Exactly Seamus, and the experience with Foreman provided the initial inspiration for Hazleton to build himself up with steroids to better compete with heavyweights.
If Holmes was really the ******* people say he is/was then he would have crucified Ali in that fight..and he could have if he had really opened up. He had the same sentimental regard and respect for Ali that Ezzard Charles had for Joe Louis..and likewise I'm convinced that Charles would have stopped Louis if he had fought with the same "Cincinatti Cobra" intensity that he had before the Sam Baroudi tragedy.
Victor Galindez-Jesse Burnett II. Galindez was shot for that fight, and had no business being floored and decisioned by a guy whom he had already beaten when he was "with it".
Like Marciano, Larry was seen crying after the match in his dressing room. Unlike Rocky, who turned his back on Joe so Louis wouldn't see the tears in his eyes, Holmes was open and candid about his feelings of remorse on camera. The next day, while Cosell was interviewing them both, he seemed a little better, and he and Ali ganged up on Howard together, pranking him with fists placed on either side of his face while he talked during his post interview close up. What's more compassionate? Taking somebody out ASAP, like Dempsey did to Miske, and Louis did to John Henry Lewis, or pulling punches and holding back, like Holmes did to Ali, and Archer did with Robby? Ali used both approaches, getting gunshot victim Cleveland Williams out as fast as he could manage, while holding back on over trained buddy Jimmy Ellis and a comebacking and poorly conditioned Buster Mathis.
Holmes fought a 12 round exhibition fight shortly before opening training for Tyson and by all accounts looked pretty sharp.
This fight raises emotions for obvious reasons, but was putting that version of Louis in with Marciano any worse than putting Rex Layne in with him? Marciano was just a horible wrecking ball of a fighter who would have done horible things to prety much any sub 210lb fighter who stood in front of him.
Paddy Ryan vs John L Sullivan. Perhaps the only title fight in history where the champion did not have any business being in the rinmg with the challenger.
How about Willie Classen getting killed by Wilfred Scypion about a month after getting KO-ed by left hooker from hell Tony Sibson but the match was OK according to Willies handler because he "took a dive" Recalling Ken Overlins statement about the not so sweet science "Its a stinking racket but I like it"
You are talking about Marvis Frazier. Good call, I completely forgot about Marvis Frazier. He should have never been in a boxing ring period, much less in TWO world heavyweight championship fights!