Visual proof...he didn't make it back to his corner before vomiting! Can you imagine if he had puked on Holyfield during a clinch? This content is protected
Holyfield always liked to engage and get in wars. Sometimes he was hit more when the guy did not pose as much of a threat, but the Cooper fight was different. I think he beats Holmes rather easily.
It was partly Holmes being off because of his lack of activity. His timing wasn't there. The other part is the styles. Tyson came forward and created openings, closed distance. Holyfield was a standup boxer/puncher who looked u in the eye. Tyson was definitely more powerful as well.
Tyson was the wrong style for any version of Holmes- too much right hand- prime Holmes had been dropped by Shavers and Snipes and rocked bady by a green 18-9 unknown Mike Weaver - credit to him he survived but none of those guys had the follow up of Tyson- Shavers gassed- Snipes only had 22 fights and Weaver surprised himself- In the Holyfield fight Holmes survived Evander but Evander knew he was in the lead so did not push for the stoppage- Holmes had skills but a right hand puncher with stamina and bunch punching that could pressure Holmes was his kryptonite
I think Larry Holmes experience carried him in a losing effort against Evander The Real Deal Holyfield. Remember Larry had been champion from June 9 1978, when he outpointed Ken Norton, for the WBC World Heavyweight Title, until Sept 21 !985, when he lost his IBF World Heavyweight Title To World Light Heavyweight Champion Michael Spinks.
If just for a payday, Larry would not have kept getting back up and continue fighting back as he had. Now Buster Douglas on the other hand...
Holyfield wasn't comfortable fighting boxers, he did very well and looked phenomenal against sluggers like foreman, cooper, and Tyson (at this point of his career) but struggled with mediocre boxers like John ruiz and practically a senior citizen Holmes. Holyfield was best when he was counter punching, slick outfighter dont give you much counter punching opportunity.
Except the Tyson version of Holmes presented a more stationary target than the prime version. Tyson only hurt Larry when he made himself available while in a corner or on the ropes, hands down or when he stood stock-still like on the first knockdown. Larry had the flu when he fought Weaver. Also, Weaver was just entering his prime and went on to hold a belt and a make a few defenses of it, unlike Dokes, Tubbs, and Page. Weaver beat some pretty good fighters. In addition, Larry was winning nearly every minute or every round against Shavers and Snipes. He got a bit bored maybe overconfident and careless with how easy things were going. Sort of like Douglas when Tyson dropped him after winning nearly every round. Against Tyson, a prime Holmes won't give Tyson those same chances and could dance and prance for all 12 or 15 rounds.
Don't forget, Larry was the champion all the time Tyson was developing as a fighter, their careers crossed over. In many ways Holmes was the champion Tyson was moulded to beat. Arguably Tyson's best performance.
Holmes did so well against Evander because Larry still had that jab. That's why Bowe did so well against Evander (the first fight he jabbed him half to death). That's why Donald did so well against Evander. That's why Byrd did so well against Evander. That's why Lewis did so well against Evander. That's why Ruiz did so well against him (because John would jab and then fall in and grab constantly). That's the only thing Valuev hit Holyfield with ... his jab. In his youth, Tyson was very good at slipping jabs. Evander, not so much ever.
He adopted the right game plan to spoil his way to a competitive loss. I don’t believe for a second that game plan would have ever got him the victory, mainly due to the age and athletic disparity between the two fighters, but then again I wasn’t born when this fight took place, so it’s hard for me to judge if Holmes was a real threat to Holyfield. Even so, it was a great performance from an ageing ex champ, kudos for Holmes for having the balls to get in there.
He had six weeks, not eight and it was half baked .. the man was drinking beer every day .. he also came off an eighteen month layoff at over 37 .. he was talked into the fight by King and his ego and his greed overwhelmed his brain .. he knew coming into the ring he was n trouble as he has said it was the only time he went into a ring thinking he'd lose ..
I disagree - Styles make fights- Tyson and fighters like him that could apply pressure and fire the right hand from different angles would always be a problem for Holmes. I think guys like Page, Dokes, an improved Weaver, Coetzee, Thomas, may have proved me correct had not Holmes avoided them. Also he avoided rematches with less lethal, less pressure fighters like Witherspoon and Williams- when he thought he fought a lighter touch in light heavyweight Champ M.Spinks it was the right hands that beat him. I lived the era- Holmes was the most consistent title holder but he gave up a title not to fight Greg Page and his behind the WBC title while the lions fought each other
