What happens if Larry Holmes fights Muhammad Ali in 1976?

Ali may nick it, the 4 years was a massive detriment to Ali, the Parkinson’s seemingly had got worse by a lot, and Holmes was inexperienced in 1978, and that Norton fight gave him a lot of experience, then add another 2 years, he would’ve been much better, so in 1976, he would’ve been very green, despite him being 26 or so.

 

Ali would be too experienced too savvy for Holmes at that stage in his career who needed another 2 years to hit his stride vs Shavers in 1978.

 

It would be an ugly fight. Holmes took his style from Ali. It would be a green Holmes vs a fading Ali. Both guys had great chins. Neither were great body punchers.

Ali threw more creative and faster combinations so he may just nick it. Despite me being a big fan, i just don't think their styles could produce an entertaining fight.

 

Holmes took some aspects of his style from Ali, but wasn't a carbon copy. Their defense f.e. was completely different.

 

Green Holmes does barely enough to win, and is robbed.

 

Holmes was 22-0 in 76 after beating Roy Williams, Ali fought 4 times in 76 Jean Pierre Coopman, Jimmy Young, Richard Dunn, and Ken Norton and in my opinion he lost to Young and Norton. I think Holmes could win this but Ali would get the decision whether he earned it or not because the speed and youth gap would loom large in Holmes favor at this stage.

 

If you want to call anything about Holmes a carbon copy of someone, the closest thing to say is that his defense was a carbon copy of George Foreman's. He didn't hold his arms out regularly in a long guard like Foreman, but he used long guard blocks. He also did the same framing, shoulder pushing, etc. His defense looked a lot like young Foreman's.

And he definitely had some of his own signature moves. I was always a fan of the left, right, left forearm to the face as he changed angle combo.

Holmes was largely self taught. I think he just looked around at what successful fighters were doing, tried it, kept what worked for him.

 

That's probably the latest time frame in which Ali could still beat Holmes. It would not be easy, either.

 

Forearm to the face is illegal

 

I think 1978 is the turning point where Holmes would’ve taken it.