Wlad vs Haye vs Vitali: Strengths and Weaknesses

With the Wlad vs Haye fight soon to be confirmed, how do the two fighters compare in the following departments:-
Power, Speed, Experience, Stamina, Strength, Defence, Finishing, Chin and Recovery.
Marking out of 10 for each, here is how I score the two, and I've also added Vitali as he is the back-up if Wlad doesn't make the fight :-

Wlad Haye Vitali
Power 8 9 9
Speed 7 9 6
Experience 9 7 9
Stamina 9 6 9
Strength 8 8 8
Defence 9 7 8
Finishing 7 9 8
Chin 6 6 9
Recovery 6 7 9

Overall: 69/90 68/90 75/90

How do you rate the three fighters in terms of the above criteria?


Boxing Challenges

I think most of your ratings seem fair enough, although I can't have Haye ahead of Wladimir in the 'power' stakes. Neither are concussive one punch knockout artists at Heavyweight, but I don't think that Haye's referee stoppages against Barrett, Ruiz and Harrison are enough to suggest he belongs above Wladimir, who has done the same to a higher class of opponent over many years.

I think two points between Wlad and Haye for defence is a little harsh on the Londoner, too. Haye's pretty cute in there, doesn't take much punishmet, particularly over the last three years.

Other than that, not too much to grumble about.

Not easy to argue with your ratings, Geoff, though I would have two minor quibbles.

I've never really regarded Vitali as a big single punch merchant. Rather, I believe that he wears his opponents down by an aggregate of heavy, clubbing, but not devastating, punches until his man is sufficiently weakened for him to apply the coup de grace. If anything, I'd reckon Wlad to possess the bigger single shot wallop.

I'd also question the stamina of both Klitschkos. Wlad, certainly, looks okay just so long as he is dictating the pace and fighting in his comfort zone. However, we've seen him looking very distressed when an opponent has been able to take him out of that comfort zone. Difficult to say the same for Vitali, since very few have been able to assert themselves on him, but I SUSPECT he'd be the same in this regard. He did look to be blowing pretty hard against Lewis as the fight went on, and even against Sanders he didn't always look physically comfortable.

Just my take on it, and I certainly wouldn't argue too much with anybody who sees my points differently.

David Haye rates very lowly for cliches and similes:

"I have the heart of a lion, whereas Wladimir has the heart of a hyena. He cries and squeals and slips into the wilderness at the first sign of danger."

Is that really what Hyenas are famous for? I thought it was making a laughing noise.

Fail!

I've always thought of Hyenas to be cowardly so makes perfect sense to me

Hobo wrote:David Haye rates very lowly for cliches and similes:

"I have the heart of a lion, whereas Wladimir has the heart of a hyena. He cries and squeals and slips into the wilderness at the first sign of danger."

Is that really what Hyenas are famous for? I thought it was making a laughing noise.

Fail!

Ha !

Nice one, Hobo, though I do wonder if our David is making some oblique reference to the hyena waiting to nourish himself on the remnants of some dead creature after he has been hunted down and killed by another. Big brother Vitali chopping them down for Wlad to feed on the scraps, and all.

I think I should add a disclaimer to this post before all Hell breaks lose. Just playing Devil's Advocate, after all.

Lions have more chicken than Tesco - brave when 5 of them take on a Zedbra foal, but a few skinny blokes with sticks and they bottle it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNeNTMmltyc

What i find interesting is that I largely agree with the scoring you gave but imo Vit is the most beatable purely based on his ponderous style and thorough lack of speed. He wasn't a speedster a a youngster and has slowed down now.

Also I question Haye's alleged speedy style. yes he has very fast hands, but he hardly lets the punches go in bunches as he fights in spurts. To beat Wlad he has to let his hands go and I cant see him doing that due to his stamina issues.

I also believe Wlad is the bigger puncher at heavy. The good thing though is that they both punch hard enough to KO one another.

I'd give Vitali abit more experience than Wlad thanks to his in the trenches fight with Lennox. and I think if Haye's chin and defense are as bad as you make out he would've been KO'd more often. Although I agree with the rest of it entirely.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:I'd give Vitali abit more experience than Wlad thanks to his in the trenches fight with Lennox. and I think if Haye's chin and defense are as bad as you make out he would've been KO'd more often. Although I agree with the rest of it entirely.

The cruiser division was pretty weak imo. But what Haye does have is good recuperative powers as displayed when he gets up.

Would agree with most of the OP's stats.

However, I reckon Wlad is the most poweful of the 3. His straight right and left hook are colossal punches.
Haye throws his punchers with more speed and varying angles but is less heavy handed than either brother.

I wouldnt give Wlad a 9 for stamina. His losses to Purrity and Brewster were down to him gassing. Like Haye, he just has learnt to keep a consistant tempo. Vitali has excellent stamina. Against Kevin Johnson, I believe he broke Ike Ibeabuchi's record of the most punches thrown by a HW in one match.

In terms of pure brute strength, I don't think there have been many HW champions in history who are as physically strong as the K's. I would give them more than an 8 on that.

Haye's chin and recovery abilities are hard to judge. He recovered well from the Mormeck, Barrett and Mock knockdowns but the fact he was floored by light punchers in the first place is a cause for concern. Would he have recovered if he was given a whallop by a big HW like Brewster or Peters?
This also ties in with the "chin" issue.
Then again, were those knockdowns partly down to Haye being slighlty drained at CW? Could his punch resistance be more solid at HW? No one really knows at the moment.