Did Holmes have a bum of the month?

I don’t know if he was busy enough to declare that kind of title plus while he fought his fair share of second raters, there were usually some decent foes intertwined in to his schedule

 

Jersey Joe was easily one of Louis’ best title defenses.

 

It’s a fair point. There was another recent thread about his best win, and it’s telling that despite twenty title defenses, his wins over Norton and Mercer came up a lot. Other than that, it was Cooney and Spinks that were mentioned. Of course, he’s far from unique in that regard when it comes to champs with long reigns.

 

The bum of the month phrase comes from 1941 where he defended his title 7 months in a row. It was not meant to criticize his competition. It was about the literal calender. If you take out Louis's weaker title opponents(Paycheck,Musto, Roper, Dorazio, McCoy) he still has 20 title defenses not to mention the 2 BBBC ones and his 15 rounders before winning the belt like Baer, Carnera and Uzcudin. Louis's resume is beyond immaculate.

Holmes its more about the competition. He actually has the record for most undefeated title opponents(at least at HW) but that was because they were green prospects he fought as soon as they became top HWs. Holmes was considerably younger than Alis generation except Foreman who was gone. Most of his would be rivals were considerably younger than him and thus he was facing unbeaten prospects as soon as they hit the scene. They were worthy title contenders(and if he'd lasted to defend against Tyson, Tyson would have fit this mold). What was missing was the credible number 1 contender who was a serious rival who Holmes would get credit for beating due to their accolades beforehand.

 

I think the idea of the bum of the month was that Louis had cleaned out the division of logical contenders, and would fight whoever wanted a shot in rapid order.

Holmes never cleaned out the division.

So no, two different things.

 

Nah, people underrate the 80s cuz 90% of boxing “fans” get hateboners anything mike tyson related or are lewis dickriders which like the overhype 90s bums like ray mercer and HIVpackwatched Morrison LOLz

Holmes was simply much more skilled than everyone and all time great for a reason. Even 90s holmes won 4 rounds against a peak holyfield.

 

Witherspoon wasn’t a bad win. Shavers was a hard puncher. Carl Williams was also a pretty skilled boxer much more skilled than the bum shannon briggs who lewis driders often bring up on his resume like it’s some elite level win LOL

 

There’s a lot of Goldilocks criticism of Holmes’ reign.

“This one is too young, this one is too old” and of course to the critics, not a single contender is “just right.”

Fighting up-and-coming next-generation rising stars is something to criticize? He’s the old man and he’s supposed to wait until they stay in the oven until he’s even older? Hey, as the OP noted, they were worthy title contenders. I’ll credit Holmes for fighting them while they’re completely in their physical primes. If he fought old guys instead, we’d just hear how washed up they were.

 

Did he look much more skilled than a green Witherspoon in their fight? How about Weaver? Holmes didn’t even clean out the division in a seven year reign where also-rans were the norm. He is the most over-rated “under-rated” Champ of all-time.

 

Lol “green”, so funny. He started declining by that time he peaked in 1980

 

Later on yes.

 

Witherspoon was in decline by the time he fought Holmes, was he? Wow that makes Tyson’s prime look positively eternal, then.

 

No, holmes was declining.

FYI “green witherspoon” was hundred times the fighter any of the bums who were prime that lennox lewis fought. It’s lennox lewis who’s the most overrated “underrated” champion of all time.

 

I don’t know what Lewis has to do with anything but we can agree about him another day. Holmes was declining by 1980? Nonsense. Based on what? 78-82 was the best he ever looked, & Witherspoon had not even had fifteen fights to his name yet.