Yeah I was bit baffled by that myself I've never seen anyone call Holmes a boring fighter inside the ring. People may discredit some parts of his resume and his personality was a bit unlikeable in his prime. But in regards to his in ring performances I think he's always been praised to be quite honest. Norton vs Holmes is one of the most talked about past Heavyweight fights in history.
Larry had a mean streak, and he liked to FIGHT, rather than just win, put the fans to sleep, and make self proclamations like what’s more common with the fighters considered “boxers” of today…
I love all the abovementioned Holmes fights. But I also found his more tactical fights fascinating i.e. Berbick.
Definitely…& quite an achievement that is, keeping the old Kenny Norton’s & Lorenzo Zanon’s of the world honest.
Apart from a few overmatched guys, I find all of Holmes’ defenses to be great fun. He’s such a complete fighter really. Best jab I’ve seen, a brilliant straight right and then his uppercut was excellent against the shorter man. Some really fast hands too. He’s not a true hitter but has an excellent knock out record, which should speak levels of his boxing talent. The accumulation he builds up gets too much… the stinging jabs and always waiting on those counter rights and uppercuts, then a real mean finisher too. For me the greatest champion of the lot.
I've rarely heard your assertion that he was boring. I'm under the impression he was a great fighter with a half dozen or so very exciting fights. How many exciting fights has Fury been in, outside of Wilder?
I took it as well understood. Not an exciting style, no ostensible desire to entertain the fans, & lacking credible opposition throughout most of his career (& virtually all of his reign), I wouldn’t have thought it needed saying often. I don’t know what Fury has to do with anything as I haven’t held him up as some poster child for thrills.
How many are as dull as Cobb, Zanon, Shavers I & II (save for one fleeting minute), Frank, Spinks I & II…I could go on & on & on.
Larry is like that kid at the HS that is well known and respected, but for some reason is not particularly liked.
“For some reason.” Nobody respected him in his time. Holmes has only grown into consensus greatness with the passage of time. A lot like the Klitschko’s (though he was better than both).
His destruction of Mike Weaver in their old man battle was pretty entertaining. Weaver’s timing and reflexes were shot while Larry was the beneficiary of a soft decline, leading to an entertaining study in what happens when one guy just cannot get past an opponents jab. And then tries by a fast lunge which is met by a beautiful right cross to the jaw.