Joe Frazier vs Larry Holmes, in their primes.

[yancey]

Extremely interesting matchup involving two of my favorites, with very different styles.

What do you think happens?

[boxerbob]

frazier gets knocked down but wins on points

frazier works to hard for holmes as body attacks take its toll in the later rounds

a wee bit like ali-frazier 1

[Big Bad John]

Holmes wasn't open to the left hook the way Ali was, and he had more power. He wouldn't try to create distance with his feet, the way Ali did; he'd use his rapier-like jab. Also, Holmes had better straight punches than Ali did.

[TheOneIsHere2008]

Extremely interesting matchup involving two of my favorites, with very different styles.

What do you think happens?

That's an interesting fight as is Ken Norton versus Frazier...Ken Norton was Frazier's sparring partner at one time as was Larry Holmes...On ESPN he said he wouldn't like to fight Ken Norton because of his style...

To me Larry Holmes is what Jimmy Ellis would have been if he was 6'3 and weighed 220 pounds...A great technical boxer...

[yancey]

It is only my view, but I see no way Norton as having the firepower, skills, or movement to hold the Frazier pain machine off for too long. I think that fight at most would have gone 8 rounds.

Holmes-Frazier would have been a truly great fight. I rank Larry very highly and it is true he protected well against the left hook. I also could see Larry knocking down or staggering Frazier with a right, overhand or uppercut. I can definitely see Holmes pulling off a close decision win.

If I would have been forced to bet, however, I would have put my dollars on Frazier and his relentless pressure and withering body punching overcoming an early Holmes lead and eventually turning the tide and prevailing by late round stoppage or UD. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't really recall Larry facing a intense swarmer like Frazier while he was the champion. He would have been punching down at Joe, and Larry sure would have offered a lot of body for Joe to break down when he got to the inside. Frazier's own right uppercut might have come into play in this fight.


Both Holmes and Frazier are in my Top 5 all time. Hope I get to meet them both someday.

[I Feel Fine]

I would pick Frazier to win a close decision. Holmes never beat someone even approaching Frazier's level. Frazier would put pressure on Larry in a way that no opponent did. Larry's jab isn't going to impress Frazier much, nor would Frazier be bothered by Holmes' overrated power, and Holmes would gradually be worn down by Frazier's style and hook; which would indeed land. Frazier cut off the ring better than nearly any fighter I've seen, Larry's not going to get by on boxing alone, and when Frazier starts to dig shots in, Larry is going to find it quite difficult to keep Frazier off of him. And while Larry has heart he's not as tough as Frazier, who is much more durable. Larry is going to find it extremely difficult to control Frazier, as he was able to control his subpar title challengers, who did not have ability to pressure an opponent that Joe had, let alone the toughness and stamina. Frazier wins by a margin of something like 8-6-1. Holmes is perceived as a top 4-5 Heavyweight, Frazier is perceived as a top 6-9 Heavyweight, but I think the reality is that Frazier was probably about as good as Holmes. Holmes might be slightly better, and he had more longevity, but he wasn't overwhelmingly better.