Larry Holmes vs Wlad Klit

I wouldn't pike either of them, not my natural preference. But I would pick Holmes, via unanimous jabby decision...Maybe knockout.

 

I've always gone with Holmes whenever this match comes up. I don't think that it would be as one sided, as I once thought a few years ago though.. Wlad has managed to impress me with his outside fighting ability and tactical skills, not to mention, his great conditioning and size advantage... I think Wlad could take better advantage of his height than Cooney did, and was probably a better boxer. I still go with Holmes by decision, but it would be a good chess match.

 

I'm like you in the sense that I've changed my mind on Wlad's H2H ability but it's not me changing my mind so much as Wlad is a different fighter. This Wlad does not get stopped by Ross Purrity or Lamon Brewster, or Corrie Sanders most likely. Different animal, deserves a different chance in these threads, imo. But, had he retired after his last loss, I don't think we'd be having this discussion about the fighter he was.

 

Holmes has good enough power to hurt Wlad, but Wlad also has huge size and power advantages over Holmes..
Holmes probably wins a decision.

 

That's where it's almost inevitable and understandable to not give Wlad the benefit of the doubt. He's never fought anyone close to Larry's level but we know Larry can take elite power punches at least.

 

Yeah, it's a weird fight to analyze, well I guess any Klitschko fight is weird to analyze, because their opponent has probably never seen anything like them. Wladimir would've been the tallest, and biggest opponent that Larry would've faced, with Wlad's accuracy and power, I think Larry would have a tough fight.
I think they are very underrated, Wlad certainly has a good shot at beating Holmes, but Holmes is not going to stay down from a Wlad Left hook or right cross... If he get's floored.
Wlad has a 1 inch reach advantage, but I doubt that would matter because Larry's hand speed and jab would probably diminish that advantage.
I guess I'll go with Holmes UD.

 

Though Cooney isn't of the caliber of Wlad in the speed or skill department, I'd bet he's close in power and he's damn near identical in height and reach, I think. 6'6 to 6'6.5 and I think both about eighty inches reach. Wlad ended up with more muscle/weight though. Very, very close in size anyway. Point being that Holmes had experience with the super heavyweight.

 

Holmes Late TKO.

 

Yeah, I thought about Cooney, but Wlad is much better then him though... I don't think it's a very good comparison anyway because Cooney was very green and not very well trained when he fought Wlad.

 

No, other than size and strength, it's no comparison at all. I think he nursed a pretty bad drinking problem through a lot of his career too. Although, I have to say, he didn't do as badly against Holmes in my opinion as many make out. He got some very good shots off and won some good rounds. Cooney wasn't a bad fighter. But, yes, he didn't use the size advantage as well as Wladdy. No question.

 

It's hard to pick against Holmes in his prime. Besides the obvious high level of skills, he was a mean ******* who had correct mentality. He simply would not accept defeat. Bad match-up for Waldo.

 

If there is any heavyweight in history that Holmes definitively could not win against, I've never seen them.

 

Me neither.

 

imo wlad has a good chance.holmes did have some problems with good boxers,plus he's a sucker for a right hand