evander holyfield vs joe frazier

[jameshoward]

who would win and how, both had some of the best hearts in heavyweight boxing ever and had quite different styles and attributes so who would win?

i would say holyfield would win a split decision and this fight would be similar to ali-frazier 3 neither man would quit and neither would get knocked down

[allworld80]

Frazier takes it for me. I don't think Evander had the power to really hurt Joe, and standing toe to toe would be his downfall.

Frazier by decision, possibly late stoppage.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Over twelve. Frazier by very narrow decision. Over fifteen, I think he stops Holyfield late-on.

The difference, in each instance, is work-rate. Holyfield would eventually fatigue. Frazier wouldn't. Most of the other factors would be a glorious blend of near-even to-&-fro.

[Seamus]

Holy's got the bigger punch, the better chin and defense and he's stronger. He'd wear Frazier down and stop him around the 8th or 9th.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

who would win and how.

- Beside looking at style matchups, I like to run fighters head to head against each other's comp which works well in this case since both are close in age when turning pro.

Joe pretty much walks through Mr. Field's first 28 fights, a creampuff schedule for Joe. His first obstacle would be the much overrated Big Dummy who'd end up as a large speed bump.

Mr. Field would drop some on Joe's schedule starting with Joe's 12th fight, a prime hungry Bonavena, much bigger, stronger, and more durable than any fighter Field would face until maybe Stewert. Then a prime Chuvalo, undefeated Mathis with Cus in his corner, Bonavena rematch, prime Quarry, prime Ali, then prime Foreman, not the lumbering Big George. Mr. Field is gonna be well banged out and dinged up after that schedule that would make the Bowe series seem like a walk in the park for him.

After warming up in a slow start, Joe guts Field midrounds and knocks him out by the 10th. Field's weak 30% KO ratio at heavy would have Joe swarming him with impunity.12/15 rds won't be a factor since Field also fades late which is just the way Joe liked 'em served up.

[yiddle]

frazier wins a great fight by ud or possible late stoppage if over fifteen rounds i dont think holyfield would be able to hurt frazier enough to back him up enough to stop frazier`s momentum

[Goodnight, Irene]

Holy's got the bigger punch, the better chin and defense and he's stronger. He'd wear Frazier down and stop him around the 8th or 9th.

Holyfield hits harder? Holyfield stops Frazier in as few as eight rounds?

I hope you've been drinking.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Probably the greatest action fight that could ever be made, with the possible exception of Duran/Armstrong.

Tough to call, either guy could win, they would both be hurt more than once and both would fight through it. I think the key is Holyfield's hand speed and shorter left hook, he would beat Joe to the hook more often than not. Evander by Grueling decision.

[Seamus]

I'm sober GI. Holyfield Ko'd Douglas with one punch and dropped Bowe, Mercer and Tyson with one shot. He withstood everything Lennox Lewis hit him with in 24 rds without going down, withstood hard shots from Old Foreman (still a big puncher), even though he was wobbled. Displayed a very durable chin vs Bowe before being Ko'd in the rubber match. And was never in trouble vs Tyson.

Frazier was an all action fighter with alot of heart, but he was always hittable. Jerry Quarry hit a prime Frazier at will, imagine if that was the HW version of Evander doing the hitting.

[dempseyfire]

Quarry hit as hard if not harder than Holyfield. And Frazier took his Sunday punch as if it were fly swaps.

Evander's heavyweight opponents were guys who didn't press him for every minute up to the final bell, besides Bowe in their 1st fight in a performance Riddick never matched again. The 96 Tyson was tired and out of ideas by the 6th . . Dokes and Cooper were coming off of severe cocaine addictions . . .Mercer always fatigued hard in the late rounds. And Holyfield always had those spots in fights where he'd suddenly 'freeze' and start taking combinations;he did it vs Foreman, Bowe, Dokes, and even Alex Stewart. Vs a dynamo and vicious body puncher like Joe Frazier that would spell doom over the long haul. Holyfield would have his moments and probably stun Joe a few times with his famous 'comeback' flurries. But Frazier would still be right in his chest and firing off combos to the head and body. Evander simply did not have the defense or slickness to persevere vs Joe Frazier for 15 rounds.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Quarry hit as hard if not harder than Holyfield. And Frazier took his Sunday punch as if it were fly swaps.

Evander's heavyweight opponents were guys who didn't press him for every minute up to the final bell, besides Bowe in their 1st fight in a performance Riddick never matched again. The 96 Tyson was tired and out of ideas by the 6th . . Dokes and Cooper were coming off of severe cocaine addictions . . .Mercer always fatigued hard in the late rounds. And Holyfield always had those spots in fights where he'd suddenly 'freeze' and start taking combinations;he did it vs Foreman, Bowe, Dokes, and even Alex Stewart. Vs a dynamo and vicious body puncher like Joe Frazier that would spell doom over the long haul. Holyfield would have his moments and probably stun Joe a few times with his famous 'comeback' flurries. But Frazier would still be right in his chest and firing off combos to the head and body. Evander simply did not have the defense or slickness to persevere vs Joe Frazier for 15 rounds.

It's why I backed Frazier for a very late stoppage over fifteen, & a narrow decision over twelve --- work-rate would be the difference. Holyfield wouldn't match him in activity. Just never showed that kind of freakish endurance at Heavyweight.

Incidentally, Quarry could not hurt Frazier. Quarry hit as hard --- maybe slightly harder --- than Holyfield. The power difference between Quarry & Holyfield I consider negligible.

[bjermaine]

Probably the greatest action fight that could ever be made, with the possible exception of Duran/Armstrong.

Tough to call, either guy could win, they would both be hurt more than once and both would fight through it. I think the key is Holyfield's hand speed and shorter left hook, he would beat Joe to the hook more often than not. Evander by Grueling decision.

i agree. evander is the better boxer and he takes a hell of a shot. frazier would be on his ass all night but evander is the more skilled fighter.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Just about all of Frazier's top-tier opposition ranked as the more skilled fighter.

[p4p1]

its a joke to think holyfield could beat frazier

[SaadOffTheDeck]

It's a joke that quarry hit as hard as Holyfield. Not that it really matters because Frazier was as tough a man as there has ever been. But a precision puncher like Holyfield against a one eyed man with an average at best defense is certainly not a fight that Evander can't win. He absolutely loved guys bringing the fight to him. One of the best counter punchers the sport has ever seen.

Fair point about holyfield resting, he definitely did do that and Joe was a machine. Not much would surprise me here, only if it wasn't an epic war. The only guarantee is it would be rated XXX for violence.

[tennessee]

maybe the best match-up ever. fight of century ends in draw. rematch?

[boxerbob]

my 2 fav fighters of all time

i did a thread on this a while ago

if they fought then there is no doubt it would be a war , see the fight going like holyfield / qwai 1 but with frazier winning by close unam points decision

15 rounds of pure fighting with both hitting the canvas

[Adamj1987]

holyfield on points while he hit hard i dont think he could of bombed frasier like foreman did but he had better skill than frasier

[NazNaci1]

Great fighters, the pair of them.

Holyfield would probably start off stronger, but as we know, when Joe starts to smoke, he would be to aggressive and relentless. I mean, Holyfield would try to match him punch for punch.

Joe would just be too tough and too busy, even for Holyfield. Frazier UD over 12 or 15.