Larry Holmes Says The Toughest Matchup For Him Would've Been Marciano!

Well he was bigger, so I guess that tells you all you need to know.

Perhaps it would save time if we didnt hold boxing matches, and just gave the win to the guy who came in heavier at the weigh in.

 

If you are matching a boxer against a swarmer, then you do not ask which of them is more polished.

It should go without saying that the boxer is a better technician than the swarmer, the question is how their styles mesh.

 

He'd be the only Rock who floats. If Marciano walked on water, he couldn't have shadow boxed under it!:bbb

 

As much as I admire Marciano's accomplishments, heart, desire, I do find it difficult to see him performing well against the larger heavyweights.

That said, this post is more about Holmes the man and the things he says. I'll admit that I was never a Holmes fan. Then I'd watch an interview and I'd think, he's alright...then in that same interview think, what a jerk...To go from "can't carry my jockstrap" (even if in anger at the time, to "he would've given me a lot of trouble" just seems like more of the same from Holmes.

The did a Q&A (Best I've Faced) with him in the most recent Ring Magazine. While I think it's supposed to be there impressions of the other fighter, he makes it about Larry. Carl Williams makes it on 4 of the 10 categories, most of which say something like "he was fast/had a jab like mine".....for best boxer he puts "I don't know. I was so good, they were all the same." (p. 19)....or Best Chin ("Everybody I hit they went! I respect everyone's chin.")

I think he's generally being flippant on some of these, but it's what I've come to expect.

 

Almost every fighter does that though- they love to think the guy they beat hit much harder than one that ****ed them up. Holmes talks more **** than almost any fighter that's ever lived- of that's there's not much doubt (Big George is another- but at least he's nice about other fighters; Holmes just contradicts himself over and over again). Since the era of Lewis' and Wlad's, Holmes doesn't like to talk 'size' any more. I don't like Holmes, I think the man's a berk, but there's no doubt Larry had the jab, the height, the strength and all-round skillset to compete in any era.

He'd beat Marciano all day long in my opinion but I don't think it would be easy- The Rock's detemination would see him punching until he dropped. Still, Larry's technical ability is too much here. A late stoppage (on cuts)
the very likely outcome for me. Fair play to Rocky, his records speak for itself, but he belongs in the bygone days, which will never be repeated. He's the ultimate "right place, right time" champ but he deserves his props.

In terms of Shavers or Tyson for power- maybe Earnie did have the better 'one shot' and Tyson a superior overall arsenal of power. Still, Tillis said Tyson hit harder and he lost to Mike and beat Shavers- which seems far more balanced and untypical of a fighter's 'ego'. Then again, just because you fight the best punchers it doesn't necessarily mean they landed their best shots.

 

Let's remember, Carl Williams scored a clean knockdown against Larry. Marciano was abnormally strong for a man his size, but he did cut easily. When great ones are throwing punches, anything can happen. Ali said Rocky was amazingly strong even in his forties when they joked around for the computer fight.

 

Carl Williams never came close to dropping Larry. Infact, it was Holmes who rocked Williams.

 

No it would have been Tyson, I think Marciano might have spent maybe 8 rounds before knocking him out instead of 4. People want to say Larry was old, lots of old guys last more than 4 rounds against young lions. When Tyson fought Lennox he at least gave 8-9 rounds and he lost everyone of those rounds except the first one. With the exception of Michael Spinks and floyd patterson I can't think of a more embarassing loss of a title. And before people jump in and say well larry was old. Yeah well lots of boxers were old. Larry got laid out by alot of fighters inferior to tyson like shavers, snipes, isaac etc.

I know the real larry holmes and larry holmes was not a great fighter, he fought a bunch of old guys and no talent bums who let him pop off a jab and would stand around and do nothing. Guys with real poor boxing skill. He vacated his titles to avoid tough fights and managed to avoid unification bouts despite holding the title for so long, he often fought far down the rankings like #8 ranked guys rather than to fight dangerous fights against the good opponents. I saw Larry routinely get his but floored and I saw his trainer kick guys out the ring for knocking larry out in sparring. Larry was a hype job no one believed until most of the people from the time forgot about him and he duped know nothings into thinking he was a great.

 

Greg Page would have been a huge problem for Larry, but that matchup never occured.

 

Great boxers like Walcott who was a far greater hwt than Holmes skill wise thought he could hit Rocky at will. It turned out though that Rocky was not the target he seemed to be. Marciano was always in that crouch making himself a small target ...rolling and slipping punches. Add to this he would always come back with counters when hit solid. The vision some have of Holmes being able to keep Rocky at the end of his jab is a false one. I absolutely believe the fight would begin in Holmes favor as he would be fresh and in general outboxing Rocky. However I see that Holmes does not find him an easy target at all and as rounds go by Holmes tires and Marciano surges. By round 9 it's all Marciano. The question is does Larry have enough To stay the distance...I say yes but Rocky takes the decision win. The punch to hit Larry with was a right and ...always was since he dropped his jab constantly. Rocky had one of boxings best right hands.

 

Agreed.

 

Of course Marciano would have been an extremely tough match-up for Holmes.

He'd be an extremely tough match-up for just about anyone. Maybe a George Foreman or a Lennox Lewis could blast Rocky out, but guys like Holmes and Ali didn't have that level of brute punching power and Rocky would be a real pain in the ass to them.

 

"Talk is cheap"

Fantasy opinions are even cheaper.