I pick Usyk in most h2h matchups but I think Holmes is just a bad style for him. I can’t see Usyk getting a rhythm going with a perfect jab constantly being sprayed. Add in the fact that Usyk is at a slight reach disadvantage and open for Holmes’ sharp right hands. Both are great on their feet, but I’d give the edge to Holmes in this matchup.
I would need to see Usyk against a couple or three more top contenders to make the call. As it stands, I'd have to go with Holmes.
Who exactly has Usyk beaten at heavyweight to make you think he'd beat a consensus top 10 heavyweight of all time?
Agreed,this fight would be an all-time classic.Right now I would expect Holmes to win,as I regard Holmes to be among the top 3 heavyweight-champions in history.Who knows what Usyk might achieve before he retires ? In the future he might be right up there with Larry Holmes in the ATG rankings.
Joshua is a very good fighter, and he would have title hopes in any era. Usyk dominating him and beating him a second time shows that he most likely could be competitive vs at least most great heavyweights historically.
People taking about Holmes being a "bad style matchup for Usyk" lol (let's not even go into factors like advanced PED's and Usyk being very familiar with the Holmes' style, with Holmes having little to no experience the other way). Remind me how many southpaws Holmes fought in 75 pro fights? Am I wrong in saying it's a big fat 0? So he had no pro experience there at all. Was he ducking them or were there very few around? Either way Holmes would be unprepared for even a decent one, let alone the best ever. We know that Holmes fought a 5'10, 205 lbs, future journeyman southpaw in the amateurs and Holmes was KO'd twice: KO3 and TKO1. Those were his only KO losses as an amateur. Holmes wasn't a big puncher, so you couldn't even give him a theoretical punchers chance against the iron-chinned Usyk if he was losing the pointfighting match. Usyk is the best southpaw heavyweight of all time. He's 6'3, 220 lbs at heavyweight, same height as Holmes (who was big in his era) and if anything heavier, with minimal bodyfat. And probably the two most accomplished southpaw heavyweights prior to Usyk were 90's ex-sub-cruisers but they still beat top heavyweights Holyfield and Vitali. - One of Holyfield's five losses in his 30's was to southpaw Moorer - One of Vitali's two losses was to southpaw Byrd - One of Wlad's four losses in his 20's and 30's was to southpaw Sanders - Two of Joshua's three losses have come against southpaw Usyk 5/14 or 36%: southpaws have beaten top heavyweights at 2-3 times the rate of orthodox fighters. - Even in defeat southpaws are often among the most competitive and dangerous opponents: Thompson vs Wlad 1, Ortiz vs Wilder 1, Wallin vs Fury (and Wlad, Wilder and Fury all had a lot of southpaw experience)
Uh, your using Joshua as a yard stick for beating Larry Holmes? The number of all time heavy's that would execute Joshua is longer than Andy Ruiz's grocery list
Eh… it’s not that long! Solid 250lbs, 6’6 with an Olympic Gold pedigree with good skills, fast hands, well above average power and nasty finisher on top of all that. Joshua isn’t an all time world beater but he’s not the punching bag of past eras some of you NOW make him out to be. If Michael Spinks could outbox Holmes twice and arguably Norton and Witherspoon doing the same… I like Usyk’s chances. What southpaw did Larry Lisp face anywhere near Usyk’s level??? Usyk by UD
Solid arguments all round so far. I do see Usyks activity and movement giving LH problems. However, the power edge has to go to LH, and his jab is heavy and accurate, Usyk has never faced that level of power and accuracy before.
Holmes fought one southapaw in the amateurs and was stopped. The southpaw stance takes Larry's jab away, and it is an easy night for Olekdandr the Great.
