Holyfield against all linear champions through out history. Could he get through with out being stopped? Prime Holyfield
He could, certainly. I don't think most have a chance of even winning against an in-form Holyfield. When I look at this list below, it could get dicey with Louis, Liston, Tyson, Lewis and Klitschko. I think those are probably the lineal champions with the highest probability of stopping Evander but I could see Holyfield surviving any of those fights and making them competitive. Reference: John L. Sullivan — 1892 — USA James J. Corbett — 1892–1897 — USA Bob Fitzsimmons — 1897–1899 — UK James J. Jeffries — 1899–1905 — USA Marvin Hart — 1905–1906 — USA Tommy Burns — 1906–1908 — Canada Jack Johnson — 1908–1915 — USA Jess Willard — 1915–1919 — USA Jack Dempsey — 1919–1926 — USA Gene Tunney — 1926–1928 — USA Max Schmeling — 1930–1932 — Germany Jack Sharkey — 1932–1933 — USA Primo Carnera — 1933–1934 — Italy Max Baer — 1934–1935 — USA James J. Braddock — 1935–1937 — USA Joe Louis — 1937–1949 — USA Ezzard Charles — 1949–1951 — USA Jersey Joe Walcott — 1951–1952 — USA Rocky Marciano — 1952–1956 — USA Floyd Patterson — 1956–1959 — USA Ingemar Johansson — 1959–1960 — Sweden Floyd Patterson — 1960–1962 — USA Sonny Liston — 1962–1964 — USA Muhammad Ali — 1964–1971 — USA Joe Frazier — 1971–1973 — USA George Foreman — 1973–1974 — USA Muhammad Ali — 1974–1978 — USA Leon Spinks — 1978 — USA Muhammad Ali — 1978–1979 — USA Larry Holmes — 1980–1985 — USA Michael Spinks — 1985–1988 — USA Mike Tyson — 1988–1990 — USA Buster Douglas — 1990 — USA Evander Holyfield — 1990–1992 — USA Riddick Bowe — 1992–1993 — USA Evander Holyfield — 1993–1994 — USA Michael Moorer — 1994 — USA George Foreman — 1994–1997 — USA Shannon Briggs — 1997–1998 — USA Lennox Lewis — 1998–2001 — UK Hasim Rahman — 2001 — USA Lennox Lewis — 2001–2004 — UK Wladimir Klitschko — 2009–2015 — Ukraine Tyson Fury — 2015–2024 — UK Oleksandr Usyk — 2024–Present — Ukraine
He's got a good chance, but guys like prime Foreman, Frazier, Louis, Liston, they're obviously the danger one's.
I don't think any manage to stop a prime Holyfield but I'd say Louis has the best chance. Has the speed and craft to consistently catch him with power shots and counters over 15 to potentially wear him down. I don't think Holyfield is gonna be the type of guy that's gonna get hurt and stopped with one shot or blasted out early, going to need to consistently hammer at him and catch him with hard unexpected shots. Guys like Foreman, Liston and Marciano are too slow to consistently land their best shots on him imo atleast not without taking considerable punishment themselves. Tyson has a better chance because of his speed but I think Holyfield just had his number tactically. Other than Louis I'd say maybe Frazier could manage a late stoppage. Wouldn't count on it but I'd say he's got a decent chance at wearing Holy out with body shots over the course of the fight and stopping him partly through exhaustion.
Evander Holyfield made 80 million dollars before his first 30 professional fights. If that ain't linear, it's at least lineal. I'll tell you that.
