Why is Holyfield considered a top 5 HW?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by MoneyMay1, Aug 18, 2021.



  1. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I’ll disagree with that. Plenty have a better list.
     
  2. Rumsfeld

    Rumsfeld Moderator Staff Member

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    Fair enough. I wasn't trying to imply you can't reasonably rate him as such. But, based on my personal observations, he generally tends to place in the lower half of the Top 10 or just outside of it.
     
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  3. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    These things are somewhat subjective. Who, other than Ali, would you say?
     
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  4. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Def Louis. And definitely subjective. He has an excellent resume for sure. He reminds me of guys like Charles Patterson Walcott. He took a lot of Ls but he fought everyone and built up excellent resumes like those guys! and for that deserves a high ranking. It’s just where to rank him? There is an argument for top ten. Even top five if you stretch it. I just don’t have him there. His best wins are Bowe, Tyson, Foreman, Holmes Moorer. Despite Foreman n Holmes being old they were still good but the names pop so looks little better then maybe it is? Take a guy like Charles that has Louis Walcott Bivins Moore Ray Maxim Layne etc guys like them are tough to rank because they have so many good wins but took some Ls along the way. Just my opinion could beat the best but lose to lesser fighters
     
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  5. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Top 5 is a stretch. But top 10 is well earned. Evander “ the real deal “ Holyfield is the heavyweight division’s only five time champion and a man who rose from yet a lighter weight class before achieving this feat... in his travels he has beaten Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, James Douglas, Michael Moorer, Michael Dokes, Hasim Rahman, Ray Mercer, John Ruiz and resurgent versions of Larry Holmes and George Foreman. While it’s true that some of the aforementioned men were outside of prime when he met them, they were ALL still in very good standing in the division and in some cases met Evander when HE was past his best as well. Holyfield is a true ATG and will always be a symbol of courage and perseverance to me.
     
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  6. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I have always thought Charles is the single most underrated heavyweight champ.
     
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  7. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Think Charles could have hung with anyone. Might need some PEDS to even the field like every “modern” fighter but he’d do well in any era. I always feel like putting him top ten like Holy but always leave him just out. Think those Ls just stick w the mind to much.
     
  8. Joeywill

    Joeywill Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Because he avenged his loses to Bowe and Moorer. Fought top competition time and time again. Beat Buster Douglas for the undisputed title (knocked out), beat George Foreman (a better win in retrospect), beat Larry Holmes after Holmes had just beaten Ray Mercer (a better win in retrospect), beat Mercer who arguably beat Lennox Lewis, dominated Mike Tyson who was not shot (considered the best heavyweight in the world at the time. Its actually hilarious how people call Mike Tyson washed now but at the time he was a massive favorite. Also made Mike Tyson quit in the rematch. He destroyed Moorer who was IBF champion at the time. Almost beat Lennox in the rematch.

    On top of that he really should've been the oldest heavyweight champion after he fought Valuev and got robbed.

    Great longevity and he fought Bowe, Tyson and Lewis all close to their prime (Mike was not prime but still very good). In fact, he's the only one of the 4 to face the other 3.
     
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  9. CroBox29

    CroBox29 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Holyfield went from cruiserweight to heavyweight, was successful and had significant victories, he certainly deserves to be at least in the Top 10...
     
  10. Shay Sonya

    Shay Sonya The REAL Wonder Woman! Full Member

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    I come from a boxing fan family. My Grandfather ranks Evander Holyfield #3 all time. My Dad ranks him #5. I have him at #8. He certainly has a lot of impressive names on his record and some impressive names on his win list as well!
     
  11. ipswich express

    ipswich express Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Calling Mike washed when Holyfield beat him is complete revisionism. Tyson was a raging favourite in the first and still the favourite in the second. I'm pretty sure The Ring had Holyfield at #3 all time after those wins, though I'd need to dig that issue out again.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2021
  12. Entaowed

    Entaowed Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    I agree that losses when you have achieved a great deal & are well past your prime should not count much against you.
    But nobody hangs with everyone weighing in the 180's.
    We do not know how much PEDs would add-a fighter like Marciano would lose endurance & workrate.

    Also just like it is completely naive to assume nobody not caught ever used PEDs, it is an extreme & unsupported position to believe on the mirror-image but cynical lack of faith that anything like all modern fighters drug up & are cheaters & liars.
    We have no good information of whether it is even the majority that used regularly or dabbled.
     
  13. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member Full Member

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  14. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    I've got him at around 7or 8.
    I watched him from his cruiser weight days up.
    I actually never thought he'd be that successful at Heavyweight as mad as that sound.
    I saw how he loved to war in his cruiser days and didn't see him being able to do that with the big boys!
    Glad to say proven wrong.
     
  15. Bah Lance

    Bah Lance Active Member banned Full Member

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    I suppose if your a troll and crap all over his best wins and grossly exaggerate any struggle he might have...it's pretty hard to see why anyone would rate him so high.

    I think Evander gets overrated because the 90s are overrated....but this thread is crap.