Better losing performance by Holyfield...

I dont consider Lewis 2 or Valuev losing performances. But Bowe 1 for sure. That was a great performance by both guys.

 

I think Lewis 2 was razor close and he narrowly - but nonetheless clearly - beat Valuev. (I wonder how old Holmes would have done?)

 

I had the second Lewis fight an actual draw this time around.

I thought the Valuev decision was fair.

The Bowe fight was the most lopsided but still relatively close, and Holyfield showed a massive heart.

 

He showed all kinds of heart against Bowe but it was unnecessary, he could have outscored him, using his quicker hands and feet to get in and out like he did foreman but he got reckless, despite coming in light at 205 to box. Had he fought foreman like that he would have gotten knocked out.
Holy played right into Bowes hands and made him look much better than he was.

Lewis 2 was a very smart performance were he also took some big shots(which was unavoidable because holyfield was older and slower on his feet so he couldnt do what he did in the bowe rematch. He had to come to lewis).
Valuev was more so a horrid performance by valuev than a great masterpiece by evander. I had evander winning but he didnt look that great tbh

 

No because even though I thought he outperformed Lewis and Valuev neither of those guys were as good that night as Bowe was the night of Holy 1. So while Holy lost to Bowe he fought at a higher level against a tougher opponent than those two.

 

That’s assuming you think that Bowe was better than a still terrific Lennox Lewis which I doubt.

 

I think the Bowe of Holy 1 was better than any version of Lewis, yes.

 

Bowe 1

But it wasn't a smart performance. With the benefit of hindsight we can see how wrong his tactics were but that wasn't so obvious as the thing was unfolding. For much of the fight it was a war of attrition and the result hung in the balance. Bowe was less experienced at top level and had less proven stamina and less proven heart. Holyfield's gung-ho approach was wrong but if it had worked with Bowe folding late instead (not an unreasonable assumption going in to the fight) we'd be singing from a different sheet.

 

What about Bowe 3 had he not been ill he probably would've stopped Bowe.

 

You just did

 

Bowe 1 was probably one of the best performances of all time in a CLEAR loss.

 

Bowe 1 he gave everything he had in that fight and it wasn't enough....this is the fight that convinced Holy to gain more size so he could handle the bigger men....Holy fought one of the best versions of Bowe and showed why brawling with a good big man wasn't a good idea Bowe was the real deal when motivated....prime Holy at his best showed everything that made him an ATG and highlights the point of why size matters if the skills are equal