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[BrutalBodyShots]

I read that this fight is happening in September. Thoughts?

I'm personally not a fan of the smallest relevant heavyweight fighting the biggest relevant heavyweight, but whatever. I kinda like Adamek and think he'll give it his all, but there's a huge natural size difference that he's up against.

[gravytrain]

i really dont think so gravy... ali would slice vitali up like he had a straight razor... sonny liston would knock him out... dempsey was a big man killer as well and would get inside on him and eat him up (if that guy guy sinsnowski or what eveer his name is could get inside dempsey tears his ass up).... i think larry holmes could get to him in his prime... a few guys i think vitali would get to because of their styles would be a frazier, marciano type of great heavyweight simply because a tall fighter with a jab would trouble them... i think a young mike tyson struggles with him though would eventually get to him... but ali... ali would toy with vatali... post exile id say the ali to the point of the foreman fight beats him as well.. after foreman ali just took too much punishment, vitali would beat that version of ali.. tell you another guy i think would get deep down in vitalis shit... ike ibeabuchi... had he not gone to prison i think he would have been lennox's nightmare... oh yeah speaking of lennox a primed lennox beats him (vitali) as well.. lol..

I don't know, I just see Ali after the exile having some trouble with Vitali. I think he could beat Wlad though. Pre-exile I think Ali would just seriously fuck with both of them. He'd dance in the first round and really frustrate them then be in and out before they could really land much, Ali had some slick reflexes too so I think he could track their punches pretty easily and only get hit if he left himself open to it. Plus even if he got hit he'd a serious chin and could take punishment.

Sorry dude, that may be true in athletics or racing or any sport where you can measure speed and power...but it's not true in boxing.

Today's fighters are NOT faster or stronger than previous generations. BIGGER I'll give you. Perhaps more powerful. But CERTAINLY not faster or stronger or better conditioned.


The reason is that in sports where performances are measured you can see definitive improvements over time. A guy runs the 100ms in 12 seconds, the next guy can quantifiably measure his results against that and improve on it. He can shave tenths of a second off the time and develop his speed against it.

If there were no stopwatches, and he had no clue what the previous guy had ran 100ms in, I guarantee he'd never improve on it. That's how records get broken in sports like this, and the perception is that athletes are faster, stronger etc...and that's true, but only BECAUSE the performances are measured.


In boxing, however, the performances are not measured. A punch speed isn't timed. A fighter's strength isn't measured. Therefore the boxers aren't training to shave split seconds off their speed, and therefore the overall speed and strength of the fighter's HASN'T improved.

In fact, I'd venture to say that due to the generally easier lifestyle of today's western population, the majority of fighter's natural strength attributes has DECREASED a little, which is why Eastern countries where they still live a hard slog have began to take over. The scientific training may have added to their explosive power, but strength is more than that.



Just my two cents, as I keep hearing about faster, stronger athletes, but when I see old 70's vids I see guys just as fast as today's fighters. In fact, with the benefit of today's high quality, HD video, Ali et al would probably look even faster!!!



Black

I think sports that have embraced strength and conditioning have seen an improvement in athletes performance, especially the NFL. Boxing hasn't really embraced it though so I think it's hard to say the athletes just naturally became bigger, stronger, and faster despite not doing anything to become bigger, stronger, and faster.

Seems he may not be quite ready for that level yet..but then again who ever will at this rate?

I think there is a good chance we have already seen all the defeats the Klitschkos have faced as they really are that far ahead of the rest. Over the years both have seemed to have improved and grown as fighters as they are smart as they don't give much away to their opponents at all. With the size, conditioning & skills they aren't in any great threat to the rest of the division that lack a lot of what the Klits have. Sure they could get old (Vitali is borderline there already) and then loose but with their style of fighting it doesn't require the traits youth may have over age & with the landscape most importantly it looks pretty smooth for them.

That's how I see it, the division just wont produce a quality fighter. If there are some good prospects[Deontay Wilder] it'd probably be smarter for them to wait before stepping it up, then one or both of the brothers might be gone. I think most promoters would wait because they know it'll be a better chance of having a champion in the lucrative HW division.

[JLUVBABY]

I don't know, I just see Ali after the exile having some trouble with Vitali. I think he could beat Wlad though. Pre-exile I think Ali would just seriously fuck with both of them. He'd dance in the first round and really frustrate them then be in and out before they could really land much, Ali had some slick reflexes too so I think he could track their punches pretty easily and only get hit if he left himself open to it. Plus even if he got hit he'd a serious chin and could take punishment.

ali up until the time of foreman devastates vitali... after that he is done... if byrd could hang with vitali ali devastates him... ali had more speed than byrd, better defense and a much much harder punch... and i'm talking the post exile ali... what byrd did ali did 10 times better with power (under rated punching power in my opinion) and was uncanny about making adjustments as needed and unlike most other heavies would find a way to win.... vitali would be in the ring with a creation he has never seen before... ali does what he wants with vitali...

On a side note imagine if ali never gets exiled... heavyweight history as we know it is changed... the guy would have surely reigned supreme till the late 70's if not into the 80's... guys like foreman and frazier would have never worn the crown back then and maybe even holmes cuzz his decline from his prime would have been different (slower).. those 3 and a half years wreaked havok on alis prime... just a thought...

This post has been edited by JLUVBABY: Jan 26 2011, 03:31 PM

[gravytrain]

ali up until the time of foreman devastates vitali... after that he is done... if byrd could hang with vitali ali devastates him... ali had more speed than byrd, better defense and a much much harder punch... and i'm talking the post exile ali... what byrd did ali did 10 times better with power (under rated punching power in my opinion) and was uncanny about making adjustments as needed and unlike most other heavies would find a way to win.... vitali would be in the ring with a creation he has never seen before... ali does what he wants with vitali...

On a side note imagine if ali never gets exiled... heavyweight history as we know it is changed... the guy would have surely reigned supreme till the late 70's if not into the 80's... guys like foreman and frazier would have never worn the crown back then and maybe even holmes cuzz his decline from his prime would have been different (slower).. those 3 and a half years wreaked havok on alis prime... just a thought...

I agree about what would have happened if he didn't get banned from the sport, those were all prime years he lost too. It's conceivable to think that he could have been undefeated from 1960-1980 as a HW and maybe even retire undefeated.

you could very well be right about the matchup when you put it like that. i guess it really just depends on the Ali that gets in the ring with Vitali.