Underrated reason why Holmes was the best of his era

Discipline, think about it, Holmes lived the life of a true athlete, sacrifice, there were other decent fighters in that era, but succumbed to their desires, Dokes: Drugs, Pinklon Thomas: Drugs, Cooney: Alcohol, Page: food, Witherspoon: Food.
Holmes was one of the only ones who made the sacrifices necessary to be the best version you can be, and that may have actually made the difference over having one great night of boxing or having a great career.

 

I mean, isn't that just accepted knowledge? There were others with as much raw talent as him. He just happened to be the only stable, consistent one without self destructive tendencies.

 

I've been saying that since I've been here. It's blatantly obvious.

It's not that he lacked talent, he had plenty, but the guys around him that had talent as well self sabotaged on a regular basis. It takes more than talent to be a great fighter.

 

Well, I agree.

That also shows how the current HW era sucks by comparison.

Think how a half cooked, drunk, fat, lazy, undisciplined Tyson Fury "dominated" the HW division for years, until he crossed paths with a guy who takes boxing seriously...

 

Mental strength .. Holmes survived the abuse and manipulation of the Don King era when so many gave in and gave up ... he didn't turn to drugs or any other default ... he hung in.

 

So he cleared the lowest bar possible for greatness, & had the extraordinary good fortune to be in a (upto that point) rare era where his contemporaries didn’t.

 

Larry was a sort of transitional bridge between late 70s and late 80s, a period where in comparative terms there was less competition.

But It doesnt mean Larry was just a lucky dog who hit the only era where he could possibly become Champion.

IMO had Larry fought in the late 60s - early 70s there is a fair chance he becomes champion at least for a while. Larry in the 50s has an even bigger chance of being champion.

And in the current mediocre era Larry would be a multiple belts champion hands down.

 

Your gimmick is getting tiresome.

Find some new material.

 

I notice you didn’t opt for, “You’re wrong.”

 

Like a lot of great fighters, he has become inflated to illogical heights. I couldn’t disagree with any of your points here, though.

 

Agree... it's boring at this point. The personal hatred is so over the top it's ridiculous and childlike

 

Yet accurate & factually responsible.

 

Not even a little bit

 

You’d think he’d go after all the countless criminals and genuinely terrible people in boxing with his whining but instead he goes for a straight shooter, best of his era, good guy who loves the fans lol.

 

Larry was a professional. Period.

Reasonable people can disagree (hopefully without being disagreeable) on his historical standing.

I’ve spoken my piece that I think only Ali and Louis were better.