What was the best version of Holyfield?

Bowe 1.

Its just that he was up against a man who was just as good an in fighter whilst being a heck of a lot bigger.

 

Perhaps the version of the Douglas fight.

 

You could pick any fight from 87 to 93 imo.

 

It seems like the version of Evander who KOd Dokes and Rodriguez had quite a bit of snap and precision. So what you’re talking about isn’t out of the question. I’d give him a better chance of stopping Tyson than Bowe though. Riddick was durable and also has his size to fall back on.

 

What? He was a boxer, it's his job stay in shape. Your acting like he beat cancer. If anything Tyson was more gone than Holyfield was.

I do agree that Bowe II was his best win, but put a big * on that one as the fan man caused a 21 minute delay between rounds, making it essentially two 6 round fights. A draw would have been fair, maybe Bowe edged it by a a round. Bowe had distractions, his crazy manager pointed his security people to attack the fan man, thinking it was an assignation post ( Yes that is true ) and his wife passing out during the mayhem and being taken to the hospital, during the action.

Scorecards:
Jerry Roth, Patricia Morse Jarman, Chuck Giampa

115 - 113 Holyfield
115 -114 Holyfield
114 - 114 Draw

Punch Stats:

• 
  Bowe landed 353 of 786 punches (45 percent), and Holyfield connected on 253 of 514 (49 percent).

Um okay 1 guy lands 100 more punches, in a fight where no one was hurt and no knock downs and losses? Its very rare to lose a fight like this on the punch stats where one guy clearly landed so much more.

The scoring in the later rounds I suspect was fishy. I'd like to see the full cards, round by round.

 

Bowe was pretty fortunate to have mixed it up with a 30 yr old Holyfield (their first fight).

 

Here's an idea.

Watch the fight and score it for yourself.

 

I'd agree with that

 

Viewing that fight it's hard to take that punch stats seriously. Not sure Bowe outlanded Evander let alone by that margin. Holyfield won his rounds bigger than Bowe did. That's not suppose to be a factor unless its 10-8 worthy.

 

He was 31 in the Bowe rematch. His speed and stamina were peaking at Cruser through to Douglas. But he developed more strength and power after that. The Holyfield that stopped Tyson and Moorer was more power, stronger man than the Holyfield who lost and then beat Bowe.

Such a dedicated pro and a true great

 

Bowe 2 for me.

 

Qawi 2 through to Bowe 2 was peak Holyfield. That version was a head to head nightmare for anyone in the history of the sport. I just posted a thread containing a YouTube video analysing prime Holyfield’s qualities.

 

@Mendoza not a dig, but why so much hate on every thread mentioning Holyfield ?

 

I have. One guy threw harder punches and landed harder punches.

 

I've been on Holyfield lately, he's a fouler and a PED cheat. I do think a hall of fame fighter, but I also think he's a bit over rated and lost a bit too often vs the best he fought, and at times struggled vs less than stellar competition. He's never been in my top ten t heavyweight, spots #11-15 for me.

The data on the 2nd Bowe fight is worthy of examination. I'd like to full score cards, not just the final result.