I recently saw Holmes-Carl Williams and thought that was damn close as well. Williams looked really good in this and actually outjabbed Holmes for large portions of the bout although Holmes was clearly past his best and looked to be in poor nick as well. Do you recall if anyone of note scored this one against Holmes as I've never heard much controversy surrounding it (unlike the Witherspoon fight) but I personally thought it could've gone either way?
He was not only the very best heavyweight of his day, but of a lot of other guy's day as well. He would have been life of death with Muhammad Ali or anyone else, with the possible exception of Lennox Lewis (only at his very tip-top best however)..and all this despite having not unified the title during his reign. The knockout loss to Mike Tyson would NEVER had happened during both men's prime, by the way..in my opinion. He is penalized by many boxing fans on the basis of his prickish personality only..with no real evidence otherwise based on his actual worth in the ring.
Guy was a fantastic boxer with a chin, heart, condition, kept a good pace, underrated power, great ability to come back from being hurt, very good speed, particularly good jab and straight right, solid uppercut, could box, but could actually stand there and duke it out if need be. Just watch his fights with Norton, Ocasio, L.Spinks, Shavers I + II, Berbick, Weaver, Cooney and Snipes, and you will come away knowing that Larry was a real champion.
With respect to all Foreman canvassers as i like big george myself, anyone who says foreman was a better all-round fighter than Ali needs to give their head a good shake. I know its all about opinions but that is just nonsense
That post does look like im being a little blase of Holmes. That wasnt intended. First off, i like Holmes. Hated him as a kid but looking back now i realise he was good. Good mover,jabber,boxer, great right hand and powers of recupperation on a par with anyone. My only gripe,and i cant shake it out of my head, is that he was never undisputed champ. OK,everyone thought he was the best-even the other title holders, but the fact that he never unified the titles just doesnt sit right with me. Ive had debates over fighters before and just as i appear to be hitting all the right notes BANG- i get hit with 'but he wasnt an undisputed champ', which kinda sticks in my throat and find it hard to comeback with something to cancel that fact out. I feel that a fighter of Holmes calibre should have at least unified the titles IMO
Holmes was an amazing Champion who fought the majority of the best out there in a very competative Heavyweight Division... That's why he is thought of so highly by me on this side of the pond...:yep
Holmes was without question a all time top five heavyweight. Undisputed champ means crap as in Holmes day boxing was in the height of Don Kings hidious reign and the politics were criminal. Never during Holmes reign did anyone consider the other alaphabet champion the true champ, never. Holmes had tremendous speed, great size and reach, the exceptional jab, terrific conditioning, a strong right hand, an A rated chin and most importantly of all first class moxie. He was not just a front runner, he could come from behind and did. Huge heart. He was a great, great champion.