Larry Holmes (Prime) VS Evander Holyfield (Prime)?

Homes. dec ,reach height, fight iq was better.

 

I wonder whether prime Holmes would fight a different, less intelligent fight.

In any case, based on Holmes's performance in real life, I'd still pick him.

 

Holmes late TKO if it’s a 15 round fight or a UD

 

Holmes points in a very close competitive great fight

 

This ,,,while Evander might have a moment or two I don't think it'd close

 

Holmes, and I hope still 15 rounds as it would be as good as the Ken Norton/Holmes fight

 

This. Holy would foozle Larry early on with his style and probably surprise him on more than a couple of occasions. I think past the 9th round Holmes is landing the right regularly, and toward the end the uppercut starts making Holy stagger around. If Holy does make it to the 15th he's looking really bad.

 

Given the way their match played out in 92, I'm going with Holmes by decision.

 

If we look at each fighters attributes and what they did well in their primes.
Holyfield should be the winner.
Hand and foot speed slightly for Holyfield.
Power probably Holyfield.
Better combo puncher, Holyfield
better ability to take a punch. Holyfield.
(Holmes recuperative ability was better)
Better in close ability , Holyfield.
Better over all skills probably Holyfield.
But what Holmes was far superior at,
was using that stick, his jab, and distance
control.
That's the reason Holmes wins this fight.
He'd keep his jab on Holyfield, frustrate
him with it, keep him controlled by it.
goes on to win a UD.

 

As I said in the other thread Holmes was very defensive, in there 92 encounter laying on the ropes. And the fight only became closer, because of bad cut caused by Holmes's elbow, which got Holmes back in the fight. And allowed him to make the fight somewhat closer sweeping the last 2 rounds.

Really and truthfully though Holmes was well beaten until the cut happened, and trying to compare this fight with a fight in there primes. Is a little unfair because Holmes wouldn't fight the same way very defensively on the ropes, and of course the elbow was in my opinion the only reason the fight even became closer.

Overall I expect Holmes to win a decision both at their best, but it certainly wouldn't be easy. And I wouldn't put too much stock into their 92 encounter.

 

Holmes by decision, but it would be very entertaining and competitive. Hoylfield was smart and skilled but would sometimes turn his brain off. Kind of a jack of all trades, master of none fighter and that would be a problem going up against Holmes whose skill set is focused on only a handful of things, but he's pretty damn good at those things.

Holyfield isn't knocking him out, and Holmes wouldn't allow it to become a slug fest or a war. Thus it would end up being a boxing match where Holmes has multiple advantages (reach, speed, defense, superior jab). Holmes could even use his legs to frustrate Hoylfield or counter him. I get the impression Holmes would always be at least a round ahead and would frustrate ol Evan.

 

In their actual fight, Holmes did fairly well at age 43. and Holyfield was not dominant enough for me to think he could repeat that win against a prime Holmes.

I have Holmes taking a 7-5 or 8-4 UD.

The biggest issues I saw hurting Holmes in their fight were stamina and mobility, both of which were strengths of his in his early 30s.

 

Holmes jab would be the difference. Holyfield will get some success on the inside now and again, but not enough to win. Points win for Holmes

 

Someone correct if I am misremembering -- but Holmes did not lay on the ropes. What he did was fight with his back to the corner, same as he did with Mercer. The point wasn't to fight defensively, it was to eliminate movement, remove from the equation what age had sapped from him, handle the fight on terms where he was as good as ever. Different strategy than the rope-a-dope.