Haven't seen this been done before and its an interesting match up. Both are similar size wise, with Evander being more muscled partly due to modern training and nutrition. Lets look at the break down: General Boxing ability - the movement and jab of Holyfield edges him, footwork of both is excellent. Holyfield has more compact punches, where as Dempsey can telegraph his shots at times. Defense - Dempsey has a little better head movement but his low guard would cost him against a great boxer every time. Dempsey would also leave himself open as he attacked his opponent Speed - Dempsey by a tad Strength - clearly Holyfield Workrate - Both have a high workrate but Holyfield was more relentless and stronger in the later rounds. Dirty Tricks - both were happy to bend the rules, Holyfield is probably the smarter fouler Power - Many will say Dempsey, he may hit somewhat harder BUT if Holyfield faced Dempsey's opposition and Dempsey faced Holyfield's opponents Holyfield would be looking far more destructive Can Dempsey KO Evander? I don't think so, Evander has been in with Lennox Lewis twice, Bowe 3 times, Foreman and Tyson twice and only KO'd when he was suffering from hepatitis. Can Holyfield KO Dempsey? By records Dempsey seems to have a dentable chin (or suspect defense), down against Tunney and Firpo aswell as being ko'd by Fireman Flyn. It is unlikely Holyfield ko's Dempsey early but Holyfield may wear him down for a late KO My pick - Rounds 1-6 - Dempsey starts fast but has problems backing up Holyfield and getting his best shots off, Evander's jab controls the pace somewhat despite Dempseys greater speed. Both fighters get impressive combinations off to the head and body and there are heated exchanges. 6-10 - they are 3rounds a piece. Dempsey slows a little, his head movement isnt quite as good after the early rounds, his low guard makes him easy for Holyfield to get his shots off on. Holyfields strength and systematic break down behind a jab begins to make Dempsey back up more and get outlanded by Holys more compact shots. Dempsey makes a late rally in the 10th round as he is now losing the fight and try's to turn it around. He throws everything in his tank but can't hurt Holyfield and Holyfield wins the final exchange, Dempsey looks demoralised going to his corner 11-12- Dempsey looks spend after his rally in the 10th, sensing this Holyfield is really stepping up the attack and unleashing combination after combination as Dempsey backs to the ropes. Jack is floored twice at the end of the 11th. Coming out in the 12th Holyfield goes to the kill landing his biggest shots, Dempsey is knocked out Prediction: Holyfield KO12
I don't feel like going into a deep analysis about this right now, as I really don't think this match requires one, and you've done most of the legwork already anyway. I agree that Holyfield takes this one, and likely by a stoppage or KO. Despite what old school advocates will say of Dempsey, I truly believe Holyfield was a higher calibur athlete from almost all perspectives. The grueling wars that Evander partook in, were arguably unmatched by most of the battles that Dempsey engaged, and I won't give much merit to the argument that the Luis Firpo, Billy Miske, jess Willard, or Gene Tunney fights were parallels to that of Holy's meetings with Bowe, Lewis, Moorer, Tyson, Dokes, qawi, etc.
Is his power as good as Tyson and Lennox? No chance Is his speed better than Tyson? No, is it better than Lennox? I dont think so, Lennox looks more explosive on film Strength - hes lighter and gets pushed around by smaller fighters than Holy But feel free to make an analysis
I'll go with Holyfield. Dempsey was wonderfully skilled for his time, but those were cruder times. I think the combination of Holyfield's slickness, speed, strength, stamina, durability and power would be too much for Dempsey in the end. Willard was stronger, Tunney was faster and Firpo probably was at least Holyfield's equal in power, but they weren't as complete. And let's not fool ourselves. Dempsey's low guard would hurt him against someone with Holyfield's skill and power.
Willard was possibly the strongest heavy who ever fought, discovered hauling 500 lb. bales of cotton by himself if legend is true. And unfortunately when discussing the HW Holyfield, the ugly subject of PED's (and lots of them) rears its head. My take is, both fighters in their natural state- with access to the same training and nutrition- and Dempsey takes this.
Holy is there to be hit and Dempsey is there to hit him. Holy will want to trade with Jack and because of that Jack will stop him.
The way Holyfield excelled against Tyson makes me pretty confident in picking him against a smaller but similar fighter in Dempsey. I think he'd cover up, counter and hold most of the time like he did Tyson.
There is one all important difference between Tyson and Dempsey here. Tyson couldnt fight on the inside. He just never developed the necesary skillset. Dempsey was probably the best infighter the heavyweight division has ever seen. That could be decisive given Hollyfields gameplan. You might also question whether Holyfield beat a prime Tyson.
i feel some are Giveing Holy To much Props and Demsey not enough Dempsey had More Power than holy and was Faster than Holy
Anybody living in the real world will say Dempsey. Quite frankly I dont think that Holyfields biggest oponents were either larger or more durable than Dempseys. Willard was clearly more durable than Lewis or Bowe for example.
This I agree with. But since in reality there were some 80 years between them, during which both training and nutritions/supplements (legal and illegal) evolved, I favour Holyfield.
Maybe he was. But, more crucially, they knew how to defend themselves. As impressive as Dempsey's destruction of Willard was I think most ATGs would give that version of him a terrible hiding.
