Larry Holmes W 15 Carl Williams

Williams was an outstanding boxer with a great jab.. he just had the unfortunate bad luck of having a weak jaw.

I thought the referee should've allowed Williams to go on against Tyson, but he would've never won that one. Beautiful text-book punch by Tyson, btw.

 

He used to get caught by left hooks, I believe he tried to uppercut with his right to much, I have only seen the Tyson and Morrison fights but throwing a right uppercut early against this style of fighter is suicide.

 

Agreed...Tyson if anything is a great finisher and he has an opponent hurt he seldom if ever lets him off the hook.

I also think that his chin failed him against Mike Weaver. I think he had the savvy and skill to outpoint Weaver.

 

William's chin wasn't as bad as a lot of people think. He just had the tendency to have an allergic reaction when standing in the same room as a left hooker. Williams got up most of the time after being knocked down, and it almost always came against a big puncher with a solid left. When carl was washed up, he faced a prime Tommy Morrison who had him down in the early rounds. Williams came back to drop Morrison twice in the fifth. He later took a horrific beating on the ropes before the referee rescued him. Once again, Truth could take a pretty good pounding, but was floored easily by heavy handed lefty's.

 

It also had to be a quick left hook, which he didn't see coming. Bruno tagged him with some brutal (but telegraphed) left hooks and Williams soaked them up. Bruno unexpectedly won that fight because of the brilliance of his jab, not his power.

 

I remember watching Holmes vs. Williams on TV live. I didn't keep score, but I was certain the bout was very close. Larry was definitely on the downside at that point in this career, but Truth still impressed me as a bonafide contender with a hot future.

I was surprised a year later when Truth was stopped in two rounds by Mike Weaver.

The Morrison fight was amazing. For several rounds it looked like Williams had the fight in the bag. Morrison was hurt and he was slowing down very seriously. I thought Truth would finish Tommy off, but Morrison's power turned the tide.

The last time I saw Williams was in 1994, when he took a beating from Alex Zolkin. Williams seemed washed up by then. It went into the books as a DQ for Zolkin only because Williams's corner threw in the towel as their fighter seemed out on his feet and on his way down.

 

Holmes came out very badly bruised, and I think that may have given the impression he was doing worse than he actually did.

 

I remember the fight as well. Holmes did just enough to win it. If Williams was more aggressive, he could have made it close or even won it, but he failed to live up to the " Contender must take the title from the champion " got hurt a few times and lost too many close rounds.

 

Although many people think so, i don't think that's a valid argument. In sports, should rules apply differently to the champion? I don't think so. As soon as they step in the ring, it's just two men fighting it out and no status should come into play.

 

I think Holmes did enough to win it on a fair score card. Williams had his moments, but Holmes was better overall as he landed the harder shots, and hurt Williams. Williams coasted in the final rounds, and didn't win enough rounds clean. Even on the selected round on you tube, Holmes was the better.

I agree that the old adage a challanger must take the title from the champion isn't very fair, but that is how it has been in boxing for years.

 

I remember Williams had talent, he was very green when he fought Holmes but the fight was close. Williams did not stand up too well to power, his early fights were against no one until he fought Quick Tillis but Tillis was already Ko'd by Greg Page,Pinklon Thomas and Tim witherspoon, so he was on the downside. He gave Holmes a good fight and most people felt he won, I am from the school that you have to take the title but as a fight It could have gone to Williams. I remember in next or close to next fight Williams was Blasted out by Mike Weaver in 2 rds and it was a pretty KO. Williams had good hands but he got caught with the hook. He was exciting to watch (big KId) Ali clone without the substance.

 

I agree in todays terms with so many titles, the titles mean less but years ago it was hard to take the title on a close fight. I remember watching Irish Joey Archer beat Emile Griffith in there 1st fight but no one really put up a holla, you had to beat the Champ and there were so many even talented fighters at the time, there were a lot of close calls. In the Holmes/Williams fight no one could really argue if Williams got the decision but was the Kid ready for the title? in one of his next 2 fights he was KO'd by Weaver