Evander Holyfield vs Tommy Loughran

Holyfield within 3 rounds for me, he could treat Loughran like a ragdoll or beat him through better technical skills and athleticism. Just look how Holyfield outboxed Holmes, Douglas and THomas all good technical boxers with great jabs

 

I think that Tunney and Sharkey are a bit better technically overall. Not offensively, Holyfield trumps both in that with good combinations, solid accuracy in punching, and good power as well as good inside skills. But defensively, I think both have better movement, counterpunching, and cute defensive moves along with accurate, sharp punching and capable offense at all ranges.

Holyfield is more of a 'generalist', to me. Jack of all trades, but a master of few.

That being said I still expect Holyfield to beat Loughran just by overwhelming him, more or less.

 

That´s as outlandish as favouring Loughran clearly.

 

I don't see why, Loughran has been stopped that quickly before and Holyfield would be far the best HW he fought.

 

Yeah but Holyfield was rarely an early round destroyer even against middling fighters, and Loughran was a really good one. Being stopped 3 times in 117 fights(one of them being a broken rib) isn't really an indication of a 'glass chin' or w/e

 

Yes, twice. By Sharkey when he was at his absolute best and by Hamas when he was starting to slide.

Holydielf over all is better than either - and I rank him far higher too at 8 - but at his best I think I like Sharkey over him. The Hamas bout was the sixth bout in 5 month and the three opponents before him were hw contenders Risko, Uzcudun and Levinsky. Might be that he was just a bit exhausted from that schedule? Later he went 2-1 in three further bouts against Steve without getting knocked down in those fights. Which gives me enough of an indication of this beeing a fluke.

Picking Holyfield to win is reasonable. More reasonable than picking Loughran. Picking Holyfield by stoppage is - IMO - not so reasonable since Loughran was only stopped thrice. Once early in his career which can be ignored IMO, and the two mentioned one. Holyfield may catch him early but he wouldn´t repeat that feat in the next 9 outings. It´s just highly unlikely. The most likely result is a points win for Holyfield. The next one a late stoppage for Holy, then a Loughran points win. In my opinion at least.

 

I wouldn't necessarily call Loughran a greater technician, he was more so a very cagey, experienced fighter who was awkward and difficult to fight. He had one of those styles that wouldn't necessarily work for most other boxers, relying solely on his left hand, his quick feet and instincts that had been built on the experience of hundreds of fights. There was very little that Loughran hadn't seen in the ring, against a man with average skills and athleticism he'd completely embarrass them (as he did Braddock). You had to bring something exceptional to the ring in order to beat him decisively.

Holyfield though is a physical specimen the likes of which Loughran had never seen. He refused to fight Joe Louis due to drawing the "color line", the only opponent in those days who would have brought the kind of handspeed and explosiveness that Holyfield possesses at 190+ pounds. Chances are that Louis would have demolished the then aging Loughran. Even Sharkey was more so a defensive specialist, not the offensive machine that Holyfield could be at his best, but his unpredictability did Loughran in.

 

Holyfield is far more relentless, his workrate just doesn't let up, has a better jab he doubles and trebbles, a better left hook and a rough inside fighter. Plus he's bigger. Sharkey was the Golota of his times and just doesn't have the heart and tenacity of Holyfield, neither was he the technician (imo at least), athlete (undebatable) or have the conditioning(undebatable).

I want to post some videos of Holyfield outboxing technicians with his jab, showign his phenomenal workrate, and brutal breakdown with combinations to the head and body. Have we forgot how good Holyfield was from 86-93?

Look at what Holyfield does to the very good technician in DeLeon

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcN1WOEdl5g[/ame]

(a nice 1988 Tyson interview in between rounds )

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX713BXN4Eo&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmHnrdfQCos&feature=related[/ame]

Now see him outjab, and breakdown 1 of the best technicians of the 80s Thomas, people say Thomas was done but it was partly that Holyfield was just so fast and sharp from the start and broke him down

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVunx9QXN_c&feature=related[/ame]


Now look at him bullying Moorer past his prime

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uChf8Xjc4DM&feature=related[/ame]

Loughran's inside game wasn't very good and Holyfield would get inside and bully the smaller man before knocking him out. Loughran hasn't fought anyone this relentless and no one as good a counter puncher, Tyson called Holyfield the best counter puncher he'd seen. So he'd get to Loughran and I don't see what Loughran can do to keep him off

 

I like Holyfield. Loughran would problably win most of the early rounds...but Holyfield would close the gap. Loughran would then fight to survive to last the distance/ Holyfield decision in fifteen rounds.

 

How many Holyfield fights have you seen?