# Vladimir Klitschko is a horrible champion **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 12, 2008, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269 "2008-07-12T21:43:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/41 "2008-07-23T16:32:34Z")
I don’t like either of the brothers. It’s a toss-up as to which one has the bigger glass chin, and Vlad’s technique of throw a punch, then lay on his opponent is just plain boring to watch. Give me a good scrap with the likes of Manny Pacquiao any day. ---
**Author:** ![Sequitorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sequitorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sequitorian)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/42 "2008-07-29T16:04:50Z")
**[www.BoxingArts.com](http://www.BoxingArts.com)** ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/43 "2008-07-29T19:07:55Z")
[QUOTE=Sequitorian] **[www.BoxingArts.com](http://www.BoxingArts.com)** [/QUOTE] From the link: “But most significantly, if it weren’t for the decline of boxing as a prime influence on the behavior of Americans and its replacement with martial arts and eventually mixed martial arts, Abu Ghraib would never have happened.” Mixed martial arts is responsible for Abu Ghraib? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/44 "2008-07-29T19:49:22Z")
A champion needs a big time adversary to measure himself against. Ali had Frazer and Foreman. Vlad has no one to gather interest. At least he did not to a Roy Jones and turn a fight into a dance show. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/45 "2008-07-30T04:16:20Z")
[QUOTE=Cyberhwk] Fedor won before, and he’d do it again. Crocop is good, but was extremely underwhelming in his stint in UFC. So much so, that many are starting to wonder if the lack of success by old Pride fighters and UFC’s inability to get Fedor under contract is (at least in part) due to more stringent drug and steroid testing in the US. [/QUOTE] “More stringent”? Drug testing is non-existant in Japan. That being said, CroCop and Fedor are not two that have really been under suspicion for steroid use. They are skill fighters, known for their strategy, technique, and heart. People like Wanderlei Silva and Shogun Rua are much more suspect. Cro Cop’s problems the UFC came from, I think, fighting down to the level of his competition (he did not respect Gonzaga, only had his eyes on the belt), and not training in a cage. Cheick Kongo was a successful kickboxer and, being bigger and stronger, was basically just a bad matchup from Crocop. Fedor won both of his fights that took place in the US, so I don’t see any reason to question his supplementation habits. The UFC doesn’t drug test fighters - the state athletic commissions do, so if he’s willing to fight in the US there’s no reason he wouldn’t be willing to fight in the UFC. The reason he didn’t sign is because his management wanted him to be a package deal with other Red Devil fighters and he wanted to be able to compete in sambo tournaments outside of the UFC. _That_ being said, 2 of the UFC’s 5 champions - and 3 of 5 until this month - are old Pride fighters. The “lack of success” has not been as widespread as it seemed at first. Most of it can be attributed to confirmation bias, luck of the draw, ring rust, bad matchups, etc, etc. There’s also stories that seem pretty reliable about some Pride fights being worked, shady bonuses to lose, creative and freakshow matchups, etc, but isn’t this thread about boxing? ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/46 "2008-08-06T19:49:38Z")
[QUOTE=davidw] I’m guessing the upcoming Cotto-Margarito fight is gonna be a great one. [/QUOTE] Was you surprised by the outcome, david? I’ve only seen highlights of it, but Cotto looked pretty roughed up at the finish. And that Margarito looks massive for his weight. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/47 "2008-08-06T23:50:31Z")
[QUOTE=ivan astikov] Was you surprised by the outcome, david? I’ve only seen highlights of it, but Cotto looked pretty roughed up at the finish. And that Margarito looks massive for his weight. [/QUOTE] I was a little surprised, I’m sorry I didn’t see it. I probably would have put money on Cotto if I was the gambling type. As long as the thread is bumped, I’m interested to see if Sequitorian is going to come back and elaborate on his Boxing v. MMA manifesto. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/48 "2008-08-07T00:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=pravnik] I was a little surprised, I’m sorry I didn’t see it. I probably would have put money on Cotto if I was the gambling type. As long as the thread is bumped, I’m interested to see if Sequitorian is going to come back and elaborate on his Boxing v. MMA manifesto. [/QUOTE] It was an interesting link, wasn’t it. The Abu Ghraib comparison at the end was obviously for effect, and seemingly a little over the top, but I tended to agree with the general gist of the article. I’ve always been a fan of boxing and even did a little bit in my younger days, so appreciate how hard it is to be good, in what is a very unforgiving sport. I’ve also been in a few one on one street fights, and can appreciate the sort of abilities a good MMA fighter needs to have. From a purely aesthetic pov, I’d prefer to watch boxing, but MMA contests still have their appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/49 "2008-08-07T00:37:33Z")
[QUOTE=ivan astikov] … but MMA contests still have their appeal. [/QUOTE] In a different thread, perhaps, devoted to MMA. I would have hoped that another bump here would be talking about boxing. So I was wrong. Mods, please close. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/50 "2008-08-07T01:43:37Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] In a different thread, perhaps, devoted to MMA. I would have hoped that another bump here would be talking about boxing. So I was wrong. Mods, please close. [/QUOTE] And what about this bit, Frank? [QUOTE=ivan] I’d prefer to watch boxing [/QUOTE] 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/51 "2008-08-07T01:48:20Z")
[QUOTE=ivan astikov] And what about this bit, Frank? 😕 [/QUOTE] This thread has turned out to be somewhere about 50% about MMA. I’m not interested in continuing to check back in only to find that the bump is about the MMA. You want to talk boxing, fine. You want to talk MMA, start a new thread, please. Not you personally, but the general you. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/52 "2008-08-07T01:54:50Z")
I promise I won’t mention it again after this post, Frank…in fact, I won’t even mention it by name now. Do you not like it at all, and have you ever discussed it in any other threads? ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269/53 "2008-08-07T14:59:23Z")
All right, probably best for everyone involved if we close this puppy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vladimir-klitschko-is-a-horrible-champion/456269.md?page=2)