fighter since he got knocked out by a guy with 18 fights?

Honestly, maybe the young and a bt more reckless Wlad that stopped Mercer and Schulz could surprise an old ewis, but prime vs. prime you hav to pick Lewis.
Even old Vitali would probably beat both of them, how are you supposed to beat Vitali if you gas after one flurry? Vitali wouldn't let him rcover after that.
Fury is akward, but I don't think that Vitali would respect his power and he'd probably bat hi i a brawl.
If its prime Vitali, then i's not even a question. The real question is if we ever saw prime Vitali, or if injuries took too much out of him and also diminished his punchin power when he became a smarter and more skilled fighter?
One also has to wonder how hard could a prime Vitali hit if he cleaned up his technique and was less of an arm puncher?

 

[ssx]

The two versions of Lewis that I think would lose to a prime Wlad are the Rahman 1 and Vitali versions. Prime vs prime no question, Lewis KO's Wlad.

 

[The Moloko man]

Vitali was leading on the cards before the faux stoppage
Iirc

 

[aizen00]

Vitali is tougher than Wlad but not more skilled. Wlad also hits a lot harder than Vitali despite Vitali's high KO percentage. I think Fury outboxes Vitali just like he did to Wlad. I don't think Vitali has the punch to hurt Joshua like Wlad did, so I think AJ wins a comfortable decision.
At their respective bests, Wlad beats Vitali by decision.

It should also be noted that the Wlad who fought Joshua was far better than the one who fought Fury. Wlad's actress wife was having major problems and issues while Wlad was prepping to fight Fury. That had to have had a negative effect on Wlad's prep and mental state. The Wlad who fought Joshua would have beaten Fury.

What was going on with Hayden?

 

[aizen00]

How do you think: if instead of his brother Vitali met Fury and Joshua, could he likely win? And why?

Vitali would pick them apart and get the stoppage. He could take any shot eat it, or counter it and win. He may have been awkward like some say, but he was quick and new how to time his shots, and avoid his opponent offence.

 

[aizen00]

How do you think: if instead of his brother Vitali met Fury and Joshua, could he likely win? And why?

Vitali would pick them apart and get the stoppage. He could take any shot eat it, or counter it and win. He may have been awkward like some say, but he was quick and knew how to time his shots, and avoid his opponent offence.

 

[aizen00]

How do you think: if instead of his brother Vitali met Fury and Joshua, could he likely win? And why?

Vitali would pick them apart and get the stoppage. He could take any shot eat it, or counter it and win. He may have been awkward like some say, but he was quick and knew how to time his shots, and avoid his opponent offence.

 

[aizen00]

He couldn't beat an out of shape Lewis, doubt he can beat Joshua and Fury

Vitali was winning the fight before the stoppage. How was he out of shape. He was fighting the same as he always did in shape.

 

[ssx]

What was going on with Hayden?

Postpartum depression...