Prime Larry Holmes vs Prime Mike Tyson

Pinklon Thomas didnt have much of a right hand. His jab may have had more pop than his right.

 

Prime Larry Holmes was a man, and Prime Mike Tyson would find that out real quick.Mike may score a knockdown early, but in the end, Larry would be too much for Mike to handle, scoring a 12th or 13th round TKO.

 

A prime Holmes does a Buster on his ass.

TKO 10 rounds!

 

My two favorite heavies putting on a barnburner that's worthy of an 80's arena rock concert...with Tyson winning by TKO in the 9th.

 

Of the heavyweight ATG's Holmes is one of the most overrated. He looked great beating a bunch of tomato cans and the heavyweight Jr division of guys with less than 15 fights. Several of those opponents had Holmes in trouble as well. Tyson would have given Holmes hell at any point in his career. If he somehow managed to survive the early onslaught while taking a few rounds I'd give him a good chance to win a decision.

 

Holmes seemed to have a tougher time than most ATG's, but the man is human, just as any other ATG would have their ups and downs. Great fighters aren't always great...they're mostly great when they have to be.

WHo do you feel beats Holmes head to head?

 

Tyson has more KOs than Holmes in this poll, yet Hlmes is margimally ahead.
I am a bit surprised.

There are many astute posts on this thread, & thankfully not much babyish comments like this guy will **** the other.

There is the swarmer style advantage.
I agree with the poster who wrote Ali would be favored due to great speed, & I will add could befuddle w/jabs, right crosses or leads, even uppercuts, + psyhcological warfare...

But Holmes despite great heart & skill would likely not have enough.

Yes Holmes was rusty, better even when older...
But it is a long way from a 4 round KO loss-where he was behind on the cards-to a victory.

Better legacy & admirable fighting at an advanced age.

Prime Tyson's special combo of...combos, power, speed & good defense & excellent chin would be too much to overcome.

 

IMO

Louis 70/30- Joe would find a home for a counter right off of Larry's lazy left jab and would terrorize him on the inside. Louis by KO

Marciano 70/30- Rocky would apply a constant swarming pressure that would stifle Holmes. Rocky catches Holmes on the ropes like Tyson did and like he against Walcott and finishes him. Marciano by KO

Ali 80/20- Ali does everything Larry does better. Ali outmanoeuvres and out jabs Holmes. Ali by UD

Frazier ditto Marciano

Foreman 40-60- As witnessed in the Jimmy Young fight, Foreman had a problem with a technical boxer with some movement. If Holmes fights the right fight, then I see him winning a UD. Holmes UD

Tyson 70/30- A true nightmare matchup for Holmes. Tyson slips Holmes' jab and catches him with a big right hand. Larry gets up but gets put away. Tyson by KO

Lewis 70/30- If Lewis is in seek and destroy mode then I see him knocking Larry out, most likely with a vicious uppercut. Cautious Lewis takes Larry to a decision where both men can come out with a win. Lewis by KO

Holyfield 40/60- Larry showed me enough when he was in his 40's against a prime Holyfield that shows he would have edged Evander out in his prime. Holmes by UD

Bowe 40/60- Bowe's porous Defence and inability to stop Holyfield's jab would be play into Larry's game. Larry would win a decision in an entertaining fight. Holmes by UD

V. Klitschko 70/30- Vitali would be the aggressor with the higher work rate in an entertaining, tactical fight. Vitali by UD

W. Klitschko 70/30- Like Ali, Wlad does everything Holmes does better. Superior offensive and defensive jab, footwork,coordination,balance, punching accuracy and power. Their is a tentative feeling out process in the first round with both men being cautious. Wlad then adjusts to the range and starts picking Holmes off with his jab from multiple angles, mixing in the occasional right hand. Holmes fires back with his own jab. Late in the fight Wlad catches Holmes with a massive right straight that sends him to the canvas. He gets up but unlike Snipes and Shavers, Wlad has the guile and finesse to put Holmes away. Wlad by KO.

All in all 3-8 against the other heavyweight greats

 

Your cases are credible overall. But you have Holmes at 2 of 11, not 3 for 8.

 

Nope I had it 3 wins to 8 loses.

 

A prime Tyson does a prime Tyson on his ass.

TKO 10 rounds!

 

A prime Holmes outclasses Tyson and stops him in the later rounds, the man was a shadow of his former self by the time he fought Mike.

 

Tyson KO's any version of Holmes....too much right hand

 

tyson wins by ko once and gain 100/100 times... prime holmes blablabla... tyson had the perfect style to destroy holmes.. he was stronger, faster, more powerful, he had better defence, better chin, he was one of the best finishers in history, he was no shavers with a predictable right hand, tyson was a great combo puncher, he would keep holmes down, the holmes fans better go to suck any **** because you have not any argument to make any point in favour of holmes here. larry was too static to avoid tyson during all the fight, he was not prime ali, his footwoork was garbage compared with ali´s, even quick tillis was more mobile than holmes. and holmes traded with punchers, tyson by ko. period.

 

I wouldn't use the Douglas fight as a gauge for weather or not Holmes would beat Tyson, but nor would I use their actual meeting in 1988 either. Tyson had lost focus by 1990, was having too many issues outside the ring and was working with a team that was inappropriately suited to his psychology. Holmes in 1988 was 38 years old, retired two years and had been showing signs of deterioration as early as 1983. The ideal scenario would be to place the Holmes of 1979-1981 in the ring with Tyson between 1986-1988.. Both men were prime during these given dates and both possessed attributes that would have troubled the other. While Tyson was more rounded than some of the guys who dropped or troubled Holmes, the same could be said in reverse. Its easy to point out that Mike Tyson was no Renaldo Snipes, but Holmes wasn't exactly Tony Tucker either. Mike had fast hands, loads of power, a style suited for slipping the jab and a good chin.. Larry on the other hand had a significant reach, good foot work, one of the best left jabs in history, a dangerous right upper cut that Tyson could have walked into at any given point, and durability that was proven beyond a reasonable doubt..

Under the right circumstances, its basically anybody's fight.