I think that larry holmes avoided jimmy young and ron lyle.

What Holmes was doing in 1976 had no relevance to what the rest of the division looked like.. He simply wasn't on the scene yet. Young would later blow his chance to fight Holmes for the title in 1979, by losing to Ossie Ocasio.

On a sidenote - I can't wait for Bummy Davis to get his hands on this thread... " Larry Holmes ducked Jimmy Young, Ron Lyle, John Tate, Tony Tubbs, Michael Dokes, Greg Page, Pinklon Thomas, Gerrie Coetzee and all the stars on the Benny Hill show. "

 

Larry said he was willing to take on Benny , but they could not come to terms.:good

 

So the conclusion that you've arrived at, is Young gave Norton and Ali problems, so Holmes decided to stear clear of him? Earnie Shavers troubled Ali, Young, and would later spark Norton in one round... Holmes fought Shavers following all of these fights, so your reasoning doesn't make any sense. Should Holmes have avoided Cooney too on this basis?

Bottom line - Young was probably one of the top 5 best guys in 1976... Holmes wasn't... In fact, we could just as easily turn that around and say that Young avoided Holmes... He did afterall, have more to lose at that point than Larry did. There really was no basis for them facing each other... Young had his chance to spring board himself into contention in 1979, but blew it by losing to Ocasio... Weather he was past prime or not is irrelevant. And I really don't see where Lyle comes into the equation here either.. It sounds like you're trying to put two and two together by saying " well, no fight ever happened between these men, therefore I think it was this particular guy who avoided the other. " Was there even an offer on the table for Holmes to fight either of these men? Was it Larry who said to his managers, " I don't want to fight them, " or was it their decision on who he was going to fight? Do you have an article or something that could provide us with some insite, other than half baked conclusions?

 

Maybe he did, but a green holmes shouldn't be expected to fight veterans like young and Lyle.
Lyle and young were busy in those years, and I doubt they had time to fight a green holmes.
Lyle and young were gone by 78'. Young would keep on fighting top fighters, but I think Lyle didn't ight too many good fighters.

 

They should have stripped Holmes of his title for not fighting Benny.

 

And I think your answer to my question about providing proof to substantiate your argument is pretty clear..........NO

 

I think he means that Holmes ducked them during his prospect days, but I still don't give any merit to the claim..