What sub 200 lbs fighters would you pick to upset prime Ali/Holmes

To me, Holmes and Ali bridged the gap between modern super heavyweight sized heavies and the previous cruiserweight size heavies. Those 2 could fit into either era and as such, I can see them beating a super heavyweight like say Wladimir Klitchsko, but having trouble with an Ezzard Charles.

Because they didn't hit as hard as say Anthony Joshua or Riddick Bowe or Lennox Lewis, so smaller heavies could likely withstand the power of an Ali or Holmes and the height and reach difference wouldn't be as great. But the main thing would have been the punching power.

Now I'd favor both over the following fighters but these are the sub 200 lbs fighters I feel would have the best chance at an upset victory, not necessarily in that order :

Jersey Joe Walcott - 6' 196 lbs
Ezzard Charles - 6' 185 lbs
Rocky Marciano - 5'10 184 lbs
Billy Conn- 6' 174 lbs
Evander Holyfield - 6'2 190 lbs

IMO, these guys would have the best chance of pulling off the upset. You may throw in the 193 lbs version of Roy Jones Jr.

Now, there are some legit 200+ pound heavies id favor these guys against. For instance id favor cruiserweight Holyfield over say Ron Lyle or Ezzard Charles over Mac Foster. So i don't think it's impossible. But with Ali/Holmes you'd obviously have to favor them, but I still think these guys could pull off the upset.

 

Leon Spinks.....big fat NO!

Michael Spinks, I think the heavyweight, 200+ pound version would have to show up for that party. That's why I didn't put him on the list.

 

I forgot about Dempsey and Tunney. And I was referencing the cruiserweight version of Evander Holyfield before he moved up to heavyweight.

 

I considered Louis to be 200+ lbs that's why I didn't include him. From 1939 on, he was about the same size as an early 90s Holyfield or even close to a late 70s Holmes.

Louis was 6'2 207 lbs vs Abe Simon in 1942 and Holyfield was 6'2 208 lbs vs Foreman in 1991. Plus, while Louis could lose to both, if he did win, I can't say I'd go so far as to class it as an upset. Depending on who you ask, it could be expected.

 

Well I meant any fighter under 200 lbs whether or not they fought at heavyweight. But if Holyfield was around before 1980, at 190 lbs, he'd have fought at heavyweight. That's why I included him. But if anyone think a welterweight could have upset Ali or Holmes, they are welcome to include him. Of course, we will all be expecting him to show his work

I.E. if someone thinks that Floyd Mayweather circa 2006 could upset a circa 1980 Larry Holmes, then they can include him, but there will be lots of follow up questions.