If Larry Holmes had come along 8 years earlier

In your spirit of fun, let me disclose here for the first time the hoarse chant Larry trialed in near-impenetrable seclusion during this time of his development, not only in the ring, but also as one of the most charismatic personalities ever to hold a 48-1 postfight press conference: "Muhammad Ali float like a butterfly and sting like a bee! But don't forget he met Lar-ry!"

Your scenario to me throws a greener Larry in with the formidable George Foreman, with ugly results for Larry, as I believe Larry would get past Quarry but be stopped by a Foreman who IMO would halt even the better-version actual Larry who won the title in '78. I just think a seek-and-destroy, arrogantly confident Foreman is frustrated but eventually connects for the jackpot vs. any version of Holmes.

 

I don't really think Big George has the right type of power to take Larry out with a money shot. Shavers couldn't do it, and he had lights out power when he connected like that. Big George through wide, looping punches in the 70's, and those are the types of guys Larry did good against. I don't understand why people say they troubled Larry. Some of his best performances were against those guys, Shavers, Berbick, Cooney and Mercer. George had the type of power (from what I've seen) that was a huge thud, not really the type where you're going to be out cold, more the type where it will bounce you onto the canvas even if you're not hurt. Foreman's main chance would be to catch Larry in the corner for a decent period of time where he could get those shots off and draw Larry into a slugging match.

 

Good point on Foreman's relatively clumsy shots, which is the main reason Larry might be able to pull a Shavers 1 against Big George.

But the Foreman that destroyed Frazier and Norton was no one-armed, one-weapon Shavers, who still very nearly turned the trick. Holmes was hittable and I see George stunning him and then going for the kill like he did to Norton. Once Larry is hurt, his response will not stop a bloodthirsty Foreman, who in killer-instinct mode has two hands that land with an excellent variety of bombs. Here is where I see the scenario you mention.

 

He would beat Quarry, Bonavena, Patterson, Liston, and Ellis.He would lose to Ali, Foreman, and Frazier.He would steal Khalilah from Muhammad.

 

Virtually the same as I see it. Foreman would always have a punchers chance though.

 

Ali beats Holmes, Frazier beats Holmes and a fresher Norton closes the gap to a real close fight...The Foreman fight can go both ways, Foreman hit hard enough with his right hand to find a home with Holmes and possibly earlier in the fight than Snipes and Holmes but Foreman can be out-boxed and worn down but he would land some and we would have to see how Larry responds, I think Foreman makes his charge early and he would either live or die.....Quarry had a shot but I favor Holmes to get the nod although he was not as fast as Ali and did not hit as hard as Frazier....In this era you could not avoid the best you would have to fight the best to get on top and IMO Holmes is a strong competitor but falls short of Ali and Frazier and there is no reason for me to believe that a primer version of Norton would not pose a more difficult challenge to Holmes ...top contender but not Champ in 70's

 

Larry would have had more difficulty with George Foreman, Ken Norton and Joe Frazier
than Muhammad Ali.

Larry, stlyisticallly, owned Muhammad Ali.