Larry Holmes vs Scott Frank (VIDEO)

Larry was great. But my god, was Frank bad. Page, Thomas, Witherspoon, Coetzee, Dokes...one of these guys should have been in there instead.

 

I think Holmes is the second best HW of all time.

 

Well he's definitely not ahead of Joe Louis, so I am assuming you have Louis at 1, and holmes 2? Then again, I can't see Holmes over Ali either.


Holmes at 2 is too high. Right around 4-5 is good for him in my opinion. A man who did not take on the best heavyweights in the world from 1983-1985...and did not give rematches in close encounters does not warrant number 2 status. He also arguably never beat another great fighter in there prime, unlike Ali and Louis.

 

I have it
Clay/Ali
Holmes
Dempsey
Louis

 

Nice List...

Dempsey over Louis?

O geez. Well uh...I don't know what to say about that other than one accomplished far more than the other. I can't see Dempsey being rated over Louis. Just can't. Dempsey didn't even prove himself the best heavyweight of his era.

As for holmes,

He was a man who did not take on the best heavyweights in the world from 1983-1985...actually ducked some of the alphabet soup champs who were good right hand punchers, and did not give rematches in close encounters. He does not warrant number 2 status. He also arguably never beat another great fighter in there prime, unlike Ali and Louis. That's nitpicking though. I do rate Holmes in my top 5.

 

I understand your point but to me the resume is only part of the picture. When I watch a prime Holmes which by the way wasnt very long in my opinion I see a beautiful fighting machine. I think he had it all going for him.
I still like to go back once in a while and watch the first Shavers fight. An absolutely picture perfect performance in my book.

 

We are in total agreement! Outside of his fabulous pistol like left jab, lightning like hands, awesome skills, and great sense of range....he also had a huge heart. That was the most impressive thing about it. If you wanted to go to war with holmes in round 15 after 14 gruelling rounds...he would happily comply!!!


My father, who is turning 60 this year, does not appreciate Holmes the way I do. He thinks Larry was a good champion, but not a top 10 heavyweight of all time. My dad thinks extremely highly of floyd patterson. we got in a huge arguement the other day after he told me floyd patterson would knockout larry holmes. I was like "NOOOOO".

 

Ha Ha I agree with you!
BTW when I was at the Tua weight in a few weeks ago I was talking to Colonel Bob Sheridan. I asked him who he thought was the greatest HW of all time. He said he could only go by the fighters he saw and said it was Holmes. Besides his skills he told me he was right in front of Holmes when Snipes dropped him. He said be4 Larry hit the canvas his eyes rolled back in his head then his right leg started twitching. But he started to get up at 3 and by the end of the round was beating the **** out of Snipes. That part I remember well. Plus remember Snipes was a big man for that era. I grew up in my teenage yrs watching Holmes. He was always my fav. along with Duran. What a great time in boxing that was from 78 to about 84. Check out my avatar in a few days its gonna by Holmes my son and myself.

 

If Holmes fought Foreman instead of Jimmy Young, and defeated him, would you place him in the top 2?

Remember Holmes was at the tail end of his career from 1983-1985, yet he did fight Witherpsoon, Williams, and Spinks during this time line.

 

:good:good.

 

I have him at number three on my all time heavyweight list. Behind Ali and Louis.

 

Holmes didn't fight the best of his era. I rank him about 6th-7th, he gets way too much of a pass for his low risk title reign imo.