George Foreman said Holmes could do everything Ali did. Holmes had assess Ali did not , like a great inside uppercut and decent body attack. You're thought process?
He had a harder jab, so it has been said. It was a boxer who had faced them both and stated that Larry's jab possessed as much power as Ali's straight right. Only something I once read.
I always LOL at people that say Larry was better than Ali. No, he fûcking wasn't. The only thing Holmes did better than Ali, was the right uppercut and he actually went to the body. I'll humor the idea that Holmes was a harder hitter, maybe he was. They were comparable in power, I'll say that much. Ali's KO against Bonavena proves to me that Ali could really crack when he sat down on his punches. Ali outclasses Holmes in every other category. He was a greater athlete, he threw better, smoother combinations, he has greater hand speed, his jab is just as quick and more versatile, he moves a lot better and has better footwork, and I'd argue he had a better left hook Just compare their fights against Shavers - Holmes was prime against Shavers, Ali was past prime and almost shot. Yet Holmes was the one on his a$$. It's obvious that Ali had more heart and he had greater durability.
I agree with almost everything except the part "It's obvious Ali had more heard and he had greater durability." Holmes had pretty big heart and durability. It's a tie, at least.
Ali had the uncoachables. His instincts and ability to find ways to win. Ali wasnt textbook but he made that work. Lead rights, low guard, didnt sit down on his punches, all things you would not teach a boxer yet all things that were so effective for Ali. Alis demeanour also hid how tough and competitive he was. Forget his speed and his lack of body work. In the defining moments of his career he was a fighter. Against the unbeatable Liston he was blinded but found a way to win, against the unbeatable Foreman he again found a way to win, he took on the US Govt and won that war too. He lost his speed and athleticism, got old yet still managed to beat a good bunch of fighters. Its not what Ali did better, but what he managed despite doing so much wrong that adds to his greatness
Much faster feet(than not only Holmes but any other HW that ever lived). Better chin. Ali was also a much better finisher than Holmes.
In his prime, he was faster of hand and foot and had better lateral movement. He also avoided overhand rights better.
Pride. Holmes was a very proud man, but Ali's pride and ego was beyond whats normal even for champions. That drove him to be great in my opinion. He simply couldnt stand that anyone thought themselves better than him, and would go to extreme lenghts to prove his superiority. Frazier beat him, then Norton beats him and breaks his jaw, that would discourage any normal man. But Ali won't accept defeat, its just not in him, so he fights them again and then climbs into the ring with man who destroyed them both. The speed of his youth gone he can't avoid Foremans punches, so he decides to stand his ground and take them. Anything but loosing. And because of his indomitable will he prevails. Thats what made Ali stand out to me, the refusal to accept defeat. Champions are driven by pride, Ali seemed possesed by it. Holmes proved that he was a great boxer and athlete, but he was content to take on the easier challangers if he could and seemed more interested to gain the maximal amount of money for the smallest risk possible. Ali wouldnt have accepted any rival abc champions.
Holmes was great in his own right however he was a level below Ali. Ali did everything better than Holmes except that Larrys jab was harder. (Ali had the better jab just not as hard).
Ali has faster relexes as Janitor noted, had faster hands, hit just as hard but had greater whiskers. Ali was the original, another thing Ali fought the best of his era and avoided no one, rematched most of his tough fights not Doug Jones but otherwise pretty solid. Ali had the faster Jab but I favor Holmes jab it was solid and strong
Preposterous thread. George Foreman only said that because he knew deep down that Larry Holmes could beat him. He did nothing better. Ali beats him in every category. I also don't understand why people say Larry Holmes has the best jab in boxing history. Ali has the best jab in boxing history. It's been stated that Larry Holmes jab was harder than Ali's jab but that's about it. Ali's jab in the 60's was faster than Sugar Ray Robinson's jab! He could throw the jab in a blink of eye therefore it was unavoidable. That's why Ali was able to keep on jabbing Sonny Liston, a guy that has a 84" reach.