Wlad Rating

[IceTea]

Lets redo that Wlad rating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mudster]

drops at least five ratings points in my book...less staying power than a wet paper sack..

[IceTea]

I agree. Something bad always happens to those two when they are in a big fight.

[darthpb]

Yeah, like the ghosts of Duane Bobick and Gerry Cooney appear!!!!

[IceTea]

I wouldn't say that its a racial issue. Cooney had no problem going 12+ rounds, I think that Holyfield/Merchant hit it on the nose, these guys that weight over 250 just don't have stanima.

[Cap]

Lamon Brewster is only 6'1" same height as 1920s heavy Jack Renault. So much for bigger is best.

The Trunzo factory should definitely downgrade Wladdie boy's chin and endurance. And unless Brewster has a head made of battleship steel, his power should be reduced as well.

Brewster doesn't look anything special. Against somebody with a bigger gas tank, he would've gone down.

Cap

[IceTea]

I agree, he is a 6 at best. His power rating of 9 is about right. If he was in against the south african, he would have been KO'd, but you can't underestimate his toughness. Brewster won't be an easy fight for anyone.

[crusadecat]

I agree with Caps assessment Brewster didn't wow me. I was more impressed at how awful Klitschko looked. He looked awkward and unsure even when he won rounds. His hands were dropping and just doesn't have the grit to fight.

[maxx]

I'd keep Brewster just about exactly where he is in the game. He basically just absorbed punishment until Wlad tanked.

As for Wlad . . . well, he ends up about on par with Michael Grant both physically and psychologically.

[shane6969]

I read on the net that the Klit took a pounding.

[Cap]

Shane, it looked pretty one-sided, with Klitschko pitching a shut-out until he ran out of petrol. But earlier in the hammering Brewster got through with a single straight left hand and Wlad was in serious trouble. He's got a chin like Bombardier Wells. (Wells, a WW1 era British heavy, was a terrific boxer with power who lacked a beard.)

Cap

[mh2365]

Like cap said, Wvlad didn't take a pounding he maybe got hit with 10 solid punches. I actually don't think the problem is his chin. He lost any heart and will to fight he had in that Sanders fight. I thought from the opening bell that he didn't want to be there.

He just doesn't want to do it anymore. I think Vitali will beat Sanders. The difference between the two brothers is when Vitali got bet by Lennox is made him hungry, when Wvlad got beat by Sanders it made him quit.

[darthpb]

IceTea, I didn't say it was a racial thing...it's a big, overrated thing and ,oh, by the way, they were white. Also, I don't think it was all about stamina, he simply can't fight. He was one punch away from being taken out from the opening bell. No chin, no heart, no boxing skills. Period!!!!

[vistaman44]

I'll agree with the no chin and no heart comments, but the guy was outboxing Brewster easily. He has skills --- but that won't carry you without a whole lot more heart and desire than he showed. He needs to retire before he gets hurt.

[darthpb]

Vista, what skills? He's a giant. So he put his left jab out for awhile, big deal. He's off balance and plodding. Wow, he was outboxing Brewster(your word, not mine). He looked lost from the opening bell. I'm sure he looks real good on the heavy bag though.

[vistaman44]

Darth, you're right, to a point. His footwork stinks, but he has a good jab and Brewster was his heavy bag for four-plus rounds until he figured out the obvious flaws in Klitschko. All the judges had him ahead, hence my comment on "outboxing." Maybe I should have said "outfighting."

But Brewster wasn't even displaying those boxing skills. He figured out that if he started whaling away like a Toughman contestant, Wlad would back up. That was it.

I'm not saying Wlad's any better than a 4-5, but he does have all the punches and considerable strength. I don't believe in saying someone has no skills or is no good because of one or two stinky fights or weaknesses. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and his have been exposed the last two fights. Football coaches like to say you can't coach speed, but you also can't coach big, strong or determined, either. You can only improve on what's there or motivate people to work on things.

Sanders will have to move, avoid punches, get inside and get out on his brother. Although the Klitschkos have similar bodies, skills and strategies, Vitali has those intangibles Wlad doesn't. The Lewis fight showed that.

Big and strong with the punches took Wlad places, as long as he had heart and will. Now those are obviously gone. If he can't get them back (and I don't think he can), he should get out.

[mking55]

In light of what most of hope was Vladimir's final fight last night, doesn't the fact that he lost when he "shouldn't" have, diminish the beating that Sanders laid on him last year?

What was a 'shock' looks now, in hindsight, to be the obvious. And Sanders, who seems was made a serious contender by this one victory, should not be a contender or even be fighting for a title.

If I remember correctly, at the time of that fight, Sanders hadn't fought in a long time (same as Brewster) and they were saying this would most likely be his final fight before he took up golfing full time. Then he won and he is this serious fighter. I would rethink that.

You know who would have whipped Klitschko also? George Chuvalo. Now there was a man who could take a punch. He wouldn't have even needed to throw one punch at Klitschko. He could have just stood there absorbing punishment till Klitschko dropped from exhaustion. Chuvalo would have had a knockout without throwing a punch.

And, I don't think people should make too much of Brewster. It wasn't an impressive victory. Just like Brewster winning diminishes Sander's victory in my eyes, Sander's victory diminishes Brewster's.

If Vitali doesn't send Sanders to the golf course for good, then we are left with fights like Ruiz-Oquendo and Byrd-Golata for title fights that will lead to one of these guys (and who really cares which one) being the linear champion soon.

[Bam Bam]

You're right, he had 00 footwork. I like your point, maybe Sanders did get a gift by KOing Vladimir. To me, it was one of the worst debacles I've seen in the ring in a while. I'm not sure if he ran out of gas because his crystal chin got cracked, or because he simply didn't train right, I don't get it...
--I heard he went to the hospital that night


Brewster will not hold the highly regarded WBO belt for long<ummm

[vistaman44]

Good points, Martin and BamBam.

[Cap]

Wonder why they didn't corner Wlad's trainer Manny Steward after the fight?

Cap