Prime Larry Holmes vs Mike Tyson

Yes he was peak for Douglas. He was 23 years old. He was peak for his bouts with Ruddock as well. This idea that he was past prime for Douglas is laughable.

 

Holmes

 

Right, but Holmes had been hit as hard (Weaver's hook) and much harder (Shavers), yet still managed to get back in control within a round. And before we bring up the fact that Mike was a better finisher than Earnie, Weaver was no joke at finishing people with either hand and he tried like hell. No go.

 

Whether Iron Mike is being gracious or not (something that has not been a total default throughout his life btw), he has never relented in saying Larry would have beat him at his best. I realize that's not saying a whole lot (neither is Larry's agreeing with him).

Prime Larry Holmes was a great, great heavyweight. He just came along when there weren't any other great heavyweights. He just missed perhaps the greatest era of heavyweights in history.

However, when it came time for him to be tip top, for instance against Ali, he was exactly that, and a remarkable force of nature. He was a vicious, ugly jabber and his right hand was no joke.

The way Mike came in at Holyfield in the first fight, when he got caught by that right hand that drove him across the ring...that's the way he ALWAYS came in, and Holmes had a stronger right than Holy. Holmes would have exposed that weakness early, and Mike would have been done. Of course, this is coming from a huge Larry fan lol.

12 round TKO by Holmes, and I'm being gracious because I've learned a lot to admire about Mike since I've been on this forum.

 

I don't think Holmes has enough firepower to get Mike's respect. He'd have to constantly stick and move like he did in their actual fight, but for probably the duration of 12 or 15 rounds. If Holmes had Foreman's power then yeah, Mike's in trouble here. But Holmes can't dance for 12 rounds nor have the power to get Mike's respect.

In fact, the older Holmes was able to survive because he fought defensively based on his strategy to tire Tyson and then open up on offense. And if Holmes survives the early onslaught he'll still have to survive the mid to late rounds Tyson as well. You need to get to Tyson early and over the course of the bout.

Cus taught Mike how to beat the Holmes type of fighter. That style was flooding the heavyweight scene (after emulating Ali's success) in the 70's and 80's.

 

If Holmes can survive the early rounds, he wins by KO IMO

 

I'd say this is farfetched considering Tyson had one KO his entire career after the 7th round. Either he gets Holmes out early (doubtful) or he gets taken out himself later imo

 

Holmes KO

 

...and that was against Ribalta, who had little to offer in terms of a deterrent, against a young, ferocious Tyson - but, despite visiting the canvas a few times throughout this 10-rounder, was actually stopped on his feet and under protest, in the last round.

Tyson's biggest losses also occurred, with the bouts having gone beyond the 7th round - against Douglas (10), Holyfield (11) and Lewis (8).

 

Mike Tyson was good and hit very hard, but he was not unbeatable, Buster Douglas proved that. There are so many excuses why he lost, your conditioning is your trainer and your responsibility, a good champion takes all fights seriously, how can you be past your prime at 25? Muhammad Ali was in his prime at 25 when he fought Terrell in 1967. I think that prime Larry Holmes out boxes Mike to take a unanimous decision, more movement, left jab, and combinations. Mike has gone the distance on few occasions in his career. Prime Holmes would set a pace that the shorter Tyson could not be able to keep up with, and the only way to get kayoed by Tyson is to go after him. Larry had good ring generalship to be kayoed. Shavers and Weaver hit Larry hard and he recovered. Cus D Amato was a good trainer, but his fighters did get beat too.

 

Agreed. I'm very surprised a lot of people have Tyson taking Holmes out in 8 when he only had one KO that late and it was against a journeyman as you stated.

 

Tyson KO 4-7. Holmes is super cautious early and falls behind trying to avoid Tyson's early sting. Holmes, unlike some guys that were content to go the distance is of championship quality and is there to win. He becomes more stationary and looks to land some big blows of his own to turn the tide. Somewhere in this period Tyson hurts him and finishes a game Holmes off not completely unlike the actual conclusion they had.

 

Homes always came to win.....even when old.

Tyson would always throw the right over Holmes's jab and that will be the beginning of the end......when hurt Holmes always fought fire with fire and that will do him in here.

Now for the Never Tysoners.......peak means being mentally and physically totally committed in the "zone".....age has nothing to do with it, 23 years old or not is irrelevant.

After Spinks Tyson was never in the "zone"and never regained the "zone"......his life totally spiraled out of control due to his own behaviour.

Despite winning he made Ruddock look good, took way too many shots to land his own, the elusiveness, the jab, rapid combos , the movement were gone.....he became a slugger ............up to Spinks he never slugged he methodically dismantled opponents.

After prison he was washed up and a circus show with a excellent marketing team.......backed up by the Hurrican......swinging and missing wildly against C level Mathis......squaring up and throwing telegraphed shots at a frozen Bruno......Seldon quit before it even started....

Win or loose everything after prison was pure talent not hard work or dedication.

The main difference between Holmes and Tyson is that larry was always concerned with his legacy and impact on heavyweight Boxing.....Tyson on the other hand does not give two F's about his legacy, his place in history or what some Forum poster or washed up trainer thinks about him. fact.

 

He wasn't even 25 either. He was 23. Most fighters don't even reach their prime by 23 let alone pass it.