Holmes rates himself as #1 & Says he'd have beaten prime Muhammad Ali

People think that Holmes was just jealous of Ali and all the praise and attention that he got and there's a lot of truth in that but then he has always been consistent in his claims when pressed that he would have got the better of Ali had they met at their best. Even when Ali died and everyone was saying how great he was and the best ever heavyweight,Holmes praised Ali as a great fighter and a great man who influenced him so much but he actually stopped short of calling him the greatest heavyweight.

 

Holmes was a great, but I think he comes in number 2 or 3 if Foreman ,Frazier and Ali added him. I think his style beats Foreman. but Frazier. I am not sure. Ali, no.

 

losing to Spinks a lightheavyweight 2 times at any age, and then to Tyson in 4.. I don't think so. He was a great fighter, but had he fought better guys in his prime I think he loses. Spinks should not have beaten him.. No matter what.

 

Holmes is TOP 5 ATG in my opinion.But Ali wins a close decision in my opinion
Even though Holmes was a more complete fighter than Ali.But Ali's speed and natural ability would edge it

 

It is funny you bring up the Spinks fight. Past prime Holmes beat him convincingly in the rematch.

 

He had but a fraction of Ali's talent and Ali had all the necessary intangilbles to match Holmes in that department.

Ali glides in and out for a clear UD.

 

I think this is overstating Ali's case.

 

not really. Spinks still won that fight in my mind and went 15. Spinks proved he was the greater fighter in those fights. Holmes was a big man and couldn't knock out Spinks and lost 2 decisions.

 

he'd grab one oout of three, but no way is he going to take the other two against the intelligence and adaptability of MA.

i see that hes not scared to open his bigmouth again now Ali's gone.

 

Wouldnt suprise me at all. I have Holmes in my top 3 at HW

 

not going to hold having confidence against him. He thinks hes no1 then great, he was a great fighter, good on him. I disagree though. Hes certainly up there IMO

 

I think technique would beat Larry.. I think he was great, and his jab was great in the 1980s besides Hearns, but I don't think he was the greatest.

 

He certainly had a very heavy jockstrap. Even Rocky Marciano couldn't carry it.

Holmes is top 10 in my book. KO'd some good HW's like Mike Weaver, Ernie Shavers (got up
from a massive knockdown), Snipes, Cooney, Witherspoon, Bonecrusher. I think he got
robbed in Spinks II.

He suffered by being the champ after Ali. And he didn't help himself with some of his dumb ass
comments. But he had an ATG jab, and his bout with Norton proved he had heart, much to the
chagrin of Gil Clancy.

 

It seems similar to what happened to all the World Chess Champions that have followed Bobby Fisher. None have as yet been able to elicit the popularity and appeal that his personality briefly had on the public. Ali was not an easy act to follow for Holmes that's for sure.


Interesting clip

This content is protected