imagine the career of holyfield in the golden era.

Holyfield was a great fighter, the size factor would help him back then and he would be competitive with everyone in any era.

 

I would favor him over everyone bar prime Ali(not by much though), young foreman(toss up depends on how good evander would take his power) and maybe Fraizer(to much variables).

 

I feel the era he fought in was better than the supposed "golden era" you outline.

 

have to go with combat on this one. the 70s were better hands down. 4 all time greats in Frazier, Ali, Foreman, and Holmes, great champions like Norton, great contenders like Bobick, Quarry, Lyle, Shavers, Roy Williams, Bugner, Ellis, Bonavena, etc. The division was stacked at that point.

 

Frankly, I think that Holyfield would have done very well in any era.. In the 1970's he might not have been a dominant champion with numerous title defenses, but he certainly would have briefly held title(s) in small spurts, and given any all time great trouble...

He beats Quarry, Shavers, Lyle, Norton, Ellis and possibly even upsets a Foreman or Frazier.... Ali is the only fighter that I'd put clear money on to beat him, and even that would be tough fight.

 

Frazier did all of his best work pre March 9, 1971, barely into the decade. Ali was arguably in decline the entire decade. Post-1975, just halfway thru the decade, the heavies were largely diluted, with Ali defending against Dunn, Coopman and getting defeated by Spinks. Norton would make a splash, then hit the canvas. Holmes did much of his best work in the 80's, after making his mark at the very end of the 70's. So, Frazier and Holmes- at best- parenthesize the decade. Within that, we see a decade dominated by a declining Ali and his battles with decent b-raters like Quarry, Lyle and Norton, and essentially Frazier who had declined more rapidly after their first meeting. Foreman was a force but stumbled into mental problems after a few fights at his peak. His mark was quick and spectacular but he was soon struggling against b-raters in Lyle and Young.

Did you really call Bobick, Bugner and Bonavena "great contenders"?

The 90's offered Bowe, Tyson, Holyfield and Lewis as the top champion level fighters. With the fractured belts we still had high level b-raters like Moorer and a protected Foreman being champ. Undoubtably, the 90's offered the finest display of powerhitters and depth the division has ever seen with Tyson, Ruddock, Lewis, Morrison, Golota, Tua, Ibeabuchi, Moorer among others. The fighters were bigger and stronger, if perhaps at the cost of workrate and stamina (although don't tell Tua and Ibeabuchi that). It was a dangerous decade to be a heavyweight. What cost this era reaching its true potential were the fractured belts and a couple prison terms (Tyson, Ike).

 

I'd take him over everyone but Ali and Frazier at his very best.

 

I would sell my grandma to see a peak Frazier and Holyfield go at it.

 

:deal another fantastic post by seamus - reality might just be coming back into fashion regarding the super era of the 70's - for me pound 4 pound the heavyweights of the 90's generally were a miles better bunch and there were more to go round too - great fights and great fighters in abundance - back when Lewis was bridish...and he was bayad!! And only 16 stone 4 instead of that fat old thing he turned into

 

Love this post! It's a very close race between both eras. Bowe had so much potential. Imagine if he kept in shape and in peak form throughout the 90's, and Tyson's return from prison wasn't a sham, and Moorer didn't have concentration lapses. Ruddock's explosive power and Mercer having the best chin of the lot. Great decade. You could say the 70's reached it's potential but that the 90's hadn't quite fulfilled it.

 

Holyfield would lose to a 1963-1975 Ali,prime Foreman,and Frazier. I'd make him 50/50 with Norton,one guy winning two out of three. Holmes was post golden era,but a prime Larry would beat Evander. I'd make Holyfield favourite against Quarry,Lyle,Shavers,Bonavena et al. Jimmy Young would give him a good fight,but lose by close decision.