Muhammad Ali .Vs. Evander Holyfield

I think Ali's jab and movement presents Holyfield with more than he can handle. He would definitely have his moments, but I don't think Ali would have "go to the well" for this one, won't have to stretch his stamina and guts to the outmost.

You don't want to meet someone who's a bit better than you in most of your own strong areas, and that's what Holyfield faces here IMO.

 

Agreed. What heavyweight with a good jab did Holyfield ever look good against anyway? This would look like like the Larry Donald fight with one guy hitting and moving and the other guy plodding away.

 

The best Evander was either the one who beat Douglas or the one who beat Bowe in the Rematch. Either one, loses to 70's era Ali by a WIDE margin. Ali would have nicknamed Evander "The Robot"

 

I'd pick the '91 version of Holyfield who had a very high punch output compared to his later reincarnation, but lesser power. He won't take Ali out anyway, although that left hook could make some impact. But in the end, Ali is superior in almost every aspect and would win a decision.

 

Don't forget though that Ali wasn't in his prime anymore when he fought Norton, especially during the third fight. The Ali of 1967 would have handled Norton easily, as well as a prime Holyfield. I just think Holyfield was very hittable even at his best, and against a prime Ali, that would spell target practice and trouble.

 

Ali by decision ... pretty clean as well ...

 

Ali whoops his ass, THREAD CLOSED

 

Ali of the Liston fight and Foreman fight should pull off a decision UD but I could see Evander having the style to give Ali the same type of trouble Norton did, that version of Ali would proberly drop the decision because I feel Evander was a much better fighter than Norton but was able to offer the same type of pressure, Evander hit harder than Norton but was not as awkward...close win for Evander over the Ali's of the Norton series

 

evander 90-91 vs ali 74 50/50 fight, ali 64-67 would beat him by ud

 

Holyfield was very good on his feet, good footwork at his best very light and fast and bouncy, nice quick in and out movements...in comparison with big slow modern heavyweights but he would be made to look pedestrian by 60's Ali's brand of movement...Evander was gutsy but he could be timed and he was prone to moving right into punches and had a habit of repeating bad habits like this a couple of times before correcting himself which could make him look a bit dosey at times...Ali would play on those sorts of things...he was prone to looping his punches and could be made to miss which would make him look a bit wild and would throw him off against someone like Ali...he was a good boxer but Ali was so unconventional that it wouldn't work against Ali at all and Holyfield's balance would be off all night...he did wear his heart on his sleeve too so as soon as his frustration started showing Ali would immediately start playing on it...suppose there isn't really any close comparison for Ali with anyone Holyfield fought but I suppose when I watch him against maybe Quick Tillis and Larry Donald who were at least boxer mover types his jab did seem to be falling short a lot and he was tied up quiet easily which obviously suggests Ali would find him quite easy to handle and Holy didn't seem to be in enough of a rush against that type of boxer to get much effective punching done?...and Larry Donald really put him on the end of the jab at times and nailed him back with one-two's a surprising amount - he really out-boxed Holyfield pretty good actually and I don't think anyone is confusing Larry Donald with Muhammad Ali here but then Holy had seen better days by then but I think it's more a styles thing - think when people didn't come to him more he was a little bit out of sorts and facing some of the bigger slower modern types gave him a speed advantage that he could capitalise on an wear them out quicker but with a virtuoso with spellbinding speed like Ali this is going to be too much for Holy to be getting his balance right often enough and in the right range often enough - Donald actually made him flounder at times so I'd guess on Ali doing the same but magnified by 10 - the savvy James Toney also made Holy look unable to really do much of anything either but he was really on the slide by then anyway but again it's a styles thing - Ali really is all wrong (horrible Infact) for him - Ali all the way by clear 15 round decision

 

No offence intended Rockys but please try and use paragraphs the wall of text hurts the eyes !

 

sorry I always chuckle when I click the save button and see how much I've put when I've been typing it in tiny on my iPhone and then realise how much I've put when I hit save haha atsch will try to break it down on next one and see how I go haha

 

Ps I assume you wholeheartedly agree with what I put tho?

 

you bring up donald-holyfield. why not bring up berbick-ali?

three fight series, ali takes it 2-1. but ali better stay awake at all times and not clown around.. prime-ish holyfield is always a threat to knock ali on his ass.. 3rd round, 13th round, doesn't matter- if he tried to clown holyfield, he'd get knocked down.

 

Ali would be on the move at all times, Evander would have hard time getting a bead on him.