Larry Holmes is An Absolute Monster H2H... Still Underrated.

Holmes is in group 1 for H2H HWs.

Never lost until age cought up with him. Got up from atomic bombs. For beeing a mover, his punches were more solid than Alis.

#1 HW H2H group includes: Holmes, Lewis, Ali and Tyson.

Imho thats about it. It might include Foreman and Bowe, but I see Foreman to inconsistent fighting movers with a chin.

After that comes #2 HW H2H group: It might contain Holyfield, Wlad, Vitali, Frazier, Louis, Liston and maybe others. For the oldtimers like Louis and Liston, its very hard to evaluate them against typical moderns 215lb fighters. But from watching them on camera, they look fine. Frazier H2H value is based on one night, could be staggered easily, Holyfield and Wlad are very inconcsistent, Wlad got better after that, but I don´t like him under pressure. Vitali looks solid beside Byrd, but didn´t fought good boxers imho. But no problem with anyone giving him high H2H credit.
I like Johnson defensively on film, but there is no way to tell how he´d do against the other guys opponents.

 

I favor Ali, Louis, Liston, and Frazier over him with confidence. I also believe Dempsey gets the deal done but I'm less confident about that.

 

Holmes v..
Marciano. Holmes by tko 14, Rocks face is bust up to hell.
Dempsey. Good, hard fight for Holmes but Larry gets the
win. I'll say on points.
Jack Johnson. JJ could prove troublesome for Holmes, he came along in an hard Era and took on all shapes and styles. I'll say Larry on points again.
Wladimir Klitchko. Holmes by 9 rounds KO.
Vitali Klitchko. Holmes by unanimous points.
Holyfield. Old Larry went the distance, peak Larry drops him and gets a decision.
Liston. A tough fight, Larry gets dropped out of the blue and struggles to survive. He does and stops his man in 10.
Tyson. Mike faces a better version of Douglas and is kod the same.
Bowe. Would be similar to Witherspoon v Holmes with Larry getting a disputed Dec win.
Lewis. I have Lewis winning on points, but Lennox face is swollen up after suffering the Jab. Lennox shakes up LH and makes him dig deep.
Frazier,. My word, if this is peak Joe then Holmes really is in a battle to survive. Can I call it a draw??
Louis. Holmes at his very best stops him late, may have to climb off the ground here.
Foreman. Larry fights the early rounds with extreme caution and has George going all out. This goes on for several rounds, till Larry starts asserting himself and growing in confidence. By the ninth, big George is worn out and gassed. Larry stops him in the next round.
Ali. A VERY close fight, with the lead switching all the time. Round 15 and both try to ko the other in a classic. Bell goes and a split decision.
Ali wins by the slimmest of margins!

Edit. I'm gonna go with Larry beating Frazier. I'm biased cos I like Joe, but I reckon Larry was a step above in skill.
Holmes by tko 14 in an extremely draining fight.

 

Top 7 at least!

 

It would be tough for any stand up boxer to beat him. Outside of Ali who did everything a little better, faster and maybe a shade stronger. Ali probably decisions him.
Tyson, Frazier have the right kind of style to bother Larry.
Joe Louis? toss up
George Foreman? I'd favor Big George but not with a great deal of confidence. Sonny Liston same thing. Close calls.
Ali
Frazier
Tyson
Norton
Would be the most likely IMV. Norton has the awkwardness against boxers. A younger version of Kenny would have been a bit quicker.

 

Overall I have Larry Holmes rated either 3 or 4 greatest. H2H he is top 5 or 6

 

He would probably trouble Leon Spinks

 

Even Tyson? I think Tyson would beat prime Holmes.

 

i disagree, i believe young 210lbs Holmes would be able to stay away and take it when need be until Tyson gasses, then rallying and turning the tides

 

There was another Mike who troubled a prime Holmes....Weaver....Mike Weaver. Technically Holmes wasn't down vs Weaver but you can argue he was. Snipes and Shavers found that right hand which put Holmes on the deck. Not saying that Holmes couldn't win, but Mike Tyson was much better and faster than Weaver and at least as hard of a puncher.

And how can you pick Dempsey to have a 50/50 chance to beat Holmes, but not prime Tyson who was a nuclear version of Dempsey?

 

Top 15 h2h

1. Ali
2. Holmes
3. Tyson
4. Lewis
5. Louis
6. Holyfield
7. Foreman
8. Vitali
9. Frazier
10. Bowe
11. Wlad
12. Liston
13. Johnson
14. Marciano
15. Dempsey

 

Too high?

 

Holmes has perhaps the least amount of weakness. An all around fighters and a great one in terms of speed, the jab, his chin, mental toughness and stamina for the later rounds.

Too bad he never meet Foreman in the 70's!

 

I give FOTC Frazier the best shot otherwise Holmes is my Top guy here. My pick for H2H greatest HW