What's the single most mindblowing performance you've ever witnessed.

As Holyfield got a bit bigger though he managed to compete with Bowe even more closely.

I will re-score the 2nd fight but I'm pretty sure I had Holy winning.

There was clearly something wrong with Evander in the 3rd fight but I'm not one who buys all his excuses. Even then he managed to floor Bowe in the sloppiest fight of all three.

Ali had Norton.

 

True. He also stuck to his gameplan more in the 2nd fight whilst Bowe was understandably more phased after the intrusion.

But I'm not sure that he beats 'any' version of Holyfield.

I'm working on a thread about Holyfield's legacy. In that, one of my main questions is 'which Holyfield was the best Holyfield?'

I'm trying to gather up the info. Have watched a lot of Evander. I've got a massive set, and am still devouring some of it. I'm not certain that there wasn't a version of Holyfield more equipped to deal with Bowe. But I'm gonna' see.

Where would you rank Holy on a top ten Heavy list? I think anywhere between 7-10 is fair.

 

Oh, I'm not saying Holyfield was past prime at all. I think he was a fighter who fought in 'waves' after the first Bowe fight. Bowe definitely took Holyfields last bit of youth from him, but I think Holyfield was still capable of good performances right up to the 2nd Lewis fight. Past-prime then? Definitely? Shot or faded? Absolutely not IMO.

Bowe gets a lot of stick for 'only beating Holyfield' but deserves the massive amount of respect he gets in some quarters on here; he beat a damn fine fighter in the first fight, pushed a better one close in the 2nd (as well as there being some stupid circumstances) and beat a game but clearly ****ed Holyfield (Hepatitis? I'm not sure. As I say, I don't buy all of Holyfields excuses but there was something wrong in that one. He's like Duran for excusesatsch) in the third fight.

As I say, Holy wasn't shot in any of their fights. The 1st fight he got his tactics a bit wrong, should've mixed it up more. The 2nd fight Bowe had a bit of hardship. The 3rd fight was closely fought but Evander was only able to fight in spurts. I don;t totally write the win off because of what "Legendary Nights' says but Holy was ****ed in that fight.

As was Bowe. But there rivalry wasn't a battle of chins or bodies it was a battle of wills, and in the rubber match Bowe just had a little bit more.

Overall they complemented each other beautifully; it made for intriguing and exciting fights and I believe both men come out of the series with a lot of credit.

On Tyson; he was no doubt past prime against Holyfield, about 7 years at least I reckon (Douglas was in '89 no? Either way Tyson was not at his best then)
But Tyson was up for it, and had been on a good run; showing just how dangerous he could be.

Holyfield shut him down, himself past prime. A damn good win IMO. Not as good as it would've been in their respective primes, but I fear neither crossed paths when both at their best and at a point where a fight between the two would be feasible.

Holyfield takes it too early; his gung-ho tactics get him blown away, even with his chin IMO.

He takes it a bit later when he's a little less wild and Tyson is a bit more one dimensional in his clubbing. Not as great a win for Evander.

Prime for prime? Well, as I say I still haven't established what I believe to be the 'best' version of Holyfield.

Hopefully the thread I'm working on; 'Holyfield's Legacy' will be able to help me come to a conclusion :good

Anyway, sleep needed. More Holy to watch tomorrow.

 

Ill never forget that one maybe my favorite fight of all time along with Barrera/Morales I . Remember that fight very clearly and i was only 11 or 12.

 

Yey no doubt! Thats in my top 5 best fights ive seen. Looked over in the 1st round,and I thought McCellan was gonna go right through him. Both those guys sure laid it out on the line that night.

 

Muhammad Ali vs Cleveland Williams of course.

The best HW that ever lived putting on a masterful, flawless performance at the peak of his powers.

In under 3 short rds, Ali supposedly landed over 100 punches, Williams managed just 3.

 

Floyd vs Corralles. A complete dismantling of a top, undefeated fighter. It was about as one sided a fight between two top fighters as you can get.

 

In hindsiht however it's clear Corrales is nothing other than C class.

Sung Kil Moon however.......:deal

 

I posted this nearly three years ago and today believe every word with the same awe:

Michael Spinks was a winner in every sense of the word and commanded such an aura. A sterling light heavy, he climbed to heavyweight and upset the undefeated Holmes twice. Then he destroyed the huge Cooney. By that time, he was a bona fide heavy and, yes, his weight, height, recent accomplishments and reputation were those of a solid heavyweight champion.

On the other hand, Mike Tyson had begun to show signs of perhaps unprecedented greatness, demolishing every solid man the division had to offer, with such a combination of destructive qualities as not seen since Foreman. And yet, the differences between Tyson and Foreman were evident: Foreman was slow and clumsy compared to Tyson. Even nonfans and casual fans were in awe of this specimen, wincing at the thought of getting caught with a swift Tyson hook. Tyson had caught the world’s imagination as only a true heavyweight talent can.

And so, the stage was set for a battle of champions. Ali had picked Spinks; Ring Magazine had crowned Spinks the true heavyweight champion. Tyson was favored, but, could he deliver? Could the clever Spinks, who Ali himself said was like rubber, so hard to hit, so confounding that Holmes could never figure out, so proud that he had always risen to the occasion, no matter how huge the challenge, box and move to a decision win? Could Spinks jinx this young brawler?

This was the stage on which Mike Tyson shone so brilliantly that night. At that pre-pervasive-steroids time, Tyson’s physique was so imposing, his aura so suddenly frightening, that even Spinks had to cave in before the bell. And when it rang, there was no contest. No winging, sloppy blows like in Zaire. No weak points out of greenness or poor fundamentals for the crafty Spinks to exploit. What a breathtaking, savage beating. For 91 seconds, it seemed like a professional boxer being banged and followed around the ring by a demon. The blows that put Spinks down, the first to the body and the other to the head, were works of perfection, masterfully thrown given the dynamics of the two moments.

I’ll say it again: when I compare this Tyson fight, and his others of the time, with film of the other so-called greats, I can see how Tyson was one of a kind, the epitome of a king heavyweight fighter.

The knockout punch is the doozy for me. It looks choreographed...at fast-forward speed...at heavyweight.

The moment is one of the reasons why I love to work out and never, ever, tire of what to the uninitiated is just boring repetition.

Mike's mind was so sharp in boxing at the time that his body intuitively -and seamlessly- executed a slip and perfect knockout counter in one motion against a seasoned all-time great, who had himself positioned himself well to avoid a bomb...to no avail. And on a pretty big stage.

Beauty borne of toil in the shadows.

 

If Erik heard you say this, the conversation between you would go something like.....

Morales: Did you enjoy it ?
Popkins: Of course, all your fights are wonderful except vs Raheem.
Morales: Exactly.

:good

 

Great crowd-pleaser. Great champion.

 

Williams was a never-was, washed up punching bag. This performance remains the most overrated by any heavy champion.