If Holyfield Were In The FOTC, Against Ali?

Interesting question.
I think Ali would have been able to land his jab more frequently against the comparatively upright Holyfield.

Against that I think Evander was stronger than Joe and did not lump up so easily,and while ,he did not have Frazier's instantly reloadable left hook,he was a two handed puncher with an excellent chin.

I look forward to reading the opinions this match up deserves.

 

Considerin' Alì was still rusty right here idk, an upset on points in a close fight isn't so improbable as scenario imo

 

Evander Holyfield would run out of steam fast, be hit with jabs constantly and be unable get a chance to hurt Ali this would be a no momentum fight EH would be cut up and stopped by the doc I think. Not uncompetitive but clear and you probably wouldn’t want to see a rematch.
It’s just a styles thing give him George Foreman in the 70s he has a great chance Ken Norton or Joe Frazier would be very competitive but don’t throw him in with Lennox, Liston, Holmes - Guys with good jabs.

 

Ali by KO or stoppage in roughly 10 rounds. Holyfield was a game, tough fighter but FOTC Frazier was in another league! He wouldn't have Joe's pulverizing left hook (Ali was always vulnerable to this weapon in Joe's arsenal), punishing body attack, and an almost superhuman toughness and will to win! It took ALL of that to defeat Ali in a close decision. Holyfield just wouldn't have all of those elements going for him like the Frazier of FOTC vintage. As a result Ali wins--(and fairly decisively!)

 

Holy of 1990 was very skilled and determined operator to make things tough for Ali, but even that version of Holy didn't have Frazier's endless stamina and workrate. Holy also had great left hook, but Frazier had an ATG left hook.

So after 10 rounds Holy would be as tired as Ali, unlike Joe who took most of the late rounds in dominant fashion.
Ali outthinks Evander in most rounds and outworks him in the late rounds to win a close decision.

 

Ali decision in a damn good fight. For the thinking man.

 

I think Holy could take him. Holyfield was an excellent boxer who could use his head when it counted most I also think he was bigger and stronger than Ali and he's find a way to make his power count.

 

Funny thing is that all the men with the best jabs reside at the very top of the H2H scale for Heavyweights. Bowe ain't too far behind neither.

 

Marciano had not much of a jab best of his day - Ray Robinsons wasn't anything special. Mickey Walker?

 

Ali via competitive, but clear UD. While Ali was still rusty, he tended to do well against upright, textbook fighters. He struggled with pressure fighters (Frazier) & awkward technicians (Norton, Young). Holyfield tended to thrive against guys that stood in front or came at him. He struggled with technical boxers & movers (Old Holmes, Moorer). Ali's style will be very problematic for Holyfield, while Holyfield's style will be pretty tailor-made for Ali.

 

Keep in mind that I said Heavyweights- Capitalized and everything.
I also don't rate Marciano super high on a H2H rate. At his best, he's a second tier fighter rather than a first tier.

 

Im biased against Evan Fields so he gets taken out in 1.

 

Watch your back… someones gonna hunt you down. These Marciano fans are crazy man.

 

Where will strength help Evander? Just asking I don’t think it’ll make any difference how buffed out “The Real Deal” is. Yes he’s bigger (more muscular?) but not significantly heavier, Holyfield is shorter and so is his reach and his conditioning… he looks in phenomenal shape but he had ordinary stamina and got hit very often with the jab he ate them constantly.
I think it’s possible because of Holyfield’s defence he’d get stopped cumulatively (cuts?) his power wouldn’t get to Ali at all he wasn’t any great puncher the gap would get wide between them by the end.