Larry Holmes Circa 1980 Versus Mike Tyson Circa 1986

Who wins?

 

Maybe Tyson was just a stylistic nightmare for Holmes but I do think Holmes was coming off a two year layoff and had obviously slipped over the previous 2-3 years of his title reign before that so I don’t think it would be a repeat of what we saw in 1988.

Holmes was such a wily fighter that I think the 1980 version would find a way to survive the early onslaught in a way the 1988 version couldn’t and would battle his way back from the brink. Once he did that, he would take Tyson into uncertain territory and neutralise his aggression.

I predict that 86 Tyson would survive the fight but Holmes would edge the decision. However, I say all this without that much confidence in my prediction.

 

Possible FOTY,maybe plays out like Holmes vs Norton.

 

I favor Tyson to get him in the midrounds when he comes off his toes. It's certainly an open fight tho.

 

As I've always said I'm a big Holmes fan but I feel like Tyson is a bad match up for Holmes. As I've said repeatedly Cus D'Amato had specifically trained Tyson to beat Holmes as was preparing Tyson to take on Holmes when he was champion. And he see the weakness in Holmes that he could occasionally get complacent when he jabbed and was open to right hand counters. And that's actually what Tyson did in their actual fight countering Holmes with the right hand over the jab and flooring him.

But saying all that I do give Holmes a chance if he can extend Tyson into the 2nd half of the fight his chances of winning greatly increase as Tyson wasn't known to stop fighters late in fights and Holmes was strong down the stretch.

I make Tyson a 60/40 favourite but Holmes has a chance.

 

Holmes by decision, 9-6 as he wins most of the later rounds when Tyson tires.

 

Tyson by concussion producing power shots that leave Larry in the same state as the actual fight.

 

MOB says think Tyson-Douglas minus the KO…a whole lotta that…Larry’s tank was too big & his chin too solid…Tyson wins some early rounds but Holmes takes him deep & drowns him…UD

 

I always felt like Tyson was a bad style matchup for Holmes, you have to be able to deal with Tyson on the inside in some way and Holmes just couldn’t do that IMO.
I feel Holyfield would always have beaten Tyson, Tyson would’ve always have beaten Holmes and that Holmes would beat Holyfield prime for prime.

 

If Holmes avoids getting ktfo, then he gets a decision or later KO.

 

I don't understand how Mike is supposed to be such a bad matchup for Holmes when the 80 version was so much better in every department than the Douglas version that fought Tyson. 80 version of Holmes makes Tyson quit IMO

 

Tyson doesn't have Norton's endurance. Tyson can either beat Holmes early or not at all.

 

Always conflicted about this match-up

 

1980 Holmes is what; Shavers, Trevor Berbick Holmes? He stops 86 Tyson. 86 Tyson is who beat Blood Green and quick Tillis, Tillis gave Tyson all kinds of problems. Still lost, but some real problems.

 

Well, if you take the version of Tyson that actually beat Holmes, I'm of the opinion that peak Tyson beats any version of Holmes.

Larry, even in his late 70s-to-early 80s peak, was always vulnerable to right hands due to his habit of dropping his left after firing his jab. Mike would always have the speed and timing to capitalize on that weakness.