What does Tyson’s destruction of Holmes in 1988 tell us?

Holmes had to be in peak condition and in his prime to beat a fighter like Tyson. Also Holmes didn’t really have a training camp- thanks to Don King. He was retired and out of shape and rusty. Against Holyfield he was in shape and had been training and had matches prior etc….

 

This.

 

Mind the ropes. Before the KO, Larry executing his game plan well in managing the distance, I thought he wanted to take Mike into deep waters, but when Mike had him in the ropes, Larry tried that right counter and his arm got tangled in the ropes. It was all over from there. Still, 88 Mike Tyson might be among the best HW ever

 

No time to prepare himself and shake off ring rust.

 

Holmes was open about just doing it for the money.

 

i don’t buy that Holmes 4 years older was better than the version who fought Tyson. Only 14 months prior Holmes arguably beat Michael Spinks in rematch

 

Holmes had been out doing a dancing tour or something it’s out there research it. He was out of shape for the Tyson fight. No time to prepare. He asked for time and Don King said that would be a no go. I’m saying it’s needs to be a prime Holmes in shape to beat Tyson. That 88 Tyson is a different beast than the Holyfield Holmes fought. If Holmes would have had some time to prepare etc…. I think he does better better but still gets a defeat. Now a Holmes from 80-81 I think wins

 

Holmes was on a losing streak and had very little time to prep, no tune-up fights. While he has seemingly never lacked confidence, I think he'd lost his mojo at this point. He got it back in his 40s. You can watch him re-claim it in real time in his fight vs Mercer.

I think the loss tells us the above met Tyson at his peak.

 

That loss to Spinks took away his edge. I think the 43 year old Holmes was better.

I don't think aging between 38 and 43 was a huge factor there, especially when we're talking about a guy who could still fight well in his late 40s and even early 50s. I re-watched Holmes-Weaver II the other night. It kind of showed what I mean here. Aging was kinder to him than others, in terms of keeping his boxing ability. Weaver gave Holmes hell in their first fight when they were young. In their second fight, as old men, Holmes steamrolled Weaver from start to finish, despite Weaver being much more fit looking. Anything Weaver tried to do resulted in him eating a jab, and the one time he really tried to do something, Holmes timed him perfectly and ended the fight with one punch.

 

Tyson at that time was an absolute beast and basically no one was going to beat him. Larry basically took the fight for the money and did relatively well, he just couldnt get the jab going as he normally would. Tyson landed the big overhand right which Larry was susceptible to his whole career and it really took the fight out of him. Still in 75 fights this was the only time Larry was ever stopped and theres no shame in losing to prime time Mike.

 

Holmes never would’ve beaten that version of Tyson.