Joe Frazier 1971 vs Larry Holmes 1981

I guess I’m just less impressed with the Holmes list than you are.

 

yeah I don’t see it that way. Weaver ( whom you alluded to earlier ) had Holmes up against the ropes and was pelting him with left hooks. Larry launched that right upper cut and down went Hercules. Holmes also wasn’t as susceptible to the left as Ali was. And I’m not sure i agree with Ali’s left jab was better but that’s opinion I guess

 

We can be sure of one thing - there will be no great trilogy here. Holmes has an established track record of never getting back into the ring with a tough opponent - unless it’s fifteen or twenty years later, of course (cautious fellow). Had he been given the nod in the first fight with Spinks, there’d have been no rematch there, either.

 

All due respect, but I think Holmes immunity to the left gets overblown. Weaver as you mentioned, nailed him with an abundance of lefts. I'm pretty sure Berbick got him with some lefts as well. Holmes' could be extremely hittable even in his prime.

 

Who exactly did Holmes stop that makes people think he could stop Frazier? Ali stopped durable fighters like Bonavena and Lyle. Holmes stopped no one durable.

Ali was a far better combination puncher than the predictable jab right hand combinations that Holmes threw.

The idea that Holmes is tko’ing Frazier is utterly comical. Maybe Larry could win a decision. But a stoppage? Yeah zero chance. Not happening.

 

I agree. Also, For all this talk about Holmes being supposedly immune to the left hook, Weaver had quite some success with it, hurting Holmes with it on two separate occasions in the 4th round alone and another later in the fight with one that seemed to “take the starch out of Holmes.” in the words of Dunphy.

 

Agreed. Ali fought multiple guys with big left hooks - Frazier, Foreman, Liston and Cooper among others. Holmes , as you correctly pointed, was hurt by lefts as vs Weaver.

 

I agree that Holmes ain’t stopping Frazier. I do think a whole lot more of Holmes now than I did when he was active.

 

Hi Buddy.
Excellent point, and one on which the outcome might be decided.
stay safe swag, chat soon.

 

Hi Buddy.
Don't you find that happens as you get older, with me it was Lewis, didn't really appreciate him as a fighter, or champ, till long after he retired, then I realised he is one of the greats, strange that.
stay safe , chat soon.

 

He wasn’t as vulnerable to the left as Ali was. And Ali gave him fits in their first fight and beat him two others all while being past it. Frazier also got hit with a lot of jabs and uppercuts. Not saying Holmes would win nor vice versa

 

[QUOTE="swagdelfadeel, post: 22743717, member: 107818" and most importantly couldn't take it to the body like Ali. Nobody could.[/QUOTE]

For real dude ?
Did you happen to see some of the body shots Gerry Cooney was hitting Holmes with ? Cooney was known to break ribs with some of those shots

 

Cooney didn't land many significant shots to the body outside of the 4th round. He blocked most of them, or took the power off them by clinching.

Cooney also wasn't on Holmes like a rash like Frazier would be. Norton's body work got to Holmes and slowed him down drastically.

 

He hit Holmes with enough and Holmes took a lot of Nortons and Witherspoons. Holmes didn’t have a problem taking body shots OR in some cases blocking them. And Frazier constantly backing up Holmes and trying to maul him on the inside would make him susceptible to that nasty uppercut. Again, not picking a winner here but some of these folks picking a brutal stoppage win for Frazier don’t seem to be looking at the whole picture

 

THAT would be an amazing battle.