The Holmes that was knocked out by Tyson vs the Holmes that lost to Holyfield

Holmes had a lot of ring rust when he fought Tyson. When he came back in 91 he fought a bunch of warm up bouts to shake off the rust.
I'm going to pick the 1992 Holyfield version of Holmes over the 1988 version. Simply because he had been more active.
I still think 1988 Tyson ko's 1992 Holmes in the later rounds.

 

I think Holmes does a little better, but Mike would land to the body and slow him down and stop him in about 6 or 7.. Mike against Larry is always Larry's jab and counter right against Mike's body punching.

 

Is this the Holmes that got kod by Tyson v the one that lost to Holyfield??
If so, then I'll say Holmes that lost to Holy. He was more prepared, fitter, in a better place.

 

Holmes was training 18 months straight for Tyson. Don't be fooled.

Tyson was a class apart back then while he still cared.

 

Younger Holmes, obviously.

Dokes had a classic war with Holyfield, and Ruddock put him in orbit right after that.

Holyfield went 12 with Stewart after Tyson mopped the floor with him.

Holyfield had a war with Cooper after Riddick Bowe disposed of him.

 

Any version of older Holmes still gets knocked out, because at the end of the day, Holmes couldn't block them all, and Tyson had that freakish power to take him out. The punches that Holy and Mercer landed against Larry but he was able to withstand would be punches that put him down against Tyson. No one hit like Tyson. But perhaps a more fight-sharp version of Holmes lasts longer. Perhaps a less fight sharp Tyson takes longer to get him. But get him, sometime, somewhere, he most likely would.

 

While it is possible older Holmes punch resistance might be a bit better seeing how he was able to absorb shots when he fought Holyfield and Mercer, his legs would ultimately fail him. By this time, he spent a good portion of rounds standing in a corner counterpunching. He would not be able to get away with that against Tyson who is known to destroy fighters along the ropes.

 

Tyson ends up destroying either version. On one hand he may have been rusty but he was also younger.

 

They say a lot of things. Holmes didn't get any younger and Tyson was at his best and all over him like a fat kid on a cupcake.

 

Eh I'll take Tyson again via KO.

 

Tyson beats both versions. Holmes, even an old version, just had the style to beat Holyfield and Mercer.

 

Obviously the tune-up fights would have made some sort of a difference.
Holmes came into the Tyson fight off a 21 month layoff and a retirement.
He would have given Tyson a better fight had he stayed active and fought at least a couple of extra fights in 1986-'87.
He couldn't have won at that age, but it would have been a better performance.

 

Well, the tune-up fights helped him prepare.
But Ray Mercer just wasn't much good, nowhere near Tyson's level.
And the Holyfield-Holmes fight really wasn't close, Holmes did well in a few of the early rounds and then Holyfield took over and won very clearly.