Relentless pressure and one of the best left hooks ever (Frazier) vs great hand- and footspeed and skills (Holmes) Who wins prime for prime? And how?
I have to say Frazier. Holmes was not as vulnerable to the left hook as Ali was in FOTC, but he didn't have the artillery to keep Frazier off him. Frazier gradually wears him down. Larry hears the final bell, but the score is pretty similar to the one in FOTC. The only fighter I give a clear chance of beating a peak Frazier by boxing him is Ali in his absolute prime.
Hmmm could go 1 of 2 ways, Holmes was technically better and not as open to the left hook but didnt always control distance that well, wasn't that defensively sound in that Frazier would find it hard to land and could get pulled into the trenched (ie Norton/Witherspoon). So Holmes speed, jab, movement should give him the early rounds, but as he slows and Frazier keeps coming Frazier will get the better at close and mid range. So much like Ali-Frazier 1 it will be a fight of 2 halves and I would say quite a close decision.
I'd say 1980 Larry Holmes by a very close decision over 15 rounds, winning 8 to 7 on the scorecards by average. 1971 Frazier was just starting to decline due to his cataract and hypertension problems. Although Frazier made Ali miss a lot of punches and caught him on the ropes repeatedly in the FOTC, Holmes's jab was a better, sharper punch and would have done more damage to Frazier, especially early on. On the flipside, Holmes was slower on his feet than Ali and probably gets caught on the ropes by Frazier moreso than Ali. If 1971 Frazier doesn't stop 1980 Holmes before the 15th, which he's very capable of, Holmes wins this fight by a very close decision. 1967-1969 Joe Frazier would KO Holmes before the 12th round.
I'd say Frazier on pts, close but clear. I've always seen Holmes as a working man's Ali. He probably had a more powerful right hand over the '71 version of Ali, but not enough to greatly trouble Frazier. Holmes was as fluid and didn't move as well laterally as Ali and I think that would be a facotr.
There is a theory that Holmes was more susceptible for the right, but such was the regularity at which Frazier threw the left that he could make it appear that you were a sucker for the shot. Holmes liked the right uppercut, a shot he is likely to try on the bobbing Frazier throughout and there Joe has his foothold. Fancy Frazier to pound out a unanimous decision with the eye-catching shots in a viciously contested bout.
Same thoughts as you, maybe I underrated Frazier but I tend to favor fighters who are great at keeping their opponents at range over him which is why I probably favor Lennox over Frazier also in a H2H matchup.