Evender going to the 64 Olympic s then turning pro. How does he go on meeting exact same opponents as Joe? Chuvalo , Oscar, Ellis, buster, quarry, Ali, foreman. Does he actually lose before he meets George or could he go through undefeated,? Be interested to see how he deals with Ali and foremen
I think he'd have struggled. He was only 2 in '64, Fergs. Hilarious jokes aside, I don't see too many major problems. There was no cruiserweight division to stop off in as he grew from 178lbs but heavies weighed around the cruiser limit for the most part so he would not have needed to be so bulky when he hit his top weight which may have topped out around 200-205lbs. Without the extra weight, Evander is quicker with higher punch output and better stamina. Nobody he meets on the way to Ali would have the power to hurt him and I see him being too busy for Chuvalo, Oscar and Ellis. He may even stop Bonavena as his hook was better than Ali's. Can't see Ellis going 15 either. Big Buster goes late on and Quarry gets busted up and TKOed. Ali in 71? Could go either way but Holyfield is better than Norton who was Ali's kryptonite in the 70s and could squeak a close decision. Ali was only two fights back on the comeback trail and had had a tough one with Bonavena. He was beatable, make no mistake. If he hasn't taken him too lightly and boxes smart, he is too tall for Foreman to push off and to quick to allow young George to set him up otherwise. He gets Foreman to gas and turns up the heat for a close decision or late stoppage and at the end of all that he is being talked about as a top 5 all time heavy. In fact the hardest fight for him in this era would have been against the man he replaced. Joe. I'm not sure how that would have panned out but I lean towards Frazier. Funny old game, isn't it? It was an era steeped in talent, even more than his own which was none too shabby, but one more suited to Evander's natural dimensions.
Good post edd, yes totally agree with how that okay out more or less. Would have been a good fight with Ali 71 and can see him beating George in a tough one. Think he would have been a great in the 70s what ever happened. But knowing holy field he would have been fighting well in the 80s and facing that generation, where no doubt advanced age would have see him suffering losses
Evander would do pretty well. He may well have narrowly outpointed a comebacking Ali in 1971 but he may well have fallen against Foreman. After this it's history repeating itself. Ali evens the score in a rematch and takes their rubber match.
Holyfield will prosper in any HW era . Prime Liston would have given him hell and brought out the best in Holyfield.
Holyfield had a much better boxing prime in comparison to Frazier and was far superior as a boxer and in the chin department. Maybe Frazier's hook was a little harder, but that's about all Frazier did better. Swapping places I think Holyfield does as well as Frazier, maybe a bit better. And he'd fight better competition. I rate Holyfield in my top 15, a notch or two ahead of Frazier.
I think Holyfield would've done virtually the same as Frazier just likely his fights going a little bit longer in some cases. I have a tough time seeing Holyfield beating Ali though. I think a come backing Ali beats Holyfield in a really good competitive fight which likely goes the 15 rounds. If Holyfield defended against a young Foreman I think he'd be able to last a little bit longer then Frazier but like Frazier and Norton I think Holyfield would fall to a young Foreman probably around the 4th or 5th round. In my mind Holyfield vs Frazier is a pick em fight I would be a sure classic.
