Is Holmes over Mercer comparable to anything comeback Foreman did?

in someways, but Foreman had the power and size to make the comeback. Foreman's comeback was not astounding. It was good, but he did lose to Holyfield and Morrison before beating weak chinned guy moving up Moorer. He was given three chances to win the title. With his power, odds are he would land a punch in 3 trys.

 

I agree with where your going. Holmes was win was just as impressive. He dominated Mercer and he had fun doing it. Foreman was just as impressive regarding his determination and power. Moorer and Mercer are about the same level.

For some reason at that time I saw the Holmes upset coming a mile away. I wasn't too impressed with Ray Mercer`s skillset. He was strong and had power but somewhat crude and not that quick. I didn't see any way he was gonna get to Holmes.

 

You may be right but Holmes knows his way around a dollar. He isn't exactly struggling financially from what I understand. Holmes wanted to fight Foreman on a senior tour type of fight and Foreman wisely avoided that. If Larry is bitter it`s because that was a lot of $ he could have made.

 

There might have been money in early or mid 90's. But by 1999 both men skills levels were on fumes. The fight generated to little to no publicity from the public which is why the fight was cancelled.

 

Bump.

 

Dominated on the score cards. If you watch, when Holmes is in the corner, he lands much more often than Mercer, manages to deflect most of what Mercer is throwing. Later on the fight, when Mercer starts gassing, Holmes moves out of the corner and is fighting more like he used to, consistently beating Mercer to the punch.

 

I think this is partly why Holmes made it look relatively easy against Mercer while Lewis had a hell of a time. Lewis kept trying to KO him. Why bother? Lewis was fully capable of outboxing Mercer, yet kept trying to take his head off.

 

I’d put it on even footing with Foreman’s win over Moorer, maybe a little higher not taking into account historic significance.

Mercer could’ve beaten prime Foreman and I think he’s one of the guys Old Foreman avoided, in the same breath Moorer could’ve beaten Old Larry and might’ve turned the trick against the one who lost to Spinks, maybe err- probably not…

 

Exactly.

But Lennox was forced into the role of road warrior. And that ring was a phone booth. But Lewis sure did not have the love of the boxing media and was trying for a big ko to resurrect his career.

Holmes was not asked to do any of that. All he had to do was continue what Damiani had done for a bunch of rounds.

It is a different bout for Lennox if he makes Mercer be the road warrior and fight in a big ring in London. Then, he boxes him. Sure would not have had Marc Roberts claiming there would be no way Mercer could lose a decision pre-fight under that scenario. And the Lewis camp could have demanded all of that.

 

There’s an irony on Holmes-Mercer in that Ray had given up the WBO title he had won off Damiani and defended in brutal fashion over Tommy Morrison.

He chose the bigger payday vs. Holmes (which probably seemed like easy money given Larry’s age at the time they made that decision) over defending vs. … Michael Moorer, who at the time really had no name as a heavyweight and it would have been an interesting but not even a lower-tier PPV fight (which Holmes was).

So in a slightly different scenario, if WBO champion Mercer loses to ‘old’ Larry Holmes, the Easton Assassin becomes recognized as a two-time world champion … probably a bit moreso in retrospect looking back from now because at the time the WBO wasn’t really established or considered legit by a lot of the boxing world (outside of the UK, where it was gaining some measure of respect). But time probably helps with that so we’d look back on Larry as winning another world title today, albeit not lineal.

That would give ‘old’ Larry a piece of a world title nearly 2 years before ‘old’ George got his. And less tan a year after Foreman lost to Holyfield. I think it’s entirely possible had Larry captured the WBO belt off Mercer that Holmes-Foreman does happen for that bauble.

 

Definitely. The Mercer performance was impressive throughout, just lacked George's 'achievement'. Larry always seemed to want that 'Geezer' fight with George back in the 1990s and I tipped him to win at the time should they meet (I think he beats Foreman on their best day too).

 

It's an interesting question because Holmes was looked at as both old and damaged goods after being destroyed by Tyson .. this time, of course, he had fights and got into good shape for his age .. Mercer was actually at his high point, undefeated and coming off big victories over Damiani and Morrison ... it was an old ex-champ upsetting a young gun ... I say it's most on part with Foreman's upset of Moorer ... both old guys used their particular skills to win ...

 

Thank god your not a judge.

 

I agree. I always thought Larry would stay outside and box George for UD. Axel Schultz and Tommy Morrison showed that he was very beatable as long as you didn't stay in the kitchen too long. Larry was too savvy and smart to slug with George.

 

He came within whisker of beating McCall for the world title, that would of equalled Foreman's achievement. Holmes did seem to have it in the bag until McCall rallied late to edge a close decision.

I always felt that Foreman didn't really fancy fighting Holmes in the 90s, because he knew he was a bad style match up.