Larry would outbox vitali, rip his face to shreds, eventually win by stoppage. one sided bout. Vitali is old and slow as ****. looked dreadful against C level Sosnowski.
Leaning back against the ultra long, laser precise jab and right hand of Holmes is going to see Vitali in serious trouble very early in this fight.
By 1984, Holmes had slowed down to the point where he was barely ending Carl Williams, and then of course lost next to Spinks. In fact, i think Holmes started to slow down a bit in 1983. When your game us built on great hand speed, and not power, losing the hand speed takes you down a peg or two. In 2010, Vitali is still very formidable. I think he would out box Holmes, with a chance to score a TKO if Holmes was out of shape. Being in excellent conditioning late in one's career is a rarity in boxing. Quite often fighters lose their conditioning as their career progresses, and add too much weight.
Holmes looked very good in dissecting Bones Smith 2X in 1984 and again in '99............ Styles make fights look easy or hard............ Holmes had Smith's number down.......... However, Holmes was clearly slipping by age 33 / 34 and was winding down his title reign by '84..... V.K. is much more diversified than "Lazy Bones" Smith ever was...... And also owns better skills and speed......... I cannot really call this, but, the '10 version of Klit is pretty lethal and mobile--even at age 38....... "The Homer" of '84 might eek out a points win over Klit, but Klit of '10 is right there in the end........ :hey:think MR.BILL
Not the best year for either, but I think regardless of age, Larry is a bad style match up for Vitaly.
Both men were/are in decline during the mentioned years. Vitali is now approaching 39 years of age, and hasn't looked particularly impressive in his last two outings against less than stellar opposition. In 1984, Larry Holmes was 34-35, and not looking any better, certainly not from a physical standpoint. His competition wasn't much better either. The Holmes who fought Bey and Williams in the spring of 1985, was basically of the same vintage, and showing severe signs of deterioration. If placed in the same ring, at these respective stages in their careers, I wouldn't be entirely sold on one man over the other.. Prime for prime, Holmes was by far the better fighter, but I'm not convinced that he was superior at age 35 over a 38 year old Vitali. For all his short comings, Klit has managed to keep himself in very good condition, something that Holmes in all honesty didn't. In addition, while Holmes was always capable of triumphing over bigger, stronger men, I think that it was getting increasingly more difficult in his old age. While Carl Williams was a decent boxer, he was still a 16 fight novice with a shaky chin, and his only win of note was over James Tillis. Williams fought Holmes to a highly disputed decision, and to this day, I'm not even sure who deserved it. Some may disagree, but I think that even a 38 year old Klitschko could prove as a greater threat to a diminished Holmes than Carl the truth did. He had greater size, superior power, a solid chin, as good or better jab, and loads more experience. I'm going to remain undecided on this one..
Actually, I thought Holmes battered Bey well on HBO in March of '85........ Holmes was slipping, but still managed a stellar performance against Bey............... Again, style make fights......... Holmes KO 10 Bey....... Carl "The Lie" Williams was a bad match for the 35 year old Holmes in May of '85....... Holmes only got the nod by a **** hair but, a win is a win......... Holmes W15 Williams..... Holmes looked old, soft and slow against Mike Spinks to cap-off 1985......... And end of an era........ MR.BILL
Did anyone bother to checkout Carl Truth Williams on film in 1985? He had more talent in his little pinky than Sowsucksi had in his whole body. Williams had one of the better jabs I have ever seen for a superheavyweight. He actually knows how to throw it long, and how to snap it out there..unlike Vitali who only knows how to paw. Carl Truth Williams is certainly far more of a challenge for a young and upcomer than Kevin Johnson. The talent disparity between the two is not close. Williams would have given an Old Vitali all he can handle plus more. Say what you want about Bonecrusher. He was coming off a big knockout win over the highly touted Frank Bruno. He was young, had frightening power, and was immensely strong. Who did Albert the Bum Sowsucksi and Kevin Nofun Johnson beat that could classify them as world class fighters?
Dude, I saw and taped the fight (Holmes-Williams) live off Prime-Time network TV back in May of '85...... I still own my master copy as well........ Carl Williams was age 25 and a lean 212 pounds...... He never saw that weight ever again..... He was green as the grass is in the spring, but very quick and spry........ He looked like a young Larry Holmes......... But, unlike the great Holmes, Carl Williams became quickly exposed by Jesse Ferguson and, more so, Mike Weaver in early '86........ MR.BILL:bbb:hat
Holmes would bring it up from the gut, as usual when he aged. I'd back him to a decision. He was more vulnerable to speed and cunning at this stage than anything. A Tyson would have given him hell in 84 but Vitali lacks the dynamicism imo.
Yes. Holmes was pretty past his best by the time he fought the Bonecrusher,but he was still effective. Enduring a few torrid moments along the way,he'd use the jab to good effect against Vitali,and score a UD.
