Comparing Ali and Holmes

Ali has the better resume and is fleeter of foot and hand.

Apart from that they're close. Ali had the better chin, Holmes had fantastic powers of recovery.

H2H, prime for prime, I'm one of the few who thinks Holmes would win.

 

A fight to have seen in the mid '60s- early '70s.

Thus giving a better picture of Holmes on the way up.

 

I like this article:

http://www.setanta.com/uk/Articles/other-sports/2008/11/28/Fantasy-Fight-Holmes-v-Ali/gnid-29301/

 

Ali has more speed
Power about equal
Chin Ali
Stamina
Ali by a shade
Heart equal
Footwork Ali
Skill Holmes had better fundamentals. imo.
Defence Ali
Offensive weapons,Ali had a better hook
Holmes the better jab
Holmes the better uppercut
Straight punches Ali by a shade.
Interestingly Eddie Futch picked Holmes to win ,both in their prime.

 

Boy tough one here. Interesting that Futch thought Holmes would win. Eddie saw a lot of Ali and I respect that man's opinion. Let's ask Larry!

 

"If I hurt your feelings, so ****in' what!" Larry Holmes:hey

 

Speed-Ali
Power-Holmes
Chin-Even
Stamina-Ali
Heart-Equal
Footwork-Ali
Skill Level-Both were unorthodox (Ali especially)it's hard to say. I'll say equal.
Defense-Ali

Offensive weapons. Holmes has the better jab, Ali has the better right hand, Holmes has the better uppercut.

 

I don't see anyone of you mention Ring Generalship, which was one of the categories in the article. Along with speed and heart I think this is where Ali had his greatest strength. As Bill Cayton said: "In terms of ring generalship Ali was as pure genius. There's never been anyone like him."

 

Ali never avoided a tough match or a rematch...In this area he is head and shoulders over Holmes.....They both had trouble with Norton.....

 

No argument from me there ,I did not see it.

 

If they meet in MSG ,Ali wins a close dec.
If they meet in a car park Larry wins via ko with a drop kick.
Don't mess with Larry:bbb Ali was playing when he pretended to go for guys .Larry meant it!

 

Ali had better speed of both hand and foot, therefore the better overall footwork aswell.

His chin was fantastic, though Holmes had a solid chin aswell.

Punching power, neither are devastating, I would say around equal.

Heart, I'm saying Ali. From getting up from Frazier left hook in the FOTC, to hanging in against Foreman.

Skill - I believe Holmes, like mcvey said, had better fundamentals, such as the jab.

Defensively I'm saying a prime Ali because of his lateral movement, although he got hit a lot in his later years when he relied on his chin.

Offensively, Holmes had a great right uppercut and therefore a better one overall in my opinion. I feel Ali had mariginally the better straight punchers, a very good jab although Holmes' was better in my opinion, and Holmes had a good right hand, but Ali's 1-2 was excellent. I'd say Ali's hook was probably better.

 

A 1967 version of Ali would school Holmes. After about 1975 then maybe that version of Ali might have trouble.

Thing is Ali always found a way to beat anyone put infront of him.