Larry Holmes vs. Tyson Fury

Just to make another point @NoNeck lets say Fury's prime started in 2015 right ? starting with the Wladimir Klitschko fight ? he's fought a total of only 10 times in 8 years and only fought 2 opponents ranked in top 10 since Wladimir fight in Whyte, Wilder.

Holmes by comparison when his prime started in 1978 beginning with the 1st Shavers fight, up until he lost to Spinks in 1985 just 1 year short of Fury. Fought a total of 21 times and fought a total of 14 opponents ranked in the top 10.

So Holmes was alot more active and tested himself more against more world class opponents and varied styles.

Who's to say if Fury had fought the likes of Parker, Joshua, Usyk, Joyce, Zhang, Ruiz, Ortiz, Povetkin, that Fury wouldn't of had close fights or possibly lost 1 or 2 of these fights ?

 

You brought up Holmes struggling with "inferior fighters" so i brought up Fury struggling with McDermott, there was no context in your post about what stage in a fighters career. So i fail to see how McDermott is irrelevant ? you made no such claims about prime or anything of that sort so going by your logic McDermott is relevant.

And Cunningham, Wallin, are far inferior to Holmes so what's your point ?

I never made any direct comparison to Norton and Fury ? you said "inferior fighters" which i believed meant in regards to Holmes struggling to opponents much lesser than himself ?

Norton is considered a very good fighter who has a very troublesome style for boxers, i don't see that as Holmes struggling with an inferior opponent. I see that as Holmes having a competitive fight vs a top 5 Heavyweight in the 70s.

Cool then i'll bring up Tyson Fury losing to David Price in the amateurs.

 

Larry is winning this I've not a doubt.
Maybe a close one but Holmes get a decision.

 

I’ll address Wallin because it’s the only fight fight you’ve mentioned that occurred anywhere near a prime and title for Fury.

Fury totally took over the fight in round 7 and won every round after that. It wasn’t that close.

 

So now we're changing goal posts because my comment showed Fury struggled with numerous inferior fighters ? so now you strictly want to talk about prime ?

Even though the only notable fighters Fury has fought since Wladimir in 8 year period is Whyte, and Wilder 3 times who dropped him 4 times BTW.

Ok then I'll play that game let's disregard the Williams, Spinks, fights then since that was when Holmes was past his prime.

So then you have Norton who was a very good fighter better than Wallin, and you have Witherspoon another good fighter who is better than Wallin.

Getting badly cut and being on the verge of being stopped and losing 4 rounds is struggling in my book.

 

Not sure Fury would qualify as a sparring partner for Holmes let alone beat him.

 

@NoNeck You're not taking into account Holmes fought 21 times in 7 period and 14 of those opponents were ranked in top 10.

Put Fury on a similar schedule fighting as many ranked opponents as Holmes did, your telling me he wouldn't struggle maybe more so than Holmes ?

 

Holmes had too much speed and a higher punch output ... Dices Fury up ..

 

I would cheer for Holmes to take a decision but it would be a hard fight. Nothing Fury does looks pretty but let’s face it…. He’s no bum…. He’d have about 6 inches in height on Larry. Maybe 3 inches in arm length. Can move around pretty well for a man his size and box well from the outside…. He’s not a huge puncher but he CAN hurt you.. his chin and ability to go the distance are proven too. Larry COULD pull it off but he’d have to put forth the best performance of his career and even then it would be close on the cards

 

Holmes didn’t actually fight anyone as good as Wilder and an aging Wlad until he fought Tyson.

 

Holmes UD.

 

I think it is more a case of Larry's motivation to be great being the difference. He was a more motivated guy than Tyson who seems to not put as much emphasis (seemingly) on boxing as Larry did, who seemed to put his whole persona on it, as did Marvin Hagler or Thomas Hearns. Fury is almost matter of fact about it.

 

I think once Fury is in camp and then in the ring there's no difference. He's an absolute warrior, like Holmes, once he's in there. The KD he came back from in the first Wilder fight was akin to Holmes vs Shavers and he was back in control very quickly. The last Wilder fight he shook off 2 x KD's and ended up walloping him yet again.

I think the fight will be won via other factors. I favor Holmes by decision.

 

As with any fantasy fights with Fury -- what kind of ref will there be? If the Ref will let him clinch, hug, and lean at will, he's got this -- Larry hasn't got the strength or the power to make him pay for it.

If Fury is forced to box, then it becomes a solid match.

 

It's interesting to see how Fury has become the most overrated heavyweight in history ... I say this liking the guy but its absurd ... all this for beating Deontay Wilder and a edging a near catatonic , pushing forty Klitschko ..