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

If I was looking for a weakness in Holmes I would point to a lack of a lefthook. Other than that he was a complete boxer. Sometimes he lost his concentration allowed big right hands to come through.

 

I would also add a lack of consistent body punching, lack of an inside all around game, sometimes he'd try and fire back when hurt... which would cost him against some of the more deadlier punchers, his best defense was his offense..... but when you look at his defensive skills.. I don't go, wow he's a technician. I'm just not seeing what some are here when it comes to h2h

Ali - Clearly and decisively beats him
Tyson - Still beats him
Holyfield - Close fight, 50/50... people undersell Holy in h2h matchups sometimes
Louis - I actually think Larry wins this with some confidence
Lewis - Beats Holmes
Foreman and Liston are 50/50 fights for me

He beats the rest

 

I only favour prime Ali over prime Holmes.Larry was a complete fighter

 

Good points though I think Evander would have major problems with Holmes jab.

 

If Holmes was a complete fighter why would he not be favoured over Ali as well? Unless Ali was a kind of super mode complete fighter plus or maybe Holmes wasn’t quite a complete fighter as you thought?

 

I've said for ages now Holmes has come full circle and become a tad overrated, in my opinion. He gets scrutinized less than the rest of them, probably due to him struggling to get his dues for so long.

Having said that he's one of the very greatest. He's automatic top 10 and a rating anywhere from #3 to about #7 can be stoutly defended. H2H he's certainly top 10 but he doesn't blow wind up Ali's keiber for me. Ali already has wins over ATG's Foreman and Liston and a winning record over Frazier. That is an immense headstart over ever other Heavyweight ever. I don't think there's another heavyweight i would favor to beat all three.

Rocky Marciano - Holmes
Jack Dempsey - Holmes
Jack Johnson - Holmes
Vitali Klitschko - Holmes
Wladimir Klitschko - Holmes

Evander Holyfield - I would not be surprised to see Holyfield take one in a trilogy. They would be wars with not much between them imo. Holyfield would be better than anyone Holmes ever beat and Larry, despite common opinion doesn't just glide around jabbing outboxing everyone whilst barely engaging or being hit. He engages plenty, particularly against better guys. He's also damn good at it tho it can and does get him in trouble. This is where Holyfield would be right in the fight.

I would favor Holmes over a trilogy tho, but not by miles. Holyfield is a fantastic very well balanced heavyweight.

Sonny Liston - I'd narrowly favor Sonny. He has his own great jab and a huge reach and great power, obviously. He also works both body and head. I think it would take him a while to track Holmes down but i'd narrowly back him to finish what lesser fighters weren't quite able to.

Liston, narrowly.

Mike Tyson - It took SH89 a year or more to swing me on this one but swing me he did. Tyson for mine is a stylistic dilemma Holmes wouldn't get past. Holmes would look to survive the early onslaught and take over later. Tyson at his best, with Rooney in his corner would however stay patient, as he did against an old Holmes and eventually catch him. Tyson would be good enough to follow up and end it. Even in old age Holmes was ridiculously hard to stop and it's actually impressive that even against an old faded Holmes Tyson was still able to turn the trick.

Riddick Bowe - Bowe would be the most awkward guy Holmes ever fought. His sheer size and skills would be a handful. Another war. Bowe showed his heart against Holyfield and this would be grueling.

I like Holmes here. Bowe could potentially win one in a trilogy.

Lennox Lewis - Lewis by close decision. His size and power would prove difficult, particularly that right hand. Holmes would be dangerous later on but i think Lewis gets home on the cards courtesy of a knock down in a tough close fight.

Lewis, narrowly.

Joe Frazier - Frazier is a monster to boxers. Ali is the only boxer type i would take over him and that's by a whisker. Again we would see an absolute WAR. Holmes would win the first couple of rounds as Joe stoked his fire. Joe might even get to him him late in a 15 rounder. Late stoppage or a simlar type scoreline to Ali - Frazier 1.

Joe Louis - I like Louis by KO started by a big right hand knock down while behind on points.

George Foreman - George prior to his defeat by Ali was a monster. You could run but you couldn't hide as he was ridiculously good at cutting off the ring. I can barely think of anyone i would back to get thru those first few rounds Ali did in Zaire. He was going to get you on the ropes and he was going to pound you. Ali actually took some SERIOUS punishment those first few rounds. Not many would survive it.

Foreman TKO 2-4.

Muhammad Ali - Pre exile Ali by 10-5 or 9-6 type decision. Mobility and speed the key.

7-7 for me which is a respectable result against these monsters.

 

Holmes wasn't as complete as some of the ATG in history, he didn't have the hand and foot speed of Ali, or his ring IQ. He didn't have the combination of precision and power of Louis, The brute strength of a Foreman or Liston, the two fisted power of Tyson, the timing and aggression of Frazier.
But what he did possess is one of the , perhaps the most important weapon a fighter could have. And that's a great jab. A great jab is the equalizer, offensively or defensively. Having a great jab made Holmes whose other offensive attributes that are average at best , and turned him at the least a top 5-6 Heavyweights in history. Personally I have him at #2. Holmes jab was the best combination of speed and power in division history and it carried him to some improbable wins very late in his career at an age most fighters are long retired . Holmes is a ATG, and his jab possibly would Carry him to victory over most heavyweights in history with the lone exception of Ali prime vs prime in my opinion.

 

Good stuff!

 

Cheers!!!

 

Norton is a good shout. Peak for peak there would never be much in it.

 

Well I think Ali had more speed.Close fight though