Who'd win Prime Larry Holmes vs Prime George Foreman

I have to go with Foreman. Holmes had plenty of trouble with Norton who wasn't nearly as tough or strong as Foreman. Also, Foreman had a very heavy jab. I think Foreman at his peak would have beaten Holmes, though he'd end the fight with the right side of his face looking pretty bad.

 

Holmes fairly easily UD. Too mobile with a piston jab and has great ring generalship. He could control the fight with Foreman, Foreman would have to rely on a KO, but we already know how sturdy Holmes chin is. He took a perfect flush shot from Shavers (the hardest hitter in that era IMO) and shook it off within about 90 seconds. Prime Holmes is one of the toughest H2H matchups.

 

Depends on when they fought

Late 70s to early 80s - Holmes

90s - Foreman maybe even by KO

 

I like Foreman for the KO, but this is a dream fight for sure.

 

When Foreman fought Young he had already lost to ali and Gil Clancy had him fighting timid and patient careful to not waste stamina.

Prime Foreman (although the later Foreman became 'technically' better) was the crazed Foreman who blew out Frazier, Roman, and Norton.

Prime Holmes is the one who beat up Cooney.

Holmes, as great as he was, would get caught by a good shot at some point by "this" Foreman...second round, seventh round...twelth round..whatever.. and do what he alwys did instinctively (aka Shavers, Snipes, Weaver, and later Tyson) and that's fight back!
...instead of running, clinching and holding.

In a fifteen round fight Foreman knocks out Holmes 3 out of 4 fights.

Foremans pre-Ali style is a style nightmare for Holmes.


Even the young Tyson and D'Amato recognized this saying Holmes would be the perfect big name on the resume cause once he's hurt, he violently fights back rather than hold and run. This worked against limited fighters....but Foreman would have got him. The Foreman who knocked Frazier and Norton anyway.

 

Agree completely. Holmes had great recuperative powers, but Foreman punching power is right up there with Shavers, and he was a more complete fighter. It is hard for me to imagine that he would not get to Larry eventually, and when he did, he would not let him off the hook.

I could definitely see Holmes winning this - these guys are very evenly matched. But I agree with you that Foreman's superior strength prevails and he stops Holmes on a TKO late in the fight.

 

Dont get me wrong BTW Holmes is one of the more magnificent fighters I ever saw.....
he gives Foreman all sorts of fits and, peppers his head with jabs and in the fights that go long, makes him sometimes look amatuerish....but Foreman eventually gets him as Holmes goes into instict mode flailing back. Thats his downfall.

That said its possible in a trilogy Holmes wins a clear decision in a chaotic bout but he gets knocked out the other two.

 

Thank you. Strength plays a huge factor in this fight and we all can agree Foreman was as strong as an Ox. Shavers was a huge puncher but not a great finisher and had poor stamina, if you take a hungry Foreman like the one that took out Fraizer and pit him against Holmes, it spells disaster around rds. 11-13.

 

Prime Larry would **** up Prime Foreman, or Old Foreman, and Old Larry would **** up Prime Foreman or old man Foreman, or any heavyweight today except JT.

 

Early 70's Foreman would KO any version of Holmes. Holmes had too much trouble with old guy Norton as well as the Snipes and even the Cooney's of the world.

 

Foreman got outboxed by Ali. Holmes was just as good, but with a much better jab.

 

Foreman didn't necessarily get outboxed by Ali as much as he got outsmarted. I do believe that Larry Holmes had the best heavyweight jab of all time and would have been able to outbox Foreman to a one sided UD.

 

I see Holmes getting off the floor a couple of times to take a close but clear UD.

 

George Foreman.

 

Foreman.

I have Holmes on the lower tier of ATG's. I just think benefited greatly of the worst era in hw history. I would be shocked if Foreman didn't knock him out.