Larry Holmes vs. Rocky Marciano

whats underated about larry holmes is his heart. he had alot of it. bailed him out of trouble more than once. holmes had the heart of a mongolian warrior. But holmes in the ring from watching his fights lately, he really lacked ring smarts for a great fighter IMO. Thats a big difference between he and Ali. Whenever Holmes was hurt for some reason, he would start trying to BRAWL his way out of trouble which just wanst his thing. he would also get caught with stupid sucker right hand punches alot because he would either be lazy or just plain stupid and not bring his left back to his jab after jabbing. He would sometimes fight the other guys fight rather than his own.

 

Tho Holmes had this penchant to brawl, he won every one of these fights!!!! That's ring smarts, which you claimed he lacked. My reason for this comments is forged via the Shavers fight when he was dropped. He ran away from Earnie - and survived. Against lesser punchers in Witherspoon, Weaver, Snipes and co. he simply went at them and came up trumps every time.

Simply put - Holmes knew when to hold em, and when to fold em

:good

 

I think Holmes wins. Holmes was bigger, stronger, better, more durable, had great 15 round stamina, and more versitle than anyone Maricano fought. On top of that Holmes was a smart fighter. SuzieQ is mistaken if he thinks Holmes was not a smart fighter. Holmes knew when to throw each punch, and fought smart in general. The fighters who foguth Holmes all said he was pretty crafty. You could argue Holmes was the best puncher Marciano fought well.

Marciano could not count on Holmes being chinny like Charels or Walcott, or fading early after he built up a lead like Lastarza did.

Holmes via clean UD, late cuts stoppage, or late TKO. I do think Rocky would be in the fight though.

 

Larry Holmes by UD (15 Rd Close Fight)
Multiple Knockdowns of both guys.

'77 Holmes jab would be too much for any Heavyweight of any era. Larry's legacy will forever be marred by having to fight in the shadow of a post Ali heavyweight division then coupled with the fact that Holmes would often say stupid **** that would make people either hate him or place a "Trying to be like Ali" sticker on him. his greatness is very evident now in this era when the heavyweight division needs a Larry Holmes.

Mike Tyson said it best after his win over Larry Holmes in '88
"I would not have stood a chance against a Prime Holmes"

I do belive he ment that.

 

This fight would be won on guts, both of which each man had a ton of.

Contrary to popular, but ultimately misinformed opinion, Holmes' boxing would suffer with the much smaller Mariano dipping down.

Larry would over reach and get caught in the tussle. His straight punches and uppercut would still be the key punches, but it would be war; Holmes slipping in thudding punches and Marciano ripping away at the available target.

This would be closely and hotly contested.

 

Thats actually laughable. Holmes would meet the same fate vs tyson even if he were in his prime, Holmes couldnt deal with ATG right handed punchers that were great finishers like louis and tyson

 

I don't know about laughable, I don't see how you or anyone can avoid the fact that Larry Holmes at his best was 100X the fighter that Buster Douglas was in Japan 1990 (who defeated Mike), That & knowing that a fighter with a jab and a right hand + boxing ability always gave Tyson trouble & that's both a prime/After prison Tyson. (Ask Jesse Ferguson & Lennox Lewis)

The argument will be Tyson was unfocused against Douglas, But at his age in 1990 he had no reason to be PAST HIS PRIME.

Which ATG Right handed fighter finished a prime Easton Assassin?

 

Bigger? yes

Stronger? No. Marciano's whole style was built on strength, u ever see his back muscles? he has to be one of the strongest champs ever.

mor durable? thats highly questionable considering renaldo snipes and kevin issacc floored him

better? what is this supposed to mean? how is he "better"?


had great 15 round stamina yes, but not better than marcianos

who is more versatile than archie moore and jersey joe walcott?

The fighters who fought marciano said he was deceptivley hard to hit, yet you never take there word.

Holmes was a sharp hitter, but no way he hit harder than Joe Louis, Walcott, and Layne

Holmes count not count on Marciano being tired like shavers, snipes, and weaver, bonecrusher got, or not finishing the job after decking him with a right hand like shavers and Snipes did.

late TKO? rocky, one of the best championship round fighters of all time gets stopped late? how? holmes gonna get rocky tired? holmes was a great championship round fighter, but hes not stopping rocky late.


I wonder from your posts sometimes if you have never stepped foot in a boxing ring before

 

I think that Marciano would win this.

However I know that regardless of the outcome Holmes would wake up the following morning feeling like he had been run over by a train and **** blood.

He would certainly not be making any observations about jockstraps.

 

I was saying Holmes was bigger, stronger, better, more durable, and more verstilte than ANYONE Marcino fought in the grand scheme of things. This is correct. Louis was old. Layne was not that good.

Shavers was not tried when he floored Holmes. Holmes moved like a prime Ali after the KD! Watch the fight sometime. Besides, Shavers was more dynamic than Rocky was, and hit harder. Rocky punchers chance vs Holmes is 5x less than it was vs Walcott. And Holmes will not tire like LAstarza did after 6 rounds of being in the lead, or die out like a slighty past his prime Charles did.

Rocky could be TKO'd late. On cuts or via being hit too much. In a different era, Rocky might lose the first Walcott fight, or the 2nd charles fight on cuts. Rocky also had a nasty gash vs Simmons, and that fight would have been stopped on cuts according to a book I read, but since Rocky was un-defeated, and Simmons was a journeyman, the fight went on.

Holmes jab would have a field day in this match up, and if Rocky tired to get low, Holmes had a very good uppercut. Yes-- I have been in the ring vs heavyweight's. I also post in the traning session sometimes. Those who are in the know in that section like my stuff. I suggest you don't call me out too much, but remain amused that you think I don't know what I am talking about.

 

>>Well Said. I think the Holmes was not a smart fighter comment was a hoot. Almost as good as someone else saying Tyson win over Holmes was his best win.

 

Pretty interesting matchup. One thing is sure... Holmes won't have a hard time finding Marciano with the jab. Can Marciano drain Holmes in a battle of conditionning ? Can he land often enough to put Holmes down ?

Holmes was a masterful boxer who had a pretty good combination of size\reach\speed\heart. He can control the action from the outside, at least for the first part of the fight. I don't think he would let Marciano get in close too much. Marciano would put Holmes in trouble in the last rounds I think but too little too late.

After a grueling 15 rounds battle, Holmes wins it 9-6.

 

Not laughable, though i agree Tyson may have beaten Holmes prime for prime

 

I'll pick Marciano here anyway, dno y, just like him here

 

jab jab jab jab jab jab jab jab jab jab jab jab jab..Holmes Ud. IMO