Holmes all day in this one. I have Larry as an all time top five heavyweight that could compete in any era. Klitschko was smart and used his size and length to beat mostly ordinary guys. Holmes was not ordinary at all. Holmes by mid to late round stopage.
Holmes. Better jab. Better movement. Better chin. wouldn’t let wlad set up his right. Wlad would freeze
Nowadays, I'd say the ref steps in about round 6-8 to save Wlad on his feet, taking too much punishment. In prime Holmes' time, I think Klitschko gets properly KO'd soon after that. And it wouldn't be pretty.
Vlad by KO - Vlads right hand and jab but the right hand would get to Holmes at some point in the fight- other than Tyson Holmes never fought a complete experienced fighter like Vlad or a right hand puncher with follow up. If we are talking prime versions of both men I would pick Vlad
Holmes schools him. Wins the jab battle and it's all down hill for Wlad. Holmes a complete package while Wlad was a modern day clutch and grabber
What! Did you just say Hokmes never fought a complete experienced fighter like Vlad? Norton, M. Spinks, Holyfield, Weaver, Mercer, Smith, L.Spinks, Witherspoon and Ali were not complete fighter's? Multiple world champions and Olympic Gold medalist in there. I agree that Vlad is a very good heavyweight but if anyone is going down and not getting back up it's Vlad. Holmes always pulled himself off the floor and had balls and heart galore. Vlad is too stiff to beat Larry.
Holmes wins something like 9-3 in a 12 round fight and quite possibly stops Wlad late in a 15 round one.
I'd take Holmes, but I don't think it would be easy or straightforward by any means. Bear with me. Holmes' jab deserves all the plaudits it gets, but he was open to a good jab himself. The Witherspoon and Williams (especially the latter) fights show that Holmes could be outjabbed at times, although I'll accept he was sliding by the time he fought Williams. For all my criticisms of Wladimir, he was capable of producing jabbing clinics, such as against Chagaev where he was timing and placing it perfectly. It's a given that Holmes can hurt Wlad, but I'd expect Holmes to be hurt once or twice along the way by Wladimir's right cross at some stage, even if he throws nothing else behind it. Holmes was sometimes a bit too casual about his defence and given that guys such as Weaver, Witherspoon and Williams all hurt him or had him in genuine bother (never mind the knockdown recoveries against Shavers and Snipes), I don't think he's going to avoid getting rocked at least a couple of times along the way here. It's not as if Holmes really liked fighting inside or out of the clinches, either. Wladimir will probably have plenty of success leaning on him, tying him up etc. when he needs to buy himself a breather. Aside from those brilliant few rounds of rope-a-dope against Mercer, I don't remember Holmes really doing much of his best work right at close quarters. The reassuring factors for Holmes are his recuperative powers, his fantastic footwork and his natural fitness and durability over the long haul, all of which blow Wlad's out of the water. I mentioned yesterday that against anyone with big power or genuine class, Wladimir fights negatively and looks to make it scrappy, so even if he does hurt Holmes I don't think he's got the adventurousness or killer instinct to go for the finish, and Holmes recovers too well to be taken out or become disheartened by one big shot at a time. Wladimir was never much of a body puncher in his peak (because that required getting a bit closer to his opponent than he'd like) so I don't see him slowing Holmes' legs and movement down all that much, and I think Holmes would be the fresher man in the championship rounds. Holmes' right cross was pretty tasty itself, and deceptively quick. He was also a much better adapter than Wladimir, who struggles if he can't physically impose himself on his opponent. Holmes would still adapt and find a new way to win when the fight went off-script: Shavers II, Witherspoon and Williams (though that decision was questionable) etc. where he had to turn from boxer to brawler or win a fight on right crosses and body shots once his jab had failed and so on. I think Holmes, characteristically, has an almighty struggle here, but finds a way. Just a bit too rounded in the end for Wladimir and, crucially, has an advantage in a couple of intangibles which will see him through. Holmes by late stoppage, with the scores pretty much even when he gets it.