Prob been done before but had quick scroll through and couldnt spot it....1980-1 Holmes coming off Ali defence ,Foreman maybe had tune up or 2, so both similar age. Never seemed to like one another...who wins ? Scenario 2. Late eighties, both into varyingly succesful comebacks..who wins ?
I Gotta go with Holmes, I think he'd whether the early storm from Foreman and get to him around the 10-11 round taking him out.
Foreman would need more than a couple tune-ups. Larry Holmes was at his peak in 80-81 and Foreman hadn't fought or thought about boxing in years.
A peak Foreman could cut the ring off against any HW. Outboxing him was no small task, think Holmes is up to a battle like that? In 1980 Holmes wins easily, Foreman wasn't even fighting. In 89 I would also favor Holmes by a wide UD. Peak early 70s Foreman vs. peak early 80s Holmes is one where I see Foreman in 5 or less.
Ali was able to wear out and exhaust a young Foreman and it wouldn't surprise me to see Holmes do it just in a different way. Young Foreman wasn't a very mentally strong fighter and once he begins to slow down and Holmes begins to take over the fight and lace him with some hard jabs and good power punches I believe panic would begin to set in. Foreman would swing wildly and miss while chasing Holmes around the ring eating hard jabs. Fatigue would really begin to set in and I picture Holmes catching Foreman with a big right hook or straight right while Foreman is lunging in putting him down to the canvas. Its doubtful whether a tired Foreman would get up but if he did Holmes would follow up and finish him off with a series of big an accurate power punches.
What Ali did in Zaire was to surprise Foreman with the lead right hands, Cus Damato apparently told Ali to try and earn Foremans respect with his right hand straight away. I personally dont think it worked too well as Foreman still cut off the ring and had Ali backed onto the ropes, Ali lay on the ropes because he had nowhere else to go. He couldnt dance, because Foreman cut off the ring very well, he couldnt slug it out with Foreman, it was either retreat on the ropes or get knocked out. Holmes does have a much better right hand, it all depends on whether Foreman can walk through it. I personally think Foreman kos Holmes if Holmes cannot get Foremans respect. Also Holmes chin might not have been as good as Alis and Holmes has been dropped by right hands from lesser fighters, If Foreman lands a couple, hes not letting Holmes off the hook. Even in the Jungle....not many could have withstood the punishment Ali took. Maybe none. Foreman, even on that night was a monster.
\ Assuming this is Foreman with a tune-up Fight scenario 1 Foreman catches him and doesn't let him off the hook like Snipes and Shavers had, Foreman is a finisher but it won't come early closer to the 7-8th rd. Holmes would have surgically taken him apart until he gets caught he gets up but Foreman had more than power he was a great finisher Fight scenario 2 Holmes outpoints him, Foreman didn't have the intensity in his 2nd career to finish off a great like Holmes and he wasn't fast enough. I rate Holmes as an ATG top 5 I think the matchup between these two is a good style matchup for either fighter
A peak Foreman got outboxed by Young and knocked out by a past it Ali. Cutting off the ring is all well and good until you're turned or he's getting beat to the punch and battered on the way in as he's made to miss his wide punches.
We can't really say that Foreman was peak at the time of the Young fight. George was still affected by the loss to Muhammad Ali. Still in his physical prime,yes,but he was mentally scarred for ages after. That's not taking anything away from Young as he put on a masterful performance. The REAL prime Foreman was the one who faced Joe Frazier (first fight) Joe Roman,Ken Norton and Ali. Against that version,Holmes could build up points and eventually stop Foreman in the latter phases of the fight if he does n't get caught full on by a Foreman haymaker. If that happens,Larry does n't get off the hook like he did against Earnie Shavers. As for the eighties/nineties veteran incarnations - Holmes ekes out a slow points verdict.
This 'prime' talk gets silly sometimes though, Foreman was physically prime, 28 and 3 years after his career best win and hungry for another title shot. Maybe he had demons after Ali loss but I'm not sure, I know he wanted the Ali rematch but Ali didn't really want such a tough fight at that stage. It's more likely he had fits with Young's style I feel. Punchers generally do better against easy targets like pressure fighters, ie Frazier/Norton, against pure boxers who move and look to box they generally struggle much more. In terms of the fight, Holmes himself sees Foreman's intense pace over the first 5 being the tough time in a fight but after that expects an easier ride as Foreman tires.