Larry Holmes vs Olexander Usyk

Let's see Holmes one of the longest reigning heavyweight champions ever or Usyk a guy who has beaten witherspoon and Chisora in less than impressive fashion. Gosh I cannot decide

 

Holmes decidedly. Usyk left the best version of himself back down at CW. I think a large segment of this forum will be in for a shock and have to make a significant mental recalibration on where they rate Usyk in the near future.

 

ha!

Holmes is a top 10 ATG

Usyk is an ATG cruiserweight but at heavyweight just a dosser looking for a payday

 

Usyks work rate in his two HW showings has been 50% of what it was at CW and Bellew also stated that it was how Usyk pressured with his foot movement that he found exhausting as opposed to his punch output as it was constantly forcing him to reset.

The Holmes that fought Spinks was some way past his prime and Spinks was a tactically astute operator and fiddled his way to his two victories over Holmes.

Holmes work rate against Norton was pretty much full on for the full 15 rounds with Holmes building an early lead with a consistent jab and then pretty much having to brawl with Norton til the final bell and bare in mind that Norton was a rock solid 220lb and would be a specimen at HW today.

I'm just yet to see anything like Usyks CW form at HW yet and that's essentially why I'd favour Holme's.

 

Good fight but I haven’t seen nearly enough of Usyk at the weight to give an opinion. Holmes was a great HW. Heavily underrated today. He had a great jab and ring IQ. At this stage, I would have to go with Holmes. I’d take Holmes over AJ as well. Fury may be too long for Holmes and too smart. Still, it would be a competitive fight. Larry was a crafty dude in his time. He knew how to fight.

 

Holmes weighed 209lbs in his fight with Norton. He was essentially a CW himself back then.

Underrated? Depends who you ask. I'd say he's heavily overrated by a lot of boxing fans.

 

Are we arguing about Usyk's chances at HW or his chances vs a prime Holmes? They're two different things. Holmes in his prime was around 210lbs. That's what he weighed against Norton and it's what he weighed against Shavers. Holmes vs Usyk today would just be another CW fight, so it's pertinent to rate him against the CW version of Usyk.

Or are we comparing Usyk to the older flatter-footed 220+ Holmes that lost to Spinks? That version doesn't stack up too well against Usyk.

 

Why not then compare the CW version of Usyk? 210 vs a rehydrated 210 doesn't seem like a mismatch to me.

 

Because TS said current Usyk.

 

Seems a bit unfairly stacked in Holmes's favour then.

 

Depending from Usyk's and Holmes versions.

Usyk is not Mercer.

this version of Usyk from WBSS not likely Holmes might destroy easily.
Usyk is a southpaw and if about jab, he isn't worse than Holmes, pretty opposite better than Holmes. Sorry fans.
Ofc ppl like legends and Holmes is icon, still this doesn't means that Holmes might easily defeat prime Usyk.

This Usyk version that had been vs Whiterspoon? Then easily Holmes. Didn't looked like prime Usyk.

 

Exactly. CW Usyk VS 210 lb Holmes is a pick em fight, I'm just yet to see that Usyk is even close to his best at HW and believe me when I say that I really want him to be, it's just that Usyk is in the latter stages of a very long career at 34 years of age and is becoming increasingly prone to injury.

I think right now, Fury would manhandle Usyk without too much trouble and Joshua would likely be too big, strong and powerful. Joyce is a different animal to the one Usyk faced in the WSB and would give him all he could handle. It's a real shame but, Usyk's best days are behind him.

 

Holmes has to be favourite.

 

Wasn’t his original claim to fame the fact that he was Ali’s sparring partner? I forget how small HWs were during that era. The giant guys were usually super slow and they gassed early. I say Holmes is underrated because he rose to fame after the big HW heyday and is rarely mentioned among the greats by most fans. We all hear about Smokin Joe, Foreman, Ali, and later Tyson, Lennox, Wlad and Evander but Holmes was a good champ. He might not deserve to be in the ATG conversation but prime Holmes was a tough fighter. Great jab, smart guy. He hit the wall hard late in his career and wasn’t prime when he lost to Michael Spinks twice and Tyson, and was way past prime when he fought Hollifield. I think those high profile losses tainted his legacy. Wasn’t he like 48 or 49-0 at one point?