I think Holyfield gets under Ali's skin and exploits his mistakes

Seriously, Holyfield of all people gets under Ali's skin? Holyfield?

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I think Holy would certainly give Ali a very difficult fight and could possibly beat him, but him "humiliating" Ali is very hard to imagine for me

 

If anything Ali gets under Holyfield's skin when he calls him an Uncle Tom for worshipping a white Jesus. Lennox got under Holyfield's skin by calling him a hypocrite. Ali would do much worse by making fun of Holyfield's religion.

 

I agree, Holyfield had that quiet confidence/cockiness. He could pressure an opponent like a Frazier or Norton, and he could also fight at other ranges. He wasn't limited to fighting a particular type of fight. He could do it all. His biggest weakness is that he could be pulled into a brawl but Ali did not brawl, when things got hot, he held. Holyfield knew how to deal with that too.

I heard an interview once where a reporter asked Holyfield if he thought he'd have a chance against Ali. Holyfield told the reporter something like "I can beat anybody who came before me." He said "I know everything they knew plus new things they didn't know." Holyfield believed he could beat everybody, he felt no intimidation, no pressure, he just welcomed the challenge.

 

Maybe the 1975 Ali, but even then I think he holds his own. If Holyfield can't embarrass an ancient George Foreman he sure as **** isn't embarrassing Ali.

 

Both Ali and Holyfield were strong willed. They would check-mate one another in regards to getting under the skin of one or the other.
Ali was loud and obnoxious, but was willing to die in the ring to win.
Holyfield was quiet and proud.... But was willing to get close to dying in the ring to win.
Both men were warriors.
From 1966 to 1974, Ali would beat any version of Holyfield if in prime condition.
His physical skills would allow him to get past Holyfield's better technical skills.
Like Jones Jr was able to beat Toney and McCallum, though he wasn't as complete as they were technically.
But when Jones Jr . Slowed, it was painfully obvious his physicality was his strength. When he lost some of it...... We saw the results.
Mr. Page, you seem to have a very obvious dislike for Ali. That's fine, it's your opinion.
But sometimes our dislikes put blinders over our eyes.....

 

Oh, I see. So Holyfield could do what Sonny Liston could not do in two bouts, Oh. You do know Muhammad Ali never had 12 round World Championship fights from 1964-1967, they were 15 round fights back then, Ali would have never agreed to 12 round fights, the boxing commissions would have never allowed it. Riddick Bowe, Hassim Rahman, so Holyfield beat Tyson, according to the experts on this forum, Mike Tyson already lost his prime at 23 to Robyn Givens, I will leave that alone. Ha Ha Ha. How can Holyfield with his sour puss face cause a moving butterfly fits? The butterfly must be laughing too hard and gets caught on a Dandelion. Ha Ha.

 

Peak Muhammad Ali was undefeated in 29 fights, 23 by KO, 9 title defenses when he was stripped of his title and license in April 1967. But go on and live the dream Jimmy. Did You play guitar for The Yardbirds? Your name indicates it.

 

That's a pretty darn silly OP. In so many posts I read some fighter can hit Ali because Cooper knocked him down and now people can get under Ali's skin because of some minor detail about the Wepner fight. Amazing how taking advantage of these "flaws" was rarely if ever done during Ali's prime or his decline.