Larry Holmes vs Wladimir Klitschko...

Even at 41 Mercer had a much better chin than Holmes and he was stopped. He had a great fighting heart and a good chin but he was shook up and dropped by far less powerful opponents than Wlad. I think it would go the distance though and be a SD either way.

 

I've seen movement mentioned regarding wlad. From the fights I've seen he looks like a rock'um sock'um robot. If a fighter is content to stand in front of him at wlad's range without the will or skill to carry the fight to him or close the distance he's almost unbeatable. Not the case with Holmes who was the real thing, not the amateurish euro style tentative heavies seen today. Holmes was about the same size and style as Sanders, but a lot better. Sanders fought as a hobby, Larry was a champ all the way. Holmes in a work out, not even close.

 

Holmes wasn't exactly a sprinter. His footwork was just ok and he had average speed.

Wlad is not slow, he just doesn't use his legs if he doesn't have to. He has shown good speed and excellent footwork in the fights that it was necessary to use like the Haye fight for example. He doesn't jump around the ring like a kangaroo like Ali because he has 1 punch KO power in both hands and can end a fight quite violently.

Manny Steward said Wlad had the best balance, footwork and co-ordination of any fighter he had ever worked with.

Those "euro amateurs" like Povetkin and Haye are better than anybody Holmes beat.

Sanders fought nothing like Holmes. Sanders was a southpaw, early round blitzing knockout threat who was highly ducked by most champions within that era. Wlad took Sanders lightly and payed the price just like Lewis took Rahman lightly and payed the price.

Holmes would put up a mighty challenge but in the end would come up short against an opponent that does everything he does better.

 

You clearly dk-absolute-sa Larry Holmes.

atsch
He had to use these legs against Brewster. Where were they? They weren't there. Where were these legs against Povetkin?
So sad you have to talk in fallacies about qualities that don't exist.

Haye didn't move from one spot the entire fight stupid. And every time he did all Wlad could do was wrap his arms around his neck and shoulders.
All this speed and footwork , yet he was deducted a point for excessive holding.atsch
Shavers and Povetkin had the same style , except Shaver moved faster and hit harder.
Larry danced around Shavers every round. Peppering -moving. Peppering-moving. All Wlad could do was jump on Povetkins back. NON STOP. That is not showing good footwork and certainly not showing better movement than Holmes
Show me a fight where Larry was even warned for holding?

Equally a ridiculous statement as your opinion that Admek was on the same level as Ali.

You're right. Sanders wasn't half as good as Holmes.

So that means an immediate loss for Wlad. Just because Sanders was a southpaw?
All thats needed to beat Wlad is to put a southpaw in front of him?:nut
Byrd twice, Iggy, Thompson twice, Pianeta. Caused Wlad no trouble. None.
Sanders destroyed Wlad by leading him on and kracking him with a counter.

Holmes had some of the best reflexes and best ability to pull back and counter out of all the HWs.
How Sanders beat Wad was done a million times better by Holmes. You just don't get it son.

 

It's a completely pointless comparison though, styles make fights and Sanders was a dangerous southpaw with fast hands and a big punch, especially early on, if fighters were smart enough to stay away from him early they were usually take over when he slowed down. Just bad tactics, Holmes did not have a big punch at all so it's apples and oranges.

 

Larry's footwork and speed average? Clearly above average. Wlad has zero grit. As Roy
Jones put it in the first Brewster fight "Wladimir can't feed from the bottom". Wlad is getting outclassed. As soon as Holmes gets dropped by a right hand, he regroups and makes adjustments.

 

This has been done countless times.

Holmes by decision in my opinion in a competitive fight. You got to take into account that Wlad is fighting in a very weak heavyweight area (much weaker than the holmes time) .

Wlad's main asset is the jab. However, Holmes had the best jab in the history.
Also, Holmes has more skills, heart and better footwork than Wlad.

Size and strength won't be enough for Wlad.

 

I just can't see Wlad outpointing Larry, oh he'll have his moments, but if he tries to put it on Larry then he's gonna get KO'd. I'm a big Holmes fan & also a huge admirer of Wlad who has all the tools...but the chin. Holmes for me just had that extra bit of champion in him that got him passed all adversaries all bar the judges in the Spinks fights. But I just feel that Larry had that extra bit of championship adjustment that would see him past the post in a close competitive fight...again.

 

Holmes weathered the best some great punchers threw at him. Ali called Shavers the hardest hitter he faced. Foreman called Cooney the hardest hitter he ever faced. Weaver's left was as good as just about any. None of them ever had Holmes in any danger at all. Holmes was not easy to hit, great reflexes, subtle movements avoiding punches. Though he wasn't Ali, he had great legs to be evasive. He could also parry punches quite well. When he was hit, his chin was tremendous and had great stamina. Holmes was tuff and determined and didn't give a @#$%. You want a fight, you got it. Wlad though pretty good and the best going today just doesn't have any of those qualities. Holmes out boxes him. Maybe not as thoroughly as he beat Cooney, but decisively. Good chance of a KO or stoppage.

 

Beautiful, wasn't it, to see Sanders work methodically behind that jab. A truly patient operator. Shame he never tried shooting right-hand counters straight up the middle, then he'd have really been something.

And Holmes reflexes are the stuff a man like Klitschko could only dream about. That's why Holmes got hit so much less. The way the man could slip a right hand was just superb. And in case of emergency, he always had that left hand up. Better to be safe than sorry. What a champ, that Holmes.

You are an astute observer of the sport, mister Bartley.

 

The underlined statement is just ludicrous.

 

What makes you think Holmes can out-box Wlad?

Larry was out-boxed by a former Light Heavyweight (2x). Wlad rarely loses rounds against better fighters.

What does Larry do to out-box Wlad?

Does he become the aggressor and throw more punches than Wlad?
Does he counter Wlad?
Does he sprint in and hit Wlad and bounce out of range?

I personally don't see what LH can do to beat Wlad.

Wlad would take the dominant/lead position in stalking Larry firing off the jabs like usual and follow-up with the occasional rights. When they got close they would clinch. Rinse and repeat.

Larry is in there with a guy almost 4' taller and 25 lbs. heavier that has a much more accomplished/experienced amateur background.

Wlad is a much stronger fighter than anyone Larry has fought as well as the best boxer/puncher which would give him fits.

 

:---(

 

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