better legacy: Holmes or Wladimir

'78 Norton was well past it, but the guy is HoF, fought some of the greatest HWs in history, got robbed against Ali at least once. Chris Byrd? I don't think so. Either way, Holmes' resume is better than Wlad's.

 

That tells you all you need to know

 

Holmes all day long...

 

Holmes by a distance.

 

If you compare just their wins than Wlad stacks up well with Holmes. I'd say Norton was past his best, Ali doesn't count he was so far past it, Shavers could punch but gets overrated sometimes, and he caught a few guys very early in their careers like Witherspoon. Then you add guys he beat who were good and at/near their peaks like Mercer and Cooney. I'd put Wlad's best wins on the same level as those guys. You can make good arguments for either guy there.

The one place that Holmes runs away from Wlad in is their losses. Holmes didn't lose until he was way past his best and that was to Spinks, and most thought he won atleast one of those fights. During his peak Holmes never lost and Wlad has lost several times. Sure, Purrity was early in his career and doesn't have quite the weight attatched to it but Sanders and Brewster beat a Wlad who was either at or atlest near his peak. The losses is what puts Holmes comfortably ahead of Wlad.

If you also factor in head to head than I'd also favor Holmes. He was too complete of a fighter and had a great jab of his own to offset Wlad's. I'd feel very confident picking a prime Holmes to beat Wlad and probably by a late round stoppage.

 

2nd only to Joe Louis in HW Title Defenses: Larry Holmes.

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zlQqSCzRrA[/ame]

LOL -- Classic!!

 

They sure as hell weren't better fights...I still break out the 1978 Holmes/Norton bout from time-to-time and try to forget the Wlad/Byrd and /Haye bouts.

You can't always use number crunching to analyze a passionate sport like boxing. Holmes/Norton alone leaves Holmes with a better legacy than Wlad, imo.

 

I give it to Holmes. Holmes would have never of lost to Ross Purity and Corey Sanders in his 20's
You have to count the losses as much as the wins. Those are two really bad losses on Klit resume. Holmes first loss to a boxer not in the Hall of Fame was at 45 years old

 

Holmes right now.

Wlad needs to fight for another 2-3 years and rack up some more title defenses before he can overpass Larry.

 

Huh? Holmes obviously.

 

Holmes by a city mile!

 

Klitschko, and it's not even close.

 

Im a big Wlad fan but id say Holmes

neither guy has the greatest resume so in a battle of longevity and consistent domination Holmes edges

longer reign more defenses didnt lose til after 35 to a hof guy

also his second career past his peak helps no he didnt regai nthe title like foreman but he took champs to the brink and looked good