Prime Larry Holmes vs Evander Holyfield

I always had Bowe winning the second fight by a round

 

Larry beats him pretty easy .. if you watch their actual fight Holmes looked very good for the first few rounds and he was forty two plus ... Evander was a warrior but I find him to be a tougher fight for the punchers then the top boxers .. Holmes and Ali would have outpointed him cleanly .. I don't know anyone who knocks him out in his prime as two of the all time best, Lewis and Tyson couldn't .. maybe a Joe Louis ...

 

Agreed. Just because fighters are past prime it doesn’t mean they would be less effective against certain fighters or styles than prime. Like you say, Norton pushed Holmes very close when he was prime and Norton as good as he was would be seen as a shade beneath Holy prime h2h imo...Holmes was a cagey crafty still capable atg using everything in his arsenal against Holy. Them fighters always have good fights left in them or can make it very difficult just on craftiness alone against less experienced fighters coming up. I think your right, maybe a series involved here

 

Don't think this will be as easy of a fight for Holmes as many here do. Holmes was pushed by guys inferior to Holyfield, thus Holyfield could certainly beat him.

 

It certainly doesn't mea

It certainly doesn't mean they are better ..

 

Can't the same be said about Holy too?

 

Take it you didn't read my opinion, young Holmes fought nothing like the one that faced Holyfield.

 

Holmes gave Holyfield in his prime a real good fight when he was well passed his prime. Holmes in his prime I think wins handily, I still would look for Evander to make a good fight of it and I think he goes the distance. Holyfield was is an excellent boxer and tough to finish I think he'd give Holmes a tough fight like Ken Norton but would lose clearly. Holmes jab would be what would make a big difference I think it would off set Evander and I think Holmes would at times knock Evander around the ring and hammer him.

 

maybe so but he was the smaller guy who had to work harder to win... Bowe had all the advantages in those fights.

 

Interesting match up, we all know how evander did against old man Holmes, but if they fought while Holmes was in his prime form I suspect that Holmes out points evander, both had chins of steel and not enough firepower to knock each other out, so it' definitely going to the judges who would give it to Holmes based on how many times Holmes landed that killer jab.

 

Holyfield beat a very old Holmes (I think Holmes was in his early forties by then). His workrate was the overwhelming factor, against a very slowed up and, at times, static opponent. Even then, Holmes had his moments and was making a bit of fun out of the 'Real Deal'.

In this fight, Holmes demonstrated how his younger self would have beaten Holyfield relatively comfortably. A prime Holmes would have had more in his legs to keep up a sustained movement, fight off the back foot and take the sting out of Holyfield's forward motion; take less punishment and counter more effectively. Even if caught, old Holmes proved he was able to take Holyfield's power.

Holyfield's workrate (and fair bit of body punching if I recall) won him the fight but he was getting hit easily by Holmes, who's only real handicap was having to pace himself and curb his activity, to manage his age and the heat. A prime Holmes would have left much of Holyfield's workrate hitting air, whilst he countered Holyfield all night long towards winning a comfortable UD.

 

Lar takes this one, he was one of the greats I think we all agree and for me a few notches ahead of Evander. At his best Holmes had as good a balance and command of his punches and timing as any heavyweight champion.

 

Of course . certain idiot said that holyfield was not in the same league of holmes

 

If they fought 3 times holyfield would win 1 close fight and holmes would win 2 close fights

 

Holmes wins all 3 some people don't study prime Holmes enough