Boxers who could achieve Larry Holmes's title reign?

I'm not really going to discuss the fighters in the black and white era, as i don't know enough about them and it's always difficult to compare with the styles and weight differences.

Muhammad Ali in a clean sweep i don't see Ali losing to any of Holmes's opponents.

Same again for Frazier a clean sweep for him, although surprisingly a dangerous puncher like Cooney or Shavers may upset him. Frazier was vulnerable early and a big puncher like those two may catch him early.

Mike Tyson should be able to beat every Larry Holmes opponent, if he can keep on the straight and narrow. But 7 years of Tyson being consistent seems unlikely so maybe he has a slip up somewhere.

Lennox Lewis also should be able to beat every Larry Holmes opponent, although he could maybe have a McCall or Rahman moment vs Shavers. Especially since they'd be fighting twice, Shavers would have more of a chance of landing his hail mary right. And if Shavers caught Lewis with the same right hand he caught Holmes with, i don't think Lewis would get up from it. Witherspoon would also pose a problem for Lewis with the jab, Lewis sometimes had difficulties with jabs.

I actually don't think Klitschko stays undefeated, i think Norton beats him aswell as maybe Weaver after being a mile behind on points if were talking 15 rounds, a puncher like Cooney/Shavers would also be dangerous for Klitschko early on as would Witherspoon. I think Klitschko picks up a loss somewhere along the line.

Foreman may get an upset loss from Witherspoon, apart from that i don't see anyone else beating Foreman. Williams i think surprisingly may present a challenge to Foreman, but Williams chin is too shaky for my liking vs Foreman.

I think Holyfield picks up a loss somewhere, and surprisingly it might be from a guy like Williams. Who could keep Holyfield at bay with the jab and outbox him, my issue is Holyfield had a good left hook and Williams was vulnerable to the punch. Norton/Holyfield would be a fantastic fight aswell and hard to pick aswell as Holyfield vs Witherspoon.

I said i wasn't going to discuss the older fighters from the black and white era, but i'll just say Marciano is small for a Heavyweight. And i don't think he stays undefeated against some of the bigger boys.

Louis is a fantastic fighter but was a sucker from the right hand, and may surprisingly pick up a loss to dangerous puncher Shavers. Some of the talented boxers like Williams and Witherspoon would also pose a stylistic problem.

 

I wanted to pick Lewis, but I think Shavers (quite possibly Norton and Weaver) could have McCall/Rahman'd him. That said, I believe he'd knock them both out in a rematch for sure.

Louis could do it, possibly Klitschko.

Interesting how peak Bowe isn't listed here, he's a possible.

 

Wlad: should be favored over most of Holmes' opponents, but I'd be sweating bullets for the Shavers match. Obviously Wlad is more likely to win than not, but it's such a potentially chaotic matchup. Shavers is at least as good as Brewster and a fat old Sanders and is better than Purrity and Peter so anything could happen. Witherspoon could possibly pull something off, he had the tools, durability, and skills to cause an upset. It isn't beyond the realm of possibility for the tricky cagey Spinx to upset an old Wladmir if the flabby but skilled Fury could do it. I give him a high chance maybe 75% but I wouldn't be very confident for the opponents mentioned.

Lewis: similar to Wlad, I could see Shavers or Witherspoon beating him but I think Lewis was better than Wlad overall and would have a better chance of avoiding an upset loss to them. I'd say he has a very good chance.

Holyfield: too inconsistent and had too many bad habits to go undefeated even in a relatively weak era. He might not even beat Norton to win the title in the first place. Weaver, Witherspoon, Spinx even Williams could break his streak. Those are all tricky matchups for Hoylfield and he struggled with men on their level multiple times. Gonna say a definite no.

Tyson: No way, he'd implode at some point. Tyson had bad habits that would creep up with or without Rooney, with or without King and his fans need to stop acting like he was the perfect fighting specimen and all his problems occured because of someone else. Even a focused Tyson with no distractions and good management could still end up losing over a long 9 year stretch (nearly a decade) from Norton to Spinx. It isn't Tyson at his peak for every fight, it's Tyson getting older and having wear and tear after each fight.

Foreman: Really don't see who could actually beat him. Holmes title reign opponents might have had one or two things they could do that could give Foreman problems, but none of them could be favored to win. Maybe Williams could pull something off against an aging Foreman or Shavers with his proverbial punchers chance but I'd favor him to beat both.

Frazier: individually he's better than all of them but his body would break down and he'd lose at some point. Very slim chance.

Ali: clears it no doubt.

Liston: like Tyson, he probably loses steam at some point lacking motivation. Can't see him clearing it because of his habits after winning the title underestimating opponents perceived as beneath him.

Marciano: Does good for the first few years, but struggles heavily due to the size difference. He wouldn't be able to clear it if not because of his smaller size then due to his body weakening.

Louis: none of them have the ability to upset Louis outside of a punchers chance. Probably clears it.

 

I picked Ali, Wlad and Louis to clear the field. Not surprisingly Ali had two ten defense streaks in his career, Wlad had 18 just shy of Holmes and Louis 25. High level career consistency is important.

 

I'm wondering about Ali vs Norton. Even an aged Norton might give the, say, 60s Ali a hard time. I doubt he'd beat Ali, but were there more than one fight he might. That's why I didn't necessarily pick Ali, and I also have to consider Tim Witherspoon. I don't think MA would be too comfortable with his style, either.

Foreman: I'm not sure he could have made it 1978 to 1983 as champion, in fact I think he'd meet his match at one point, Whether it was a Shavers lucky shot, Witherspoon or Berbick possibly outlasting him...I mean, I can see George annihilating those guys but if we're considering a straight, five or six year run, I'm not sure at all he'd make it unscathed.

Same with Iron Mike as far as longevity. He'd mow over Norton, Ocasio, Evangelista, Neon Leon, Jones, beyond-past-it Ali, likely Weaver. As far as individuals, I'm not as confident about the Witherspoon who fought Larry, especially if Mike had held the title (like Holmes) for five years before the match. To be more precise, I don't think the Mike who beat Ruddock (with notable difficulty) could have beat that Spoon. I'd actually place money he couldn't.

I don't see Frazier quite making it either, though I adore him as a fighter. At the latest, I think Cooney would have been the perfect foil for him after he held the title for several years. I think Shavers would have been early enough in Smokin' Joe's reign to get knocked out in maybe 6 or 7 (though Joe might suffer a kd). Even Weaver might have given Joe a bit more trouble than we might first think (though I seriously doubt Weav would make to the final rounds).

 

From the guys that Holmes fought between 78-85, I could see Vitali whose not on the list doing it.

 

Joe Louis does it, no doubt

I think Liston, Wlad, Lewis have strong shots. Foreman would get Jimmy Younged by somebody

I am surprised by the lack of respect for Tyson. I think he has a chance to run the table here. He arguably cleaned out the 80s much cleaner than Holmes did, in a shorter duration, and in more dominant fashion.

holmes avoided number 1 contender pinklon Thomas, whom Tyson trashed on. Tyson also dominated the two lineal champs Spinks and Holmes in 1 and 4 rounds. Tyson knocked out Williams in 1 who took an aging Holmes to the brink of defeat. Tyson knocked out berbick in 2 who went 15 with Holmes. Does anyone see a 14-0 Witherspoon fighting evenly with a 1986 Tyson? And no rematch for Witherspoon?

Holmes also threw his belt in trash rather than fight Greg Page. No unification. Meanwhile, Tyson unified all 3 belts in a 2 year period over Berbick bonecrusher and Tucker. Hate to **** on Holmes like this, but Holmes 7 year reign was extended partly due to some very dull years 83-85 defending against cream puffs instead of unifying or fighting his mandatory number 1s

 

Ali would be my number one choice for this. Just imagine if his career's not curtailed between the ages of 25 and 28. Also none of Larry's opponents would give him the career sapping wars that prime Norton and Joe Frazier would present him with. Muhammad would maybe even surpass Holmes' record. In this scenario,he'd only be 29 in 1985.

Joe Louis could also accomplish this.

 

No doubting Bowe's ability but he'd implode after a couple of years.

Excellent post.

 

I believe there were 3 men in history.
Ali
Louis
Jack Johnson

 

None of these guys holding a version of the title could manage more than a single defense. Holmes already beat some of them prior to their winning a title. Greg Page was already beaten by Berbick who Holmes handily defeated. Page went on to lose to Bey. So, Holmes fought him instead.
I can see a 14-0 Witherspoon fighting evenly with a 1986 Tyson. Even defeating. Tyson barely squeaked by Tillis that year, who a few short years earlier was wrecked in a single round by Witherspoon. And old Holmes did twice what Tyson failed to do once. Stop the "Bonecrusher".

 

Don't see many at all really. Prove how good Larry was.
Lennox Lewis has the ability to beat all the men there but I'm not sure he keeps focused enough to keep winning.
And as Rules makes it, pointed out, against guys like Shavers, Weaver etc, we could see him kod.
Tho a rematch would probably see him blast em out.
The K brothers are the next choice for me but the knock against Wlad is that chin.
But it's an interesting question to mull over.

 

If Tyson is managed similar to how he was in real life fighting several times a year, yes he could clear it. But if he has to spread it out across 9 years Tyson falls apart mentally at some point.