How much credit do you give Holyfield for beating Holmes and Foreman?

Combatesdeboxeo_ · May 25, 2018

janitor said: ↑

Not that much.

When you matched a prime Marciano, Ali, or Holmes, against the best heavyweight of the previous generation, you got a massacre!

The 90s heavyweights did not do what they should have done, against the dregs of the previous generation!
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Exactly !!! Holyfield would not beat a prime foreman or holmes

Combatesdeboxeo_ · May 25, 2018

Unforgiven said: ↑

I don't give Holyfield credit for beating them as ATGs.
But they were solid enough contenders.
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Yes.. Fair

Combatesdeboxeo_ · May 25, 2018

janitor said: ↑

Tyson obliterating Holmes, kind of adds to the case for the prosecution.

Yes I think that we might have seen a similar result if they had faced Lewis, but we are talking about Holyfield here.
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I seriously doubt that lewis could do to holmes what tyson did to him... It is all about styles .tyson always would be a nigthmare for holmes

Cojimar 1946 · May 25, 2018

Lennox appears to be an even more devastating puncher than Tyson. If anything, I would think he would be a worse matchup for Holmes than Tyson.

Jackomano · May 25, 2018

Saintpat said: ↑

Different circumstances.

He took the Tyson fight cold, inactive, for the money.

For Holyfield, he had fought himself into shape and contention and learned the limitations of his body at that age. He knew what he could and could not do and how to better compensate for his slower reflexes.

Anyone who rates Moorer or Ray Mercer and then says these guys were over the hill and Holy shouldn’t get credit isn’t looking at the results. This isn’t like Rademacher, who had never had a pro fight, or some other no-hoper. Big George and Larry were well within contender status by every measure ... and probably better than a lot of other guys he could have fought at those times.

And I don’t recall Evander ducking anyone. He took two large paydays to fight these guys but still fought the best of his era and did more than OK against them.
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This. I give Holyfield a ton of credit, since George Foreman despite coming out of retirement fought his way back to being a legitimate contender over several years and was ranked 6 in the world when Holyfield beat him.

Also, I rate Holyfield's win over Holmes much higher than Tyson's, since Tyson beat Holmes coming off a two year layoff after two back to back losses. When Holmes fought Holyfield he was alot more active and was coming off a dominant win over Ray Mercer, who was ranked 5 in the world. Larry also managed to become a legit contender again several years later and was ranked 7 in the world when he challenged McCall for his WBC title and went 12 rounds. The same McCall that ended a prime Lennox Lewis in 2 rounds.

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How much credit do you give Holyfield for beating Holmes and Foreman?

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