Larry Holmes Vs Oleksandr Usyk (15Rounds)?

Usyk because he's the greatest southpaw heavyweight of all time. He would overwhelm Holmes

 

struggle to predict this due to Holmes’s lack of proven pedigree vs southpaws as well as Usyk’s lack of fights vs skilled fast guys .


Holmes never fought a good southpaw as a pro. Not his fault as they were hardly around. It would be a tad unfair to judge Holmes getting stopped twice by Nick Wells, a southpaw, as an amateur.


Usyk has faced some good competition at cruiser but none of these guys were fast. Guys like Huck, Gassiev, and Bellew were snails compared to the quick Holmes. Breidis was skilled but only slightly above average speed wise. Michael Hunter was the only quick opponent he faced and Hunters speed notably gave him problems for quite a while before Hunter slowed down. And Hunter is no Holmes.


Even at heavy, guys like Joshua, Fury and Dubois are nowhere near near as fluent and quick and high stamina as Holmes was.


So we have one guy completely unproven vs left handers and the other guy largely unproven vs skilled fast fighters.


My guess is Holmes would take the early rounds. Usyk is a fast starter at heavyweight but he usually has the speed advantage. A 28 Year old peak Holmes is probably quicker than a 34 year old Usyk. And just like Usyk appeared to struggle with Hunters speed, Usyk will likely take the first few rounds to figure Holmes’s timing and Larry probably wins the first 3 rounds.


Starting round 4 onwards, I can see Usyk having significant success with both his jab and his back hand. I think Usyk will land the ocassional big left to bother Holmes. Holmes will need to find a way to defend vs the left as this is something he isn’t accustomed to.


I can see Usyk winning the majority of the rounds from 4-9, but Holmes is too good to be kept away. And since Usyk likes taking a couple of middle rounds off in order to come strong late in the fight , he wouldn’t have this option here. I think Larry will knick those rounds between 10-12.


I think Usyk will get a second wind and come on strong but Holmes is the one with experience from rounds 13-15. I see Holmes doing just enough to win the championship rounds and end up winning a close 8-7 type Of decision.


Am I confident in my pick? No. Holmes was Defensively careless at times. We don’t know if his defence can hold up vs a southpaw With a hard lett hand . We are also assuming Holmes will realize that he needs to throw more right hands and right uppercuts than he normally does.


Holmes by close 15 round decision assuming he can defend the southpaw left. Holmes was great but he didn’t have Ali like reflexes so there are some question marks regarding his defence here.

 

Holmes has no trouble with this overrated and heavily juiced fighter. It's a one-sided bout.

 

Lol wtf

 

I think Usyk's bad for him.

Holmes' jab is his best tool here and I'm not sure he will consistently score with it. Usyk took AJ's away by using the hand-fight against him, taking away his rear hand, forcing him to throw, countering it, etc. Holmes' is better, more versatile and faster, but that doesn't mean he's immune to being outsmarted. That stinging right hand of Holmes' is also gonna be neutralised pretty often.

I also don't trust Holmes to be disciplined enough with his defence as much as I am with Usyk. Nor do I think Holmes' workrate at the late rounds is on Usyk's level.

Holmes is easily the best, ballsiest and fastest guy Usyk has fought though, so he will put up a fight. But I think he probably loses in 8-4 type fashion.

 

You can't have an 8-4 decision in a 15-round fight.

 

Holmes is far better than Usyk

 

You can if 3 rounds are scored even.

 

Far better probably stretching it.

 

He really isn't

 

Oh yes he is

 

Nuh uh