Jersey Joe Walcott Vs Holyfield

Also Holyfield's accuracy would be key. It's all well Jersey Joe slipping wild punches by Marciano, but when someone with precise accuracy starts throwing, he will struggle to have the same kind of success

 

I see Joe nicking a very close points victory. He would put Evander off his rhythm quite a lot of the time.

 

I'm not so sure you know. I think Charles at times gets overrated. I mean his win over Louis is arguably worse than Marciano's. A career high 218 pounds and 2 years inactivity don't make the win very credible at all in fact. But he does get underrated as well. He was an incredible boxer and his willingness to keep boxing although when losing more fights than he was winning at the end of his career should not be taken into account. I think Walcott probably gets treated a bit fairer than Ezzard, which may be a little unjust, but along with Floyd Patterson these 2 are certainly some of the more underrated heavyweights. In all honesty there almost inseparable H2H and on a ATG list. I think I have Walcott at 20 and Charles at 19.

But back to the actual fight I don't think anyone wins this with any kind of ease. Walcott is just so awkward that it's incredibly hard to beat him convincingly on an off day, let alone when he was in his prime.

 

I love Walcott but because of his early career, lack of good food and training and taking fights that way a lot of people underrate him but it was the early tough times that created this man who went through the murderers row of tough black fighters and get a title shot vs Louis that I feel he won. He gave a young determined Marciano the fight of his life but got blown out in a rematch. I think fight 2 with Louis also showed his greatness but of the greater greatness of Joe Louis (who fought everyone and re matched tough fights.

Walcott had some erratic moments in his career and fought several great fighters

Holyfield is a solid guy and a great fighter but did not possess the power punching counter ability or the relentless power of Marciano. A lot of people compare Evander to Charles but other than size he fell short.

I think Walcott on a good night beats the best of Evander,especially in a 12 rounder and has Evander on the floor at least once for a 12 round schooling.

 

Sigh, again with this chin thing. Holy had a great beard but Walcott had power and even if he didn't weird things happened and continue to happen in boxing. Either man could go to sleep at anytime in boxing even if its a .1 chance.

I feel that either Holy outworks Joe or that he gets countered enough for Walcott to take a close and controversial decision. Walcott could take advantage of Holy's over eagerness to trade or become the victim of a brawl. Would be fun to watch.

 

Walcott was hot and cold and not just at the end of his career... however, at his very best he was a great fighter. I think he was at his best toward the end of his career to be totally honest. Some of his most popular losses are as good as his best wins.

He went 2-6 (1) in HW World Title Fights but let's take a look at those fights.

LSD15 Louis, LKOby12 Louis, L15 Charles, L15 Charles, KO7 Charles, W15 Charles, LKOby13 Marciano, and LKOby1 Marciano in his last fight (he was 39 1/2 years old).

He dropped Louis 3 times in their 2 fights. He dropped Marciano in the 1st round of their 1st fight. He was dropped by Louis, Charles, and Marciano... he also dropped all 3 of them.

6' with a 74" reach and solid at around 200 Lbs. Good speed, good power, good footwork, accurate puncher, and more.

Holyfield had all of those things as well... plus he had a great chin. Holyfield would have a 2 1/2 height advantage and a 3 1/2" reach advantage. He was still ripped at 215 Lbs (about 15 Lbs heavier than Walcott). Holyfield did well vs. huge athletic men... Walcott was rarely the smaller man, when he was the smaller man the bigger man was usually not a very good fighter.

 

Those clips of Walcott remind me of a young Ali, but Ali didn't have Walcott's punch.

Holyfield would head-butt his way to a win...IMO.

 

Ezzard Charles isn't really underrated anymore... as a P4P great. At HW Charles still gets underrated though. Charles was really a LHW, he'd have trouble with bigger HWs who were also very talented like Ali, Holmes, Foreman, Bowe, Lewis, W. and V. Klitschko, and some others. I'm not sure he could overcome the size difference despite his talent.

Charles went 39-1 overall and 9-0 in HW World Title fights from 1946 - until he lost to Walcott in 1951. The only loss was a questionable decision to Elmer Ray who he also beat by 9th round KO. During this stretch he beat plenty of good and great fighters like Archie Moore, Lloyd Marshall, Jimmy Bivins, Elmer Ray, Joe Baksi, Jersey Joe Walcott, Gus Lesnevich, and Joe Louis among others. He beat a lot of them multiple times.

Prior to this stretch he beat Marty Simmons, Teddy Yarosz, Anton Christoforidis, Charley Burley x2, and Jose Basora among others. He hadn't even peaked yet. He drew with Ken Overlin and lost a SD to Kid Tunero during these early days as well.

Overall he went-

5-0 vs. Joey Maxim
3-0 (1) vs. Archie Moore
2-0 vs. Charley Burley
4-1 (1) vs. Jimmy Bivins (the loss was prior to '46)
2-1 (2) vs. Lloyd Marshall (the loss was prior to '46)
1-1 (1) vs. Elmer Ray (I feel he should have went 2-0)
2-2 vs. Jersey Joe Walcott (I feel he should have went 3-1)
2-1 (1) vs. Rex Layne (The loss was questionable... 7 rounds were scored even by referee Jack Dempsey)

He also beat Cesar Brion, Coley Wallace, and Bob Satterfield among others.

In his 94th pro fight he lost a questionable decision to Nino Valdes. In his 95th pro fight he lost a questionable decision to Harold Johnson.

In his 98th and 99th pro fights he gave a prime Marciano hell. He lost a somewhat close 15 round decision in their first fight. In the rematch he had Marciano's nose split but a desperate Marciano was able to stop Charles in the 8th round. Charles went just 10-13 after the Marciano fights.

In 1948 he stopped Sam Baroudi in the 10th round. Baroudi died from injuries sustained in the fight. Some say Charles pulled his punches in some fights after this. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't... but it has to have some kind of impact on a fighter. He won 7 more fights, 4 by KO, prior to facing Walcott for the vacant HW title.

6'1" with a 75" reach and no more than 185 Lbs... maybe a more modern version would be closer to 200 Lbs? Regardless, he wouldn't even be a big CW today.

Walcott vs. Holyfield? I like Walcott but he so hot and cold. On his best night he'd give Holyfield trouble but he'd still come up short. Holyfield is 2 1/2" taller, has a 3 1/2" longer reach... not a huge deal either way honestly. He'd also have at least 10 lbs. on Walcott... again, not a huge deal. Holyfield is stronger and more durable... that's a big deal.

Speed, footwork, defense, power, workrate, overall skill... they match up pretty good actually.

I'll take Holyfield by close but clear decision or late round KO.

 

Czyz did quit after 5 rounds... so what if he didn't put him down. Czyz was a very durable fighter.

 

I see some similarities in Charles and Holyfield, roughly same height, both were very tough, had good left hooks, threw accurate combinations, and could apply intelligent pressure. So Walcott is going to be in for a tough time.

This would go a Trilogy, with maybe a tough controversial rubber match. Very hard to call. In Walcott and Holyfield you have two greats who both occasionally fought down to their competition, very interesting.

 

Holyfield's winning a very close decision.