What happens if Larry Holmes fights Muhammad Ali in 1976?

I think this. Consider how much they'd sparred by that point. They'd know each other well, but Ali was the vet. He'd have learned enough about Holmes to be able to overcome the youth. Any advantage Holmes would have from being in there with Ali, Ali would have over Holmes even moreso.

 

I think Holmes would have won by that point. In ‘76 it would probably go the distance and Ali might have still taken some of the rounds. But a young Larry ultimately edges him

 

I agree. It would be close to if not the last time Ali could get over the top Holmes.

Ali still had enough left as at ‘76 to get the job done - with Ali’s right hand figuring quite prominently I think, keeping Holmes honest.

For the little energy Ali had in 1980 vs Holmes he still caught Holmes with a few decent lead right hands very early in the piece.

He appeared to view that punch as somewhat of a choice weapon vs Larry but of course after the first 1 or 2 rounds, he was unable to execute much of anything due to be virtually exhausted.

 

If it’s barely enough to win, that wouldn’t constitute a robbery.

 

I think Larry takes this. Ali was getting a little lazy by '76 and Holmes was just getting busy. He knows Ali from their numerous sparring rounds and he won't give him the time or space he likes to rest by this point. Ali is still the more skilled fighter but doesn't have the legs for a hard 15 against a young, hard man like Holmes. The Thrilla took enough of him to reduce his greatness, and he was never the same after it. Larry wins a sometimes hard fought technical battle, and easier than his battle with Norton...

 

One thing is for sure, if there was even a remote possibility in Ali's mind of them potentially fighting, Ali was not showing all of his tricks during sparring

 

...same goes for Holmes though...

 

Ali via tight decision (MD or SD). He uses wily, veteran tactics to steal close rounds & convince the judges. Holmes puts up a good fight, but is still too green. No robbery.

 

Seee the S he pulled against Gatti? lol

 

The reasons for posts like that is people are still bitter over the Norton 3 and Jimmy Young decisions.

Norton paid for not fighting his ass off in the last round and making sure and putting an exclamation point on it.

And Young turned in a reprehensible performance that night and should have been ruled knocked out the first time he stuck his head outside the ring, But hey, punch count uber alles!

But no, Ali had some kind of Vulcan mind control over the judges …

 

I can't see 76 Ali troubling Holmes other than clowning and holding him. Ali had nothing to hurt him or get his respect. Holmes jab and right hand would dominate. Ali would probably try to clown and hide the beating he was taking and hold excessively. In 1976, Holmes might need to stop Ali to win which he could do. Most people thought Young and Norton beat Ali in 1976 and neither got the decision. If it goes the distance, Holmes might win 12-15 rounds, but "lose" the decision.

The boxing establishment protected their Cash Cow.

 

Ed Schuyler (AP) who is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame for his writing scored the second Ali-Norton fight for Norton ! and the third Ali-Norton fight for Ali. He wrote a great article about it years later where he met a young Sugar Ray Leonard who also attended the fight . I can link it if anyone is interested. That suggests to me it wasn't a robbery. That Ali was well past his expiration date but no boxer, present or past, was stopping (KO or TKO) that iteration of him. Too much heart and there was still enough fighter there to sustain it.

 

See what I mean?

 

That’s my thinking as well. Muhammad Ali was running on fumes by 1976 and needing help from officials to get the wins over Young and Norton highlighted that.

 

Unready; Ali still too good.