Second best heavyweight of the 1970's

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Stevie G, Aug 10, 2009.


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  1. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Muhammad Ali,is obviously the best heavyweight of that decade. Achievements,resume etc. I can't quite make up my mind about who I'd make runner-up. Larry Holmes only came into prominence in the last two years of that decade. I'd put him and Ken Norton,just outside the top three. I'm torn between George Foreman and Joe Frazier. Whch one ? Is beating Muhammad Ali in 1971 a greater achievement than beating Joe Frazier in 1973 ? Which one is considered to have the better resume during this decade ? Who do you reckon ?
     
    Stevie G, Aug 10, 2009
    Stevie G, Aug 10, 2009
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  2. junior-soprano

    junior-soprano Active Member Full Member

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    i disagree with you. after ali it is larry holmes.
    it doesn't matter how long you reign or when you came in the 70ties. i look at it this way : a prime larry holmes beats a prime frazier and a prime foreman. not always but most of the times. so my conclusion is : after ali the best heavyweight of the 70ties is larry holmes
     
    junior-soprano, Aug 10, 2009
    junior-soprano, Aug 10, 2009
    #2
  3. essexboy

    essexboy The Cat Full Member

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    George Foreman.
     
    essexboy, Aug 10, 2009
    essexboy, Aug 10, 2009
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  4. la-califa

    la-califa Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Foreman. Knocking out Norton & Frazier(twice)! plus Lyle. secures his spot easily. Holmes struggled with Norton. A prime Foreman would have stalked Holmes & put him out simular to what Tyson did to Larry years later.
     
    la-califa, Aug 10, 2009
    la-califa, Aug 10, 2009
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  5. PetethePrince

    PetethePrince Slick & Redheaded Full Member

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    Ali
    Frazier

    I don't want to cut up the rest. Foreman's greatness lies in his domination in the 70's, but mostly his 90's title reign really secures his legacy. Holmes fought in the late 70's and most was champion in the 80's. His opposition in the late 70's was a getting old Norton, Leon Spinks, and a motivated hard hitting Shavers. Still, though, even the old Ali could take care of Shavers. Shavers fought the best he could and was well conditioned but he had weaknesses. What makes it great for Holmes was coming off the canvas against a devastating power puncher like Shavers. The thing is, though, he probably shouldn't have ever been on the canvas.
     
    PetethePrince, Aug 10, 2009
    PetethePrince, Aug 10, 2009
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  6. Rebel-INS

    Rebel-INS Mighty Healthy Full Member

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    Joe Frazier.
     
    Rebel-INS, Aug 10, 2009
    Rebel-INS, Aug 10, 2009
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  7. laxpdx

    laxpdx Boxing Addict Full Member

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    In a head to head sense, Foreman.
     
    laxpdx, Aug 10, 2009
    laxpdx, Aug 10, 2009
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  8. RockyMarciano

    RockyMarciano Well-Known Member Full Member

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    :good
     
    RockyMarciano, Aug 10, 2009
    RockyMarciano, Aug 10, 2009
    #8
  9. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    You're basing your assessment of Larry Holmes purely on a hypothetical head to head scenario. I was talking about the criteria of overall achievement through 1970-1979. The fact that I would rate him just outside of my top 3 of that decade shows my respect for his ability,but during 1978/79 his only signifigant victories were over a past his best Ken Norton,and an old Earnie Shavers. I'm not dismissing H2H but it is only one aspect in a complete overview.
     
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
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  10. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I've made up my mind,with a little help from you guys. I give it to George Foreman. Better resume,with head to head over Frazier,acting as another 'tiebreaker' so my top 3 heavyweights of that decade are,in order Ali,Foreman then Frazier. With honourary mentions to Ken Norton and Larry Holmes,respectively. This is based on overall achievement. Head to head could read entirely differently.
     
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    #10
  11. PowerPuncher

    PowerPuncher Loyal Member Full Member

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    LArry Holmes and maybe he was even the best of the 70s
     
    PowerPuncher, Aug 11, 2009
    PowerPuncher, Aug 11, 2009
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  12. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think that you are,either thinking purely hypothetically head to head,or looking at his career from beginning to end. In that sense,yes I would agree that he's the second best h'weight in my life as a boxing fan,but I am talking about OVERALL ACHIEVEMENT circa 1970-1979 :good
     
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    #12
  13. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Without a doubt Ali achieved the most overall in the 1970s, but his supremacy includes those three fights with Norton where he certainly didn't prove superior, a loss to Leon Spinks and several lacklustre performances against inferior fighters, a couple of controversial decisions in his favour, some disgracefully unworthy title challengers, a clear loss to Joe Frazier when Frazier was the man to beat.
    It really all rests on what he did in Zaire, and to an extent the Thrilla In Manila.

    People say the 1970s was a "golden age" for heavyweights and that the 1980s was blighted by a "lost generation", but both Holmes (1980 - '85) and Tyson (1986 - '89) had better records of dominance and more consistent periods of supremacy in that decade than the great Ali had in the 1970s.

    number 2 in the 1970s is probably George Foreman.
     
    Unforgiven, Aug 11, 2009
    Unforgiven, Aug 11, 2009
    #13
  14. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think,because of styles,Foreman would have found Holmes a lot more tricky than he did Norton or Frazier.
     
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    #14
  15. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yes it's true,Unforgiven that both Tyson and Holmes had better periods of dominance during their time,but Ali had prime versions of Frazier,Foreman and Norton to contend with. Imagine if Holmes had a trilogy with a younger Norton,or had a 1971 Frazier on his plate. How would Tyson have coped with a 1973/74 Foreman ?
     
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    Stevie G, Aug 11, 2009
    #15
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