92 Larry Holmes (Holy fight) vs Prime Deontay Wilder (2018-2020)

I’m sorry but I have to go with wilder. Yes I know Larry was leagues more skilled and showed he could still fight at 42. But he was always prone to getting hit with lethal right hands. Mercer had him badly wobbled with a big shot that same year. Larry might bid well for a while and frustrate wilder but I just don’t think Holmes could take too many of those big rights all night long and not at that age

 

I would take prime Larry without a second thought but old Larry wasn't nearly as mobile. With that said,
Old Larry beat Mercer and gave Holyfiled and McCall all that they could handle and I think those guys are all better than Wilder. Wilder's only shot is to KO Holmes which obviously could happen, but I wouldn't bet on it. Holmes was gritty dude and only Tyson was able to ice him. He climbed off the deck against Shavers and was one proud dude would likely jab Wilder's head off all the while Larry would be talking ****.

 

I don’t think Wilder would take the fight but he could win it… Holmes I’m not sure what route he’d need to take to win, Wilder has pretty good gas, extremely explosive etc just overall an athlete I think it’s possible Holmes outboxes Wilder he’d have about as much of a clue as McCall, Holyfield and Mercer all of which seemed to run out of ideas very quickly lol old age is what made those fights interesting… I don’t know how well Old Holmes could recover from a Shavers moment.

 

Yup. He's not surviving another scare like he did against Shavers 13 years prior. Sadly, I predict this forum would pick today's Holmes to beat any version of Wilder.

 

Holmes stops him inside 12. Wilder never dealt with a higher ring IQ.

I'm not sure Deontay'd actually land square enough to force a knockdown. McCall hit him with looked like the same right he corpsed Lewis with and Larry had to hold on but made it.

 

Holmes was very tricky in his comeback he adapted his style to make up for no longer having his legs anymore and rarely got hit with a flush punch even Holyfield said he had alot of trouble landing cleanly on Holmes. I still think Holmes even at 42 years old could out point Wilder based on his performances vs Mercer, Holyfield, but he would have to fight a very smart fight because Wilder's best punch Holmes could be vulnerable to and it's a very right hand no matter what you think of Wilder.

 

Yeah I think Holmes would get knocked down repeatedly until it was called off

 

Holmes has a reasonable chance here. Wilder's no chance of forcing the old man into a pace he can't handle. wilder could be glacial waiting and waiting and waiting for a chance to throw that right hand. He had little to disguise it with and it's hardly outrageous to think Holmes is going to lead on the cards. It probably pivots on whether Wilder can KO Holmes. If guys do get up and display some smarts Wilder is a pretty average finisher and gases fast, for a time. Can an aged Holmes recover and survive being badly hurt? I cannot see him being stopped by one right hand. He's had trouble with right hands but going in he knows how big a punch it is and he knows it's all he has to worry about, and he knows he has to worry all night.

Did Wilder even beat anyone as good as 92 Holmes? Ortiz always gets thrust forth but how good was he, really? Wilders a genuine one trick pony and i have trouble picking him against skillful guys that can really take it and win.

This is a hard fight to visualize.

 

I think Wilder gets underrated at times on here but Holmes was just much better than Wilder really. I can see Holmes getting the decision after being knocked down once or twice IMO.

Holmes was still pretty good in 1992.

 

I think this is what it comes down to John can Wilder finish off Holmes if he gets him in trouble.

Wilder has a devastating right hand that can put mostly anyone in trouble but the question is can he finish off upper echelon opponents ? And I think there is doubt in regards to that.

Wilder is a bit too sloppy and I can envision a similar scenario with Holmes getting decked like he did vs Shavers but Wilder being too sloppy to actually finish the job.

 

I really want to say Holmes here. I really do. But he always kind of had a thing for getting hit by right hands. Going up against Wilder? That could end badly.

 

Absolutely right, Goo.
Not a good fight for Larry at all.
I can see him really hurting the old fella.

 

Wilder by late stoppage

 

I agree. Holmes was not a defensive master. He often held his hands low and was vulnerable to the right after jabbing even in his prime. Vs a 6'6 guy with long arms?

Wilder does not need to disguise anything. We know he is a one trick pony. Its just a hell of a trick and quite hard to avoid if you are 42 with slow feet and a low guard.

Wilder tko 9