Who has a bigger skillset Muhammad Ali or Evander Holyfield

They both had the skillset to last, didn't they? Ali was unconventional, pulling straight back and all that stuff we've heard. Holyfield was a trained boxer. The boxers boxer.

 

I think Holyfield had better technical skills overall.

Holyfield could fight on the front foot or backfoot.

Better variety of punches.

Better inside fighter.

But saying all that I'd pick Ali to win by UD.

Ali is faster, more athletic, more dazzling.

Toney had better technical skills than RJJ and looked what happened there.

 

More athletic? Two out of three aint bad. Holyfield was fighting the big boys. He was an athlete like that. Ali was usually the big boy.

 

Holyfield was more well rounded, but Ali was better at what he did compared to what Holyfield did well.

 

In terms of the beauty of boxing, Holyfield, without a doubt...

 

Ali was less text book, but at his peak was more beautiful to watch imo. The fluidity of his movements are still unrivalled at HW I think. But it's subjective of course.

 

Holyfield had more diversity of skills, Ali was better at his best skills like jab, lateral movement, outside fighting, speed. But Holyfield could fight at all ranges including close-up, was better with more types of punches, went to the body better, and was equally as tough.

 

People will be inclined to say Holyfield, but was he actually?

Like as far as ring IQ and generalship Ali was miles ahead of Holyfield

One of the primary examples of why people think Holyfield was skilled was because of his brawl with Bowe, he was bigger and a hard puncher and Holyfield held his own and came back, but 67 Ali never would have stood complacently in front of Bowe waiting for his turn to trade like that, he would have been lighting Bowe up 100% of the time he was in front of him with superior speed and a superior jab to that of Holyfield

Holyfield took some nasty shots from old slow Foreman and at no point was completely in command the way 74 Ali was with young prime Foreman

Holyfield was a better counter puncher, or was he? Ali's lead right could be considered a counter punch, Holyfield never took anyone to school quite like Ali did with Terrell, Williams, Folley

Ali was just as good of if not a better puncher than Holyfield, I do not see Holyfield making such quick work of Liston, Holyfield would likely end up trying to brawl with Liston and that is a bridge quite a bit farther than Bowe

The only thing Holyfield showcased that was definitively better than Ali was textbook defense, beyond that it was just a difference of style like you could say his hooks were more textbook looking than Ali's, but as far as the results that were reaped was not better than Ali

Inside fighting? Frazier was vastly superior to Bowe and Ali held it down even though it wasn't a primary characteristic of his style

 

Yes, Ali was the GOAT is the general consensus.

 

I forgot who the poster was but he basically said if all you saw in Ali was speed and reflexes you're missing a lot of subtle things he did well that you just don't acquire by serendipity.

 

They were both extremely skilled but with different styles. Many here are crediting Holyfield as being the more skilled which is fine . I narrowly went with Muhammad Ali. He undoubtedly had the greatest footwork of any heavyweight and probably one of the top three best jabs in the division. He was also a great adaptor to numerous different types of foes. That said, I’m fine with anyone who went with Evander.

 

Holyfield was highly skilled though, I would say he gives Ali just as much trouble as Bonavena did but without affording Ali the showboating antics

66 Ali from the London fight vs cruiser Holy from the Qawi fight would be excellent

Holyfield was good when it came to being in front of larger dangerous punchers, but I just don't see the larger Holyfield keeping up with 67 Ali

 

Before even comparing same with Holyfield I believe that Ali’s technical skill set gets somewhat underrated these days.