Joe Frazier Vs. Evander Holyfield..Prime for Prime?

Southpaw, great post !!

 

Footwork, Combinations, Strength, Size, Technically superior offensively, jab, cross, uppercut, right hook i.e. punch variety, better outside fighter, countering, reflexes.. I would call Chin a wash and defense a wash.. So yeah, Holyfield is technically better overall.

 

You make some great points... I have to aoplogize for coming on too strong. I grew up watching Joe Frazier, and truly appreciating what a warrior he was. Holyfield, is totally cut from the same cloth. Always up against bigger men, his fighting heart and incrdible skills almost always leading him to victory. In all honesty, if Holy showed discipline and followed George Bentons instructions. He could outpoint Frazier by boxing, using great lateral movement and combinations with enough pop in them to draw Fraizer`s respect. The way I see Frazier being able to win, is igniting Holyfield`d warrior spirit, and making it phone booth warfare. I think inside, Holyfield`s reach and outside combinations, would be negated enough to let Frazier work to his advantages. Great debates either way

 

Fair enough man, and I apologize myself for coming on the way I do. I guess sometimes we can get carried away with a sport and figures we love dearly. That's why I love this place.. so many people who so much knowledge and passion for the sport. I agree with pretty much all you said.. If Holy wasn't smart and just let Frazier dictate the fight.. or even get caught up in a war.. It could end badly for him. I think that is totally true and a good point. Always a pleasure having a good debate Wayne

 

Just to clarify, by take his heart what I mean is that Holy will beat Frazier to the punch throughout the entire fight and he'll beat him at any range he chooses. This won't be a brutal destruction like foreman and it won't be a clinch fest like the Ali rematch.

It'll be a sustained competitive beatdown. I'm not saying Frazier will quit, he doesn't have an ounce of quit in him. I'm saying he'll realise that his battle is futile and he cannot win.

That's what I meant by take his heart away. A vague comparison would be Hatton against Floyd. His whole strategy was to get inside and once there he found himself getting beaten up badly. His only chance of victory was taken away. I think Frazier will aim to weave inside but once there he's gonna find himself being beaten up.

PP I dont think Frazier has the greatest defence ever but I think his bob and weave is better than Holy and his attempts to slip and roll away from the shots.

 

This what i love about boxing,great fighters, great fights make for great debates ! I truly enjoy swapping good boxing talk. I think this post got lots of emotional response because we are talking about two great heavyweights who are right at the top of the list when it comes to heart and fighting spirit ... Lufcrazy, I get it now.

 

Yeah this would sure make for a great fight, shame we'll never get to see it!

 

Solid truth.

Holyfield cannot escape Frazier; he will have to go to war--all night--and then it's Frazier's fight.

The fact that Joe Frazier's skills match up so evenly against a performance-enhanced opponent from the future is a tribute to the immense greatness of Smokin' Joe.

P.S. Waynegrade, I appreciate your passion, knowledge and enthusiasm. We need more of the likes of you around these parts, I say.

 

The roided up Holy who defeated Tyson and Moorer stops Smoking Joe late. I compare Holyfield to someone like Roger Clemmons in baseball. Was a hall of famer then after awhile the wear and tear started to take its toll. Then, low and behold, he becomes a beast later on when most mortals are on a serious decline. Deca Durabolin combined with testosterone gave these guys their second career acts.

 

Wow, thanks for the kind words ! I have such a love of boxing. It`s great to be able to swap stories, opinons and even debates with everyone on here ...

 

I think this would be the fight of a life time. A brutal affair between two equally matched warriors in strength, heart, stamina, determination and power.

To hell with saying who would win. No way I could call it.

 

I could see Holyfield getting the better of the early rounds. Maybe the first third of the fight. Thats when Joe Frazier started to Smoke.

Frazier loved combat and he would be right at home trading hooks on the inside with Holyfield. The pace of the fight would be furious and that would favor Frazier. He was a non stop punching machine.

I believe by the mid rounds Holyfield would be wishing he was in the ring with Tyson. The consistant body assault of Frazier should, probably would grind Evander down into a fine powder by the 10th 11th rounds.

Cant discount ringpace in a fight like this. As the fight wore on Holyfield`s punch output would decrease due to the constant pressure Frazier applies while Joe`s increases as he catches Evander`s rythem. Like a great NFL running back get stronger as the game goes on Joe Frazier`s hooks got sharper and meaner as the fight went into deep water.

I dont necessarily see a stoppage though. Holyfield had enough heart to hang in there to the final bell. Even if he has to climb off the canvas one or twice.