Figuring Out Larry Holmes' Peak

I have read some varying estimations here, and I'm curious as to what folks consider to be the boss years of the Easton Assassin!

For me it's '78 to '83, with the absolute peak about 1980. After Cobb things started unravelling faster...in fact, in a way the Cobb fight was the last we saw of the legendary Larry Holmes besides that undeniable 9th round against Witherspoon.

 

It's true, Holmes was so amazing in that fight....against a man beyond fighting. But I don't think anyone besides a prime Ali and Louis could have beaten him that night (I still hold out for a possible FOTC Frazier of course).

 

Those would all be awesome.

 

Liston...do you mean the Floyd Patterson-annihilating Liston? Because that's something to think about.

 

I think Liston, Tyson, and Foreman are great and perfectly valid ideas, but their styles just seem perfect for Larry. He'd stop each of them inside 10 rounds, and I'm talking the 1980 super-hyped up Larry.

That said, I think all three of the above would have a good chance of knocking Larry down...but that was at times just what Larry needed to come blazing back with his championship heart and courage.

I think FOTC Joe quite possibly beats Larry...but I see the pre and post FOTC Joe getting stopped inside of 9. Joe would have to eat a harder. heavier left jab than Ali's ever was (of course not as fast and accurate). Both he and Tyson couldn't take the right uppercut Larry wielded, much less the heavy jab and foot movement.

 

This is an interesting idea. I see Larry as being off paper a two time champ (and back then it meant a LOT more, as only Floyd and Ali did it)...to me that second fight was an example of shockingly erroneous and just downright biased scoring and can be taken about as seriously a decision as Foreman-Briggs.