How badly does Larry Holmes beat George Foreman?

Completely wrong style match-up for Foreman. Holmes completely embarrasses him, picks him apart, then stops him late.

There is good reason for Foreman staying retired until Holmes lost and Tyson came on the scene. One was a horrid style match-up and Foreman was smart enough to know it, and the other was a better match-up style-wise, plus a bigger payday, and Foreman knew that as well.

Boxers who were elusive, with quick feet and hands were the perfect foil to Foreman, and Holmes was fast enough, busy enough, sharp enough, with enough pop and enough toughness and chin, and superior condition, that there is no way that Holmes would lose that fight, even assuming Foreman got lucky and nailed him with a big one. Even IF he did, Holmes would get up, run, grab, punch back, get himself out of trouble, stall, defend, until Foreman gassed out, and then it would be curtains.

 

I used to believe that too, but 20 yrs later, I'm not sure Tyson could beat Foreman of 1990.......
:deal

Don King offered Foreman a fight in 1990 or so for 5 million bucks, but Foreman wisely refused... Plus, the deal had King taking control of Foreman if Foreman beat Tyson........ King is a shyster..........:scaredas:

Foreman of 1990 might've KO'd Mike's ass.......... :hat:yikes

MR.BILL

 

Holmes' people and King turned Foreman down in 1976 when Holmes was still a green pro...... Holmes would've butchered Foreman in the summer of '78......... By 1980, Christ, Holmes batters Foreman senseless for a "Fo Show" TKO win........

MR.BILL

 

Holmes has the tools to defeat Foreman and would most likelly do just that. After some hairy early moments I think Holmes would start to take command. Ironically, I think if they had fought around 1992 Foreman might have won. If Foreman had stuck around and they fought in 1978 or 79' Holmes would have got him late.

 

You make some very valid points there Ken. Foreman is a bit of an enigma and hard to completely gauge. Like I said earlier, if Foreman had stuck around and fought Larry in 1978 or 79' it would have been a bad stylistic match up for Foreman. Holmes was a dynamic fighter during this period of time especially. He beat Roy "Tiger" Williams with essentially one hand in 1976. Don King probably thought he was throwing Holmes to the lions - so to speak - as Larry was suffering from a badly bruised right hand. So Holmes just beat Williams with one hand in that fight - his legendary jab. He shut Shavers out in March of 1978 and had one the greatest heavyweight wars in history with Kenny Norton in June. Foreman, on the other hand, gassed out against Jimmy Young in Puerto Rico in March of 1977. The trajectory of their respective careers were on divergent paths in the late-70's. Holmes was soaring like a phoenix whilst Big George seemed to be floundering a bit. Maybe against the right opponent Foreman would look devastating again - another fight with Norton, Shavers, etc. But Holmes would have been all wrong for Foreman in the late 70's. Holmes would have put an exhausted Foreman away in about 9-10 rounds.

 

I can't see slow, uncoordinated Foreman dealing with the tools Holmes has, just can't.

The thing that Ken Norton 804 doesn't acknowledge is that style matchup. Math doesn't work in sports, there are matchups and strengths and weaknesses for every fighter/team/player.

Larry Holmes did seem eager to engage at points and he put on a magnificent show. If he tried that with Foreman, he'd get hurt, but probably get up and fight through it.

 

finally a good prediction in this thread and finally a good prediction from you.
Foreman gassing late against Holmes (if holmes gets there) is possible too , but Foreman should be considered a slight favorite if the ring is fine

 

Have you ever heard of the fabulous 5'10" whiteboy Nick Wells , MR. BILL ?

 

The Klitschkos , especially Vitali would have abused almost every fighter either you or this board consider an ATG.

 

Cooney did a Jones-Griffin/Tua-Moorer/Bowe-Mathis Jr. on him.
Not very legit .

 

No. And I don't care.. Holmes is an ATG!:hi:bbb

MR.BILL:hat

 

The **** has happened?huhatsch:shock:

MR.BILL