Should Larry Holmes have treated Muhammad Ali like Jake Paul treated Mike Tyson?

Well, he knew he couldn't fight. He knew he wasn't the same guy who fought Jones. He knew he was about to sell his legacy for $20mil, and be embarrassed in the process. That's why he gave that salty ass answer about legacy to the poor kid interviewing him before the fight. I don't think he liked what he was about to do, but the man's got a wife and kids and he could ensure their financial future by sucking it up and taking a public humiliation. I'd have done the same. "So I have one bad night and my family's taken care of? Ok, let's get this over with."

 

Well, if Ali didn't take 3x the dose, maybe he could have managed to hold his arms up. He looked way better against Berbick (while still looking shot to bits).

 

The doctor prescribed 3 times the dose. Ali didn’t do it on his own.

 

Okey, I've heard differently. That Ali tripled the dose after seeing the effects.

 

I was going by what I thought was reported in Thomas Hauser’s Ali biography.

 

Ali did very well in the Berbick fight, far better than in the Holmes fight. Given the circumstances, it was one of his more impressive showings.

 

No.

Ali talked a boatload of **** before the fight and went out of his way to antagonize Holmes. If you're shot and are just taking the payday, have the good sense to switch off the motormouth and be at least somewhat respectful.

Secondly, it's a combat sport and Holmes owed Ali nothing. Ali was cleared to fight. So let's do it. Ali could have waved the white flag at any moment, or his corner could have stopped it. The beating was consensual.

Furthermore given some of Ali's past fights, he invariably got the benefit of the doubt.

Paraphrasing now, but: Ali lands a few powderpuff combos ... the commentary "Oh my word, Ali is really taking it to him. Look at the handspeed." Ali eats a cannonball punch ... the commentary "Wow, Ali is just laughing at him, that punch did nothing. What a great chin folks, he is just taunting him."

The judges almost always leaned towards Ali and by going easy on him, Holmes also opened the door to a robbery decision.

Holmes did what he had to do.

 

I need to veryify my sources then. I think I heard my version in "Larry & Muhammad".

 

Larry and Muhammad came out way after the Hauser book, it absolutely could be more accurate. Plus Hauser's book is good but he got too close to Ali as a subject to be totally objective.

 

No. Ali never should have taken the fight. As tragic as the outcome was it was all on him. Not Holmes

 

1988 Michael Spinks vs 58 year old Mike Tyson. Who wins?

 

Holmes believes he beat a decent iteration of Muhammad Ali. That's odd because his manager, Richie Giachetti, said he was cooked as far back as 1978.

 

Holmes has always been bitter. He feels like he never got the recognition that he deserved. So he says that but does he really believe it? I’m not so sure.

 

If he really believes that, that's ridiculous. He shouldn't have been medically cleared to fight. Either way, he was medically cleared and Ali of his own free will decided to step in the ring with him.

 

It is an entirely different scenario.

Whatever Ali's condition, he was still undoubtedly world class, and certainly couldn't have been taken lightly at the time.

In some ways it could have been seen as a greater act of disrespect to take it easy on him

I would only expect quarter to be given at the level, in very exceptional circumstances.