OP thinks Holyfield would beat Ali prime for prime

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by InMemoryofJakeLamotta, Oct 16, 2025.


  1. Melankomas

    Melankomas Prime Jeffries would demolish a grizzly in 2 Full Member

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  2. White Bomber

    White Bomber Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Do tell
     
  3. White Bomber

    White Bomber Boxing Addict Full Member

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    No he wasn't.
    Tyson in 1990 was damaged goods, the product of an unstable life outside of the ring, as well as a cash cow who was poorly managed.
     
  4. SouthpawsRule

    SouthpawsRule Active Member Full Member

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    He was 23, at the peak of his career, and had his two arguably best career-wins against Ruddock right after Douglas smashed him up, blitzing Stewart in 1 round along the way who busted Foreman up.

    He wasn’t washed, he just wasn’t fighting with shot drug addicts from the 80s anymore.
     
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  5. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s Full Member

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    Was he at his “best”? No, no one is at there peak there entire “prime” Tyson was still a dedicated pro he took Douglas lightly and ended up in a fight he wasn’t mentally ready for… Dorsey vs Paez is similar. If Tyson was game and prepared for a real bout I don’t know if he’d win, Douglas’s plan is exactly how to frustrate Tyson and undress his style. I believe M Tyson was the next best boxer at HW besides Louis and by Ruddock he was fighting like a generic HW and stopped interesting me but vs Douglas he was out-thought and out-fought contenders are pretty good at there job, unexpected by pro boxers can fight pretty well, me as much as anyone wants to give Tyson slack but I’m not blind.
     
  6. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s Full Member

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    Same deal as Foreman people want to make a fighters prime for the length of there success and no longer, I’m a big fan of Tyson but Tokyo was a “prime” fight and he lost… Douglas hatched the right plan for Tyson, Ali with Foreman, Young beat a better version of GF IMO but sometimes it also just doesn’t work out “master plan” or no Quarry fought to a tee exactly how you should vs Frazier right up until the hand break, Holmes did what he was supposed to be MT till he got up on his toes and yes did get caught on the ropes… I prefer to rate on longevity Holmes, Louis, Ali bypassed there “Douglas’s” Tyson did not… well Ali did sort of, he avenged it at least.
     
  7. Marvelous_Iron

    Marvelous_Iron Active Member Full Member

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    He more or less does about as good as Patterson
     
  8. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s Full Member

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    What the F… no :lol: come on brother
     
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  9. White Bomber

    White Bomber Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Age is irrelevant. He was having issues in his personal life that prevented him from focusing on boxing. He wasn't properly prepared.

    Only in terms of fame. His skillset gradually declined after he fired Rooney.

    He did not look good in those wins. What made Tyson great was his defensive ability. He barely got hit when he was with Rooney.
    He mostly became a head hunter after that.
    And after loosing to Douglas, he trained better for the next fights, it was a wake up call for him.

    Tucker, Holmes and Spinks were better than Ruddock.
     
  10. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s Full Member

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    Foreman was sad, Tyson had an STD and Japanese hookers, Liston was afraid of Ali, Lennox was filming Oceans 11, Wlad was drugged, Ali was trying to get make his “prediction” right for Enry etc. The HW’s should be rated like the flyweights (both having small pools of combatants due to rarer sized individuals) on consistency and dominance with a factor for size for H2H. In the “flagship” division there is rarely ever any “great” HW’s in bundles usually one guy is out in front but not even by that much (such is the state of the skill level at the weight…) Holmes had a lot of close ones against “guys he shouldn’t”, Ali had a lot of close ones with “guys he shouldn’t” and lots of stuff “doesn’t count” at only seemingly HW.
     
  11. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    Holyfield was a helluva warrior. He would do everything he could to get to Ali. Though he may have success in spurts scoring punches i dont think he is going to be able to deal with Ali's jab.

    Ali's jab is a problem for Holyfield. Not to mention Ali is bigger and quicker. Ali is also gonna be stronger than a prime Holyfield. Just a bad matchup for Evander.