Who has a bigger skillset Muhammad Ali or Evander Holyfield

If Frazier fought Bowe there would be a memorial with his name on it somewhere explaining that boxing was banned after this tragedy.

 

All true apart from equally as tough IMO.

Ali took a bodyshot like no other HW I've ever seen. I've seen Holyfield visibly hurt and react to a good bodyshot - Cooper and Toney fights being decent examples, from memory.

Evander's skillset and subtle mastery is seriously underrated. Joe Louis, Liston and Evander all have a very similar mastery of elite punching and composure, for the most part, at all ranges.

Interestingly, as Holyfield was typically the smaller HW, his inside punching ability stood him in good stead in being able to out-monster guys on the inside, as well as utilise his excellent footwork in and out to utilise his jab and double jab to outbox his man.

Ali, typically the taller fighter, primarily used lower-line attacks when he had the prime legs to get in and out of range quickly. His jab to the body is underrated and he mixed it up really well with jabs upstairs, level changes, foot/head fakes, and shoulder/glove fakes to keep opponents reacting erratically. Once he had them overreacting, he’d play with the rhythm, using offbeat jabs, right-hand leads, or shifting into southpaw before turning back orthodox as he danced, pivoted, jabbed, posted and framed around his man.

There were a few specific fights where Ali intentionally targeted the midsection, mostly out of tactical necessity or to manipulate a tight guard:

Against Cleveland Williams, alongside the Ali Shuffle and blistering head combinations, he ripped straight lefts and hook downstairs and dropped sharp right hands into the ribs to force Cleveland's guard down.

Against Mac Foster, who was a big puncher, Ali sat down far more than usual, using quick, digging lefts on the move to drain Foster's engine.

Against Al "Blue" Lewis, a long-time former sparring partner who knew his head-hunting habits inside out, Ali deliberately varied his attack, whipping jabs and shots downstairs to open up Lewis' high shell.

Outside of those instances, Ali's "body work" is often misunderstood. Shots like his jolting lefts to the chest against Bugner or Bonavena weren't power body blows; they were stiff range-finders and posts designed to measure distance and set up the right hand upstairs. Sometimes, like against Bonavena, they were shots chopping downwards that missed the chin and ended up on the chest and collarbone areas, stopping or deflecting/diverting Oscar's bulling forward tactics. Headshots were undeniably his prime M.O., but he showed enough defensive parrying and sharp counter-rights to prove he could adapt when inclined or forced to fight at a closer range.

 

Excellent points friend. Very valid arguments.
Ali also was much physically stronger than usually given credit for (And without the "Juice")
Look how he manhandled and manipulated two men known for there impressive strength and physicality
(Liston 1st fight, while blind and Foreman)

 

Holyfield was a great combination puncher

 

How many cups of sultanas go into a dozen of grandma's cookies?

 

Don't be ridiculous

 

So you want me to stop posting, I see.

 

This seems like a Masterful Analyses.