AJ vs the 36-7 yo Holyfield who fought Lennox

Quote me accurately and I'll grant you a reply...

 

Holyfield’s physicality and roughhousing would play a significant role. For as big as he his, Joshua isn’t very strong. Even Uysk was pushing him around. That would be a big problem against Holyfield. It’s also guaranteed that Holyfield would walk Joshua onto some massive counter punches. Judging how he responded to Ruiz counter hooks he wouldn’t do well.

 

Couple of hooks up close and Joshua would soon shell up. Holyfield decision with a knockdown at some point.

 

Holyfield doesn't and won't quit. AJ does and will.

 

Depends if its 12 rounds or not, AJ isnt a 12 round fighter.

 

Lennox Lewis was way better than AJ. Lewis struggled a little with Holyfield. AJ would be knocked out.

 

Evander would have headbutted that useless bodybuilder into oblivion. Lol

 

Joshua lost to elite ex-200 lbs southpaw Usyk, Holyfield was an elite ex-190 lbs orthodox. Holyfield went 1-3-1 with heavyweight champions who were around Joshua's height and weight (and if anything, Holyfield was fortunate to get his decision win and draw). When he went 0-1-1 with Lewis he was on the cusp of going 1-1-1 with his own Ruiz.

 

His losses to big guys were to Lennox Lewis and I believe Riddick Bowe. And of course he fought Valuev.
We could argue about Bowe, but Lewis was 10 times the boxer/fighter than AJ was/is. Ray Mercer would Bolivianize Joshua and Holy
beat him still in his prime. The late losses don't count either way.

 

The Valuev fight was a qausi-exhibition and he's not in the elite SHW tradition, more of a modern day Carnera.

"but Lewis was 10 times the boxer/fighter than AJ was/is"

Meaningless assertion. At most, Lewis was moderately better than Joshua is. Joshua has lost recently so it's fresh in the mind. Lewis lost 20+ years ago so it's not fresh but at the time Lewis was regarded by many as being a glass jawed hypejob with a cautious temperament and a "thin record".

Mercer couldn't "Bolivianize" anyone better than a notoriously vulnerable Morrison and when he fought Holyfield he was in the midst of a zero KO's in 6 fights streak, regularly failing against journeymen/fringe contenders.

My point was that it's one-sided to say that Holyfield had a stylistic advantage due to Joshua's loss to southpaw Usyk when Holyfield lost to more stylistically comparable SHW's.

I wonder if many also believe that J. Ruiz would probably beat Joshua. After all, he was pretty much on par with the Holyfield that Lewis fought.

 

AJ vs Holyfield?

One of them gives up...


.

 

That version of Holyfield could lose to Joshua in a boring fight.

 

Holyfield by late TKO. Even at 36 and years past his prime, he is levels over AJ

 

I think that version of Holyfield knocks him out. Holyfield could outbox AJ, even at 37. Too much experience, and fresh enough body. Also,Holyfield could roughhouse and AJ is not so great at roughhousing. AJ doesn't have the tactical wherewithal to keep the Real Deal off him. AJ fades and Evander stops him.