70,000 expected for Vitali's farewell fight

[The Hammer]

Vitali to sign off in style

WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko will face German Manuel Charr on September 1 in Kiev in what is set to be the last fight of his professional career.

Kilitschko (44-2) will be 41 by the time of the fight against the undefeated 27-year-old and is expected to go full-time into politics in the Ukraine shortly afterwards, with parliamentary elections set for October 28.

It will be Klitschko's second fight in the country of his birth, and the first since 1998 when he knocked out Italian Francesco Spinelli in the first round.

A crowd of 70,000 is expected to watch Klitschko's farewell fight in the main football stadium in Ukraine.

The Syrian-born Charr is unbeaten with a 21-0 professional record.

[4Corners]

Cool. Why did you avoid the "Vitali Klitschko: Where do you rank him All-Time on the Heavyweight list???" thread???

[IronDanHamza]

I wasn't aware this was his last fight.

That's a shame.

[The Hammer]

I wasn't aware this was his last fight.

That's a shame.

Not very high.

Don't see how he's a Top 20 ATG HW.

I think his brother is just about a Top 20 ATG HW and he's obviously much greater than Vitali.

Some people will always hate Vitali no matter who he fights or what he does.

That's just the way it is - some things will never change.

[4Corners]

Actually it was a pretty fair and objective thread. It listed any notable wins, where they were ranked at the time in the top 10 (if they were ranked), and his pretty much whole resume. You should check it out.

[IronDanHamza]

Some people will always hate Vitali no matter who he fights or what he does.

That's just the way it is - some things will never change.

It's sad that we live in an age where if anyone doesn't praise someone to the worlds end they are considered to hate them.

I really don't hate Vitali Klitschko, at all.

I like both of the Klitschko brothers. Especially Wlad.

[The Hammer]

It's sad that we live in an age where if anyone doesn't praise someone to the worlds end they are considered to hate them.

Not very high.

Even some people who are honest about it and ADMIT they hate the Klitschkos give them more credit than you do.

[4Corners]

Even some people who are honest about it and ADMIT they hate the Klitschkos give them more credit than you do.

Vitali is going to get in the HOF, but he's nowhere near the Top 10 HW's based on career-era-resume. And if you take into account that he only beat 6 guys that were in the Top 10 HW's at the time, he didn't really "dominate" or "clean out" HW like most of his fans claim. He's a HOF fighter most likely, but not an ATG at all.

[IronDanHamza]

Even some people who are honest about it and ADMIT they hate the Klitschkos give them more credit than you do.

I consider Wladimir Klitschko to be a boarderline ATG HW. By the time he's retired it will probably be an ATG HW.

Just because I don't rank Vitali Klitschko very high on the HW ATG list means I hate the Klitschkos? Refer to the post you quoted. Sad, very sad.

[The Hammer]

I consider Wladimir Klitschko to be a boarderline ATG HW. By the time he's retired it will probably be an ATG HW.

Wlad is already EASILY an ATG HW.

Just because I don't rank Vitali Klitschko very high on the HW ATG list means I hate the Klitschkos? Refer to the post you quoted. Sad, very sad.

What's REALLY very sad is if Vitali continued until age 50 and continued to beat everybody, haters would just say his opposition was not good and STILL say he's not an ATG.

You rate Sonny Liston much higher, but how many world titleholders besides the glass-chinned Patterson did he ever beat? How many opponents did he stop who were never stopped before? Would Vitali have been KOed by a phantom punch?