Holy's ability to adapt different styles will be the trump card here. Similar to Ken Norton, Holyfield will be very awkward for Ali. I think he will be able to convince the judges with his work rate. When Ali takes his little breaks, Holyfield will take advantage and land. Another thing in Holyfield's favor is his good chin. Ali would not be able to knock him out.+ He has no big speed disadvantage. For me a 60/40 Fight for Holy.
I think Evander can win this match up. Evander was a boxing machine at 205, the best he ever looked at heavyweight, amazing stamina, I think he would have beat Bowe had it been 15 rounds as he was coming on strong. Ali was past his physical best here, beatable as Frazier proved. Still, Ali was a master technican with his back on the ropes, but I think Evander guts him with combos. Evander edges him on this night but loses the trilogy. Frazier bests Bowe if he shows up as motivated as FOTC. Bowe's lackluster jab will seal his fate, against Frazier's constant movement and body attack, Bowie IS NOT Foreman. Evander ate Bowe up with left hooks...imagine against the left hook master. Bowel survives a decision loss but spends the night passing blood in ER.
Past prime 30 yr old Holyfield was getting his second wind against the cheap shotting Bowe (that 10th rd. knockdown was so clearly from a rabbit punch.. just sayin'.. of course Holyfield still fought on). As soon as that fight ended, you knew Holyfield was going to win the rematch, no matter what, past prime or whatever. Now, the Holyfield that fought Douglas.. he KO's Bowe. And beats a past prime FOTC Ali. 60's Ali ranks highest, though.
I’m going with Ali by decision from 1971 to about 1974. From 1975 onward he’d have a hard time keeping Evander off of him and didn’t have the work rate to slow him down
I didn't even see the question about Bowe and Frazier. In all honesty im going to go with the unpopular opinion and say Bowe stops him.
I think Ali on the comeback trail, I’m thinking 70-72 is Holyfield’s best chance and even then. I think Ali is too quick. Ali U12,15 would be interesting for Holyfield with 70-72 Ali.
Holy would overall foozle FOTC Ali, and the middle rounds would be especially hard for the latter. But Ali would do his manhandling tactics in the clinch and would still land plenty of jabs and I imagine there would be more than a few significant combinations. I see Holy even getting rocked a few times. Mostly I just see Ali not quite being able to figure out his opponent and trying to stay safer than usual. Ali UD, but this wouldn't be anywhere near a consummate victory. 60s Ali would have been a wider margin of victory, he would have outworked and outfinessed Holy, though that would have been a really amazing fight to see. BOTH of them would.
For the love of money people, an old George Foreman was able to land on Holyfield. Ali would hit Evander hard and often, Holy can't outbox him, can't knock him out, and can't wear him down. If Evander makes it 15 his head would look like it had been stuck inside a hornets nest.
