Muhammad Ali vs. Larry Holmes - 1967, 1971 and 1974

1967 Ali was just too good, but I think Holmes would easily give him his toughest fight. I do see Ali most often beating him to the punch, but Larry was better inside and would definitely go for the body.

I think Ali would make Larry look pretty bad in the early rounds, with a faster jab and the ability to float out of trouble pretty easy. But Holmes would go to the body and cautiously wait until opportunities for his jab came up. In the middle rounds Ali takes a break and Holmes starts landing the jab more while not neglecting the body. Ali is pretty befoozled by the left, which seems only a bit slower than his and more powerful. Larry, however, is having trouble landing his right, while Ali lands some head-sweat flinging counter rights that at first don't seem to phase the challenger much.

The last four rounds Ali is connecting more with the right hand and left hook, and Larry changes tactics, trying to get inside to land the uppercut. He gets hit with a combination ending with a nice right that staggers him a little toward the end of the fight, but the two really go for it in the 15th. Lots of give and take, but Ali seems fresher while Holmes has become a bit hesitant. Ali lands some fast combinations, Larry some lead rights, but it's not enough work on Larry's part to win. Best for him might be a majority decision, I don't see a judge actually giving Larry the nod, but it would still be close and a very good fight.

 

Sounds good.

 

1967 - Ali wins a clear albeit hard fought decision. Simply too fast for Holmes.

1971 - Holmes wins a clear verdict. Something like 9 - 6 in rounds. Most of the rounds would be very closely contested,with Muhammad still having the edge on handspeed but Holmes a tad too sharp and busy for Muhammad.

1974 - The closest one in the series. Easy to go for a draw here. Ali obviously not as good as he was in 1967. It would be a fitter and slightly sharper version of his 1971 incarnation. I'll stick my neck out and go for Muhammad by split decision but could easily go either way.

 

Good post by the way.

 

This fight would be appalling to watch. Neither liked being jabbed at neither had much else to offer.

 

They were both warriors and that would come out in the later part of the fight especially. So I think we would have seen a good battle.

 

And both men had more than useful right hands too.

 

In the book Muhammad Ali his life and times by Thomas Hauser there is a funny sparring story between Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes. When interviewed as Ali's sparring partner Holmes was quoted to have said " I'm the real champion Ali just got the title". Ali later heard about it and the next time they sparred Ali tore him up in between rounds Ali said " your the real champion Larry I've just got the title" after giving Holmes a beating Holmes cried out " no that's not true champ". I think Holmes post George Foreman in 1974 or the Joe Frazier rubbermatch in 1975 maybe has a chance but he still wasn't totally ready to beat Ali. Holmes said he left the Ali camp after the fight with Chuck Wepner. I think anytime from 1976 onwards he certainly has a chance of winning against Ali.

 

Thanks for posting this, it appears very very realistic, Great Post.

 

Great post Stevie G. I like your assessment of the 1971 hypothetical fight between Larry Holmes vs Muhammad Ali, people forget that Ali had barely 18 rounds of ring action in 43 months by 1971, (TKO 3 of Jerry Quarry, Oct 26 1970, and Oscar Bonavena, TKO 15, Dec 7 1970) Ali struggled against Bonavena before the stoppage, Ali was stripped of his title on April 28 1967 at age 25, convicted of Draft Evasion on June 20 1967, sentenced to 5 years in Prison, fined $10,000.00, his boxing license was revoked. Sparring during that time is not the same as actual ring combat,(Headgear, bigger gloves) Ali had lost a step, his legs were starting to fail him, his stamina was starting to disappear, his reflexes were no longer 1967 form. Ali only retained speed, his back continued to touch the ropes. Larry Homes jab, and movement would prove very difficult for Ali, who was used to having his opponents pursue him. I agree that Larry takes the 1971 version of Ali at age 29, as you have, in a nutshell, Ali was very vulnerable upon his return to the ring in 1970.

 

Hi Richard. Which Ali out of 1971 and '74 incarnations would you say was the best?

 

I have to go with 1974, I'll explain, the 1971 version only had 18 rounds in 43 months, Muhammad Ali's slippage was very obvious, his timing was way off, his reflexes were average, his speed was still there, he did however punch harder but his stamina and legs were not the same as they were in 1967. But in 1974 Ali by that time had ring activity, he knew he had to remain in top condition because he was now older, 32 years old, activity was to his best advantage. He had faced some adversity, a broken jaw at the hands of Ken Norton in 1973, the heartbreaking loss to Champion Joe Frazier in The Fight Of The Century on March 8 1971, the dismissal of his Draft Evasion Case against him by the U.S Supreme Court on June 28 1971. In 1974 Ali was much tougher mentally with his decision over Joe Frazier and his preparation for champion George Foreman, including the acclamation to the weather in Zaire, a life long excuse given by Foreman who had the same opportunity as Ali. In winning, Ali proved very resourceful, displaying experience and intelligence in winning the title from Foreman, remember Ali had never been beaten in the ring for his title, he was beaten in 1967 from the political climate started by President Lyndon B. Johnson, from the 1964 escalation of the war in Vietnam.

 

Good summing up,Richard.

 

Larry Holmes would always be a tough fight Muhammad Ali no matter what version of Ali we’re talking about. I would favor the late 60’s rendition to win a decision. Any other version against Holmes is a tossup