Holyfield vs Mayweather

Opinions are opinions.

 

The other huge factor fighting elite competition is the wear and tear. Floyd never fought with those consequences.

Imagine those hands alone deteriorating. Reflexes diminshed. And another thing those guys using their boxing radar to avoid getting hit===that leaves too. The punches they used to slip turns into getting hit clean.

I sure never thought the Mayweather style was suited whatsoever for wear and tear. Especially if he is the 33 year old facing the undefeated 22 year old great prospect. Or having those diminished reflexes and having to finally take some fights were he is the guy going into the lions den.

 

What year? 1990?

 

@Bornslippy

 

This is p4p. I was talking about who was the greatest. Smaller fighters are always advantaged in p4p comparisons. I don't know why you don't understand this. Holyfield is greater than Floyd without a doubt.

 

Mayweather would win a poll with any heavyweight but Ali and Louis. So not surprising.

 

If we look at skills on display, it isn't close. But Mayweather never fought in an unlimited weight class, so Holyfield regularly got in there with much bigger men.

As to records, man, it's hard to compare Holyfield to most fighters of his era or later because he fought everyone. Unlike others, he never protected his record, and his record reflects that. Anyone of note he missed wasn't his fault; he'd have happily have fought them had the opportunity arose. Mayweather with that attitude would have certainly picked up a loss or two, although he probably would have avenged them. I find Mayweather is a bit overrated by casuals but fairly underrated by the more hardcore. He was exceptional in his prime. ATG, HOF, top 10 P4P, you name it, he's in the discussion if we are being fair.

So, man, I don't know.

I will say that if a prime HW Holyfield were around today and Usyk wasn't, he'd be the Usyk of the era. And he'd be sure to go and fight Parker, Kabayel, Zhang, Bakole, and anyone else. I'd bet on him over all of them. Man a fight between him and Kabayl would be something. The ring could be tiny or huge, wouldn't change anything, they'd in the center of it the entire time.

 

In terms of SKILLS? Absolutely not.

 

Holyfield was a real fighter.Floyd was more like a businessman