Can You Make A Case For Holmes Above Louis?

I have it Ali, Louis and Holmes and IMO there’s a spread between 1/2 and 3 so no.

 

No case can be made.

 

I really don't think you can unless you pretend he beat Ali in his prime. I think getting Holmes into the top 5 is near impossible with Foreman, Wlad and Lennox in the picture. Theres also Tunney, Dempsey, Wills, Liston, Langford giving him stiff competition for a top 10 spot.

 

Greatness - You'd be better off making a case for Jimmy Wilde to beat Valuev

Head 2 Head - Yes, i personally think Louis beats Holmes, but if you were to say the opposite i wouldn't complain.

 

Holmes above Louis? I like Larry but Computer says NO.

 

Of course you can.

 

Larry Holmes: Ken Norton, Ray Mercer, Tim Witherspoon, Gerry Cooney, James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith, Mike Weaver, Earnie Shavers x2, Carl Williams, a decent boogeyman in Jesse Ferguson whilst being mid 40s, Renaldo Snipes

Joe Louis: Max Schmeling, Max Baer, Jersey Joe Walcott, LHW Billy Conn x2, Primo Carnera, Braddock, washed Jack Sharkey, Bob Pastor,

I put x2 on fights where both wins were legit,

This is a lot closer than many would think and there is a case for Holmes having a better all around resume, I think their best win respectively is similar, Louis’ being Walcott and Holmes’ being Norton, but I scored that fight to Norton and Louis dealt with Walcott legitimately in the rematch.

I’d pick Norton to beat Walcott, Ray Mercer and Tim Witherspoon to breath Schmeling and Baer, Cooney to beat Carnera, Snipes and Williams to beat Pastor.

 

,,,and this post settles the debate.. Nice

 

The only thing I think you can give Holmes besides physicality is a sort of meanness and desire I didn’t see in Louis. I think if they fought Louis would win but it’d be hard fought and desperate on both ends only if Holmes played his cards perfect IMO but Louis most of the time could pretty much do everything Norton did in there fight… just he’d find a way to tie in his combinations and nobody lasts long if that happens. Holmes got tangled up a lot in his long armed defence and his way of defending punches… I’d be unsurprised to see LH’s left armed trapped (accidental or not) and Louis winging a right over his shoulder up close that starts the beginning of the end for him, inside fighter Holmes was not.

 

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. Holmes evaded the best heavyweights of his time or fought them before their primes such as Cooney & Witherspoon as neither fighter was ready to fight Holmes at the time they fought. Holmes was also a crybaby and a creepy person.

 

Yes you can make a case

 

Yep. Obviously depends on your criteria, and there's no Big Book Of Universal Rules For Boxing Greatness.

 

I've belatedly realized that my point is susceptible to the publish on demand industry...

 

I don’t think so. I thought Louis was the more complete fighter, probably the most dominant champion in any weight class in history, and he demolished several ex-champions on his way up through the ranks too.