1 ko in 9 fights strongly suggests his power left! Again i use pacquiao as an example. Only 1 stoppage win and a few knockdowns in his last 9 fights is the exact reason commentators point out pacquiaos lack of power compared to his previous fights. But when certain people have an agenda, an 11% ko ratio doesnt mean that a fighter lost their punching power! In Louis' case his opponents were not particularly durable and he himself admits he couldnt let his right hand go like he used to. Even if we grant him the 2 other "tko" wins (one of which was a cut with no knockdowns) that's still only a 33% ko rate. Compared to a prime Louis that's horrendous. And there you have it folks. I literally just left my English Literature class where my professor advised us to look at what's implied through text or what's stated "indirectly". Janitor isnt "directly" suggesting that old Louis was comparable to a prime Holmes, but he's heavily implying it with his last statement: that because Marciano dealt with a 37 year old Louis' jab, it suggests he "wouldn't be phased" by Holmes' jab. This not only shows the ridiculous lengths certain people will go to be disingenuous and hype up a win for a fighter they like when it suits them, it's also cowardly. He knew if he directly, flat out said "since marciano beat old Louis he would beat Holmes" he'd be laughed at and ridiculed.
ACtually many of his opponents would comment he wasn’t that easy to hit. You could get him with one punch but it was rarely ever followed mostly in fear of his counters and awkward style. Watch his fights and you will rarely see him get hit with two consecutive punches. I think you’re putting to much emphasis on ten to fifteen pounds (which Holmes weighed more then the average Rocky opponent). He’s faced bigger. Not as skilled with the size but he also faced more skilled opponents in EC and Archie (please don’t say he was more skilled then those two). I love Holmes he’s a great fighter but he will always have a problem with the likes of Marciano, Frazier, Tyson. When Holmes has to punch down on a crouching opponent that negates his awesome jab...why? Because it’s not so awesome anymore. When you have to punch down you leave yourself open and to a great fighter with power and ability to counter like the three I mentioned they will make you pay. That combined with Rocky’s superior stamina and solid enough chin to take what Holmes can give I see a late stoppage for the Rock. Holmes had plenty of other weapons he wasn’t a one trick pony I just don’t think he can outlast Marciano in what would be a very close interesting matchup .
Yes, Holmes was a LOT more skilled than Walcott... and yes, as a heavyweight, was more skilled than Ezz. And it's not just that Holmes is 30 pounds heavier but almost immeasurably longer, taller, quicker, tougher, more skilled, tougher, better chin, tougher and tougher.
He absolutely wasn’t more skilled then EC. I think we’ve gone over time and time again in regards to the length issue it wouldn’t be a problem as everyone he faced was longer lol. I absolutely don’t see how you can say he was tougher. Maybe as tough? Can’t definitively say tougher at all. Chin? Nope can’t say that either. If all things considered I still stand by my points of the break down of how it would go. Styles make fights and rocky is all kinds of wrong for Holmes.
Mate,Ive seen his fights multiple times I bought a collection of them 45years ago! Walcott said Marciano was hard to hit with big punches, he never said he couldn't land the jab.Rocky himself said he couldnt avoid Louis' jab.Do you think 37 years old Louis jab was on a par with a prime Holmes? Which shorter opponents did Holmes have trouble with when he was in his prime? I've news for you, punching up aint that effective either! Marciano never faced a class man over 200lbs,[Louis doesn't count he was a relic ].Nor one who stood 6'3", he has to come up out of the crouch to reach Holmes! At range he is going to be speared with that 81"reach and hit with right hands before he is in range. Crouching makes him susceptible to Holmes great uppercut too! Your trying to imply being 5'10" with a 68" reach and 25/30lbs lighter is an asset! Louis doesn't count he was a relic! Marciano's stamina was pitted against ,Louis 37.Walcott 38 Moore 39/40. Charles 33. Holmes never had trouble going 15 rounds. He went12rds with 210lbs Holyfield at the age of43! He went 12 rds with 231lbs McCall at the age of 46! He went 10rds with Maurice Harris at the age of47! Marciano was bullying 188 /190lbs older men He wont be doing that to 215lbs Holmes, who as an old man,fighting long after the age Marciano had retired, held his own with younger, bigger class men over 30lbs heavier than Marciano! Marciano has no proven edge here in stamina! I not only pick Holmes to beat Marciano, I confidently pick him to beat those versions of Charles and Walcott as well! Holmes tko's Marciano in the later rounds. ps Marciano beats Frazier.and gets brutally ko'd by Tyson.
Lol def NOT an asset the height and weight. All things considered you’d want to be bigger and longer. This is a styles matchup. Like Ali has problems with Joe the same would apply with Holmes and Marciano. When you have to throw a jab down or a right you leave yourself open when you don’t normally. That’s why Joe Mike and Rocky all similar height had some form of crouching in their style. They all had power and exploited that actually using their heights to their advantage. He faced other tall people in Shkor, Vingo, Big Bill. None can be compared to holmes but let’s face it how many can you compare to Holmes? One guy comparable to Marciano in height and power actually beat Holmes albeit a rusty one the outcome would always be the same to me.
Frazier was quicker into range than Marciano heavier ,and with faster hands, I dont know any boxer who had/has trouble landing right hands over the top on shorter slower opponents. Vingo was a 189lbs string bean novice,Schkor had been brutally kod by Walcott and was only ever really a journeyman. He gave Marciano plenty to think about ,including bad eye cut that would open up in subsequent fights. Shkor, who had just previously been KO'd in one round by Jersey Joe Walcott, was big and strong, and his mauling tactics were worrisome to Marciano for four rounds. Johnny stayed at close quarters and leaned on his opponent, trying to tire him out. Even so, Rocky did enough punching to win the first three rounds and the fourth was even. Marciano began to find the range in the fifth and knocked Shkor down with a left hook and a right to the eye just before the bell. Marciano came out in the sixth throwing bombs and Shkor was down for three nine-counts before the fight was stopped. Rocky suffered a left eyelid cut in the first round, which his handlers closed, but Shkor opened it in the third and it bled freely after that. Big Bill got a cut eye in the opening minute of the fight and it was stopped ,inconclusive.
Of course he is! He's too knowledgeable and smart to really mean all the silly stuff, he's saying here.
Holmes was having his 7th fight when Isaac put him down., Marciano was a wold champion having his 49th when Moore dropped him. If Earnie Shavers couldn't keep Holmes down for ten Marciano ain't doing it!
5’10” Nick Wells knocked Larry out twice. Stretchered out of the ring for one of them. “By 1972 I’d won several eastern titles and was invited to Minnesota to compete in a tournament that was said to figure heavily in the selection of the U.S. boxing team. I made it all the way to the finals there, only to run up against a left-handed slugger named Nick Wells. It was the first time I’d fought a lefty. It threw my reactions off. I was hesitant and ended up being an easy target for Wells, who had good power. Good enough to give me the worst beating of my career and stop me in the third round. My first-ever defeat. The way things unfolded I had another opportunity against Wells in a later tournament in Texas. This time I managed to find left-handed sparring partners to get ready for him. Guess what? It didn’t matter. Not one bit. That guy Wells had my number, and he beat me again. Badly.” - Larry Holmes
