Holmes starts out by pumping the jab at a bobbing and weaving Tyson. Tyson consistently slips the jab and unleashes wide hooks and arching overhand rights. Tyson's shots are not straight, but Holmes is so concerned with getting out of the way that he does not effectively counter most of these shots. Tyson continuosly bores inside, where Holmes ties him up effectively. Holmes does not have the foot speed to box around Tyson and must rely on tying him up and wrestling on the inside until the referee makes them break up. The pattern remains the same for a few rounds. Around the 7th round, Larry jabs and Tyson slips it. Larry drops his left hand and Tyson comes over the top with a brutal right hand. Larry collapses in a heap on the canvas. He beats the count and the bell rings. Larry is still somewhat shaken when the bell rings for round 8. Tyson attacks him relentlessly and gets close enough to land a big left hook. Larry goes down, but this time there is still over two minutes left in the round. He beats the count and tries desperately to cling to Tyson to buy time, similarly to the way Thomas Hearns hugged James Kinchen as if he was his woman. Tyson throws him off and the referee rightly rules a slip. In reality, Holmes' legs are gone. Tyson rushes in for the kill shot and gets it with a devastating overhand right landing flush. Holmes collapses and tries mightily to beat the count. But, he just misses it and Tyson is ruled a KO winner with less than 1:00 left in the 8th round.
I think that Tyson would force Holmes to fight exactly as he did and Holmes would get knocked out. The problem was that at that stage Tyson not only had devastating power but blinding speed as well. So once on the inside such high velocity shots were virtually impossible to see coming. Holmes knew this and tried to tie him up on the inside and keep him at arm's length. However, in being so preoccupied to avoid getting KOD he had to sacrifice his own offensive output. That meant that a relatively unhurt Tyson wasn't discouraged from plunging in. So the strategy was double edged and one of the edges proved fatal to Holmes.
I agree....Holmes weathers the inevitable initial storm, and a couple of dangerous moments in the mid rounds. Holmes then begins to take control. Tyson up 5 rounds to 3, but Holmes closes strong down the stretch taking a 7-5 decision
Cus educated Tyson on how to beat fighters like Holmes. A prime battle sees Holmes employ the same strategy but opening up more, landing more but also getting tagged in return, even more so than their actual battle. Holmes would ultimately fail in a fight for the ages. Tyson KO 8 Holmes.
Tyson by KO. Holmes was caught by a big right hand by Shavers and Snipes. In his prime. There's no reason why Tyson could not catch Holmes with his right hand like he did in 1988. I really don't see what more Holmes could have done in 1988. He just didn't have the speed to keep running away. A prime Holmes probably could, but if he did that, Holmes would give away rounds and lose on points. Holmes didn't have the punching power to immediatley get Tyson's respect. If he got aggressive with Tyson like he did in round 4, see here: This content is protected Tyson would eventually land his right. But unlike Shavers and Snipes, Tyson was one of the greatest heavyweight finishers there ever was. I would pick prime Holmes to beat the other disciple of Cus, Floyd Patterson
Very dangerous fight for Larry, But I think Larry would wear down Tyson and knock him out. Tyson has a good chance to do the same to Larry of course, but I'lll go with Holmes
I vary between a Holmes decision and Saad's prediction. i am starting to lean more toward the latter lately. Holmes wouldn't have the two handed power to make too many trades worthwhile so he'd be stuck with boxing. Even at his finest there was barely a fight where Larry didn't swap leather quite a bit. He fought flat footed more than many realise. His best chance would to be evasive early and try to win some of the rounds with his excellent jab and ward off Tyson's early frenzy. This would take a fair bit out of him as Tyson was no Shavers, he was a dynamic talented chaser with two handed power and the ability to hit various targets. Holmes tho was a warrior and wouldn't die wondering. I think Tyson hurts him at some point and would finish him unlike Witherspoon, Snipes, Weaver and co. Tyson is one helluva finisher.
I lean towards Holmes but I think it's a very tough fight. As said before, Tyson had been trained for years on how to fight Holmes, specifically to time and land that right hand, which almost cost him dearly against Snipes and Shavers, and also got him hurt against Weaver. Obviously, a prime Holmes is harder to time than a 1988 Holmes, but not out of the question, and Tyson was a terrific finisher. If I had to pick though I think I would lean towards Holmes winning a decision or stopping Tyson late. Obviously Holmes's jab and straight right would be key, along with mixing in uppercuts as well.
Holmes had more than enough power in his under rated right cross to discourage Tyson from simply rushing in even if he was able to evade the jab. The problem in 1988 was Holmes was just too old and slow to match Tyson's speed and just couldn't pull the trigger fast enough and connect with his right hand and anyone who's unable to discourage and hold off Tyson is just a KO waiting to happen.
Prime or not not Douglas had a beautiful blue print on beating Tyson. Douglas wasnt half the fighter Holmes was
I think prime Holmes would wear down a tired and bruised Tyson in the later rounds and stop him. Tyson would be ahead on points after 6 rounds, putting some hurtful pressure on Holmes early on, then Holmes would start to take over more and hurt him.
