Larry Holmes vs Muhammad Ali's Opposition ?

He might or might not get floored, but I do agree the likely outcome is him stopping Lyle, or at the least, a heavily one-sided UD.

 

He'd whip Joe for sure because Joe is a one handed fighter and would give out before Larry's right hand. Larry would turn his head to mush!

 

I sympathize with this idea, but I just can't see Larry being able to keep Joe off him past the fifth round. I certainly think Holmes will swell Joe's face up to twice its size, but I see Joe outworking him. Just me.

He didn't have the Holmes kryptonite, but I see the FOTC Joe as the single greatest heavyweight performance in history. I don't see even 60s Ali winning against that guy.

 

I think Holmes would do well but I can’t see him beating them all. In fact a younger Ken Norton might even have handed him a loss.

 

This thread should also look at how Muhammad Ali handles Larry Holme's opposition too. How does a young Cassius Clay or experienced Ali handle Gerry Cooney, Michael Spinks, Mike Tyson, Ray Mercer and how would the Ali that fought Holmes in 1980 and Trevor Berbick in 1981 handle Butterbean? Would it be just a fun exhibition or would Butterbean seriously look to exploit Ali in that stage of his career?

How did both men acquit themselves against opponents they both shared? I think Stevie G made a good point saying if Holmes had a rubbermatch with Ken Norton he'd win two out of three. Can we compare performances between both boxers? Holmes fought Earnie Shavers twice could Ali feasibly handle more than one fight with Shavers? Conversely though Holmes only sparred Joe Frazier who Holmes claims Frazier bust up his ribs. Could Holmes fight Frazier just once let alone three times?

This thread raises some interesting questions. How would have Larry Holmes handled Henry Cooper twice, Joe Bugner twice, Chuck Wepner and Jimmy Young?

 

Stylistically he'd have a problem with Frazier's aggressive hook and body work and Liston's strength and jab which was actually nearly as good. I'd say those are 50/50, maybe a very small advantage to Holmes. I think he beats everyone else.

 

Joe Frazier is getting a lot of disrespect in this thread. If sluggers were his kryptonite out boxers were his nectar.

 

Larry is going to have the same problem Muhammad had against Joe. He can't make him back up. It doesn't mean Larry can't whup him but it is a problem he'll have to solve to win.

 

Spoiler: he won’t.

 

Liston, Frazier and Foreman beat him. A prime Norton could be trouble too. He likely does great against the rest.

 

Yeah, Holmes certainly wouldn't have said no to the biggest paycheck of all time, as Frazier was when Ali first faced him. I think Holmes also was more legacy oriented until later in his reign. And while he wanted huge money for any risk after Cooney, the rubbers against Frazier and Norton would have been big enough paydays, I think. But Lyle, Bugner and Young within the space of a year at that point... Hell, no.