Nikolai Valuev vs. Larry Holmes you know because size is more important than skill

C'm on. Valuev was too much of a plodder. He's still be thereat the end of it, and might even get a couple of good ones in himself, but the gulf in skill is big. If Old Holyfield is competitive (some say he won) then what would Holmes not do? Size is good but has its limits. Holmes was also not that small a dude.

 

I can appreciate the counter balancing humor that this thread was deigned with and the attempt to address the other one featuring Jones vs Tyson. In truth I don't think there are any absolutes either way when contrasting the importance of size vs skill. Sometimes it comes down to styles, physical conditioning, mental fortitude and of course the actual "degree" to which a fighter is larger or more skilled and how that difference no matter how great or small is weighed against some of the other components I mentioned above.... With that said, I'd pick homes by just about the WIDEST decision in championship history over Valuev

 

A mismatch at the level of Larrys fight with Cobb. Holmes can't miss....like hitting a big heavy bag for 12 rounds.

 

One of the greatest heavyweights of all time who nearly beat Marcianos record vs an overhyped bum?

Valuev, easy UD.

 

You know what, whenever I get carried away myself with the size argument I always remind myself of Valuev and his failure to back up the argument that size beats skill.

 

Touche!

 

In a way.

He was so slow.
So extremely basic.

And yet he was a solid top 10 contender.

So I'd say his size has made him win a lot of fights he shouldn't have won based on his skill.

 

But David Haye beat him.

 

Devil's advocate against a strawman?

 

He did beat guys who were more skilled than him.
Ruiz for example.

Do you think if a smaller fighter was as slow as Nikolai that he could have been as succesful?
Add to that a very basic punch arsenal, bad technique, bad stamina and no head movement.

And?
Most (fringe)contenders Valuev fought were more skilled, he beat most of them.

At some point just size can't overcome the rest of disperancies.
Haye had everything besides size on Valuev and the bout was still reasonably close. Have read a lot of people who scored it a draw though I don't agree with them.

 

Late stoppage by Larry.

Larry would totally outbox valuev