Holyfield VS Ali

[gilgamesh]

I could also see 9-6 or 8-7 Holyfield. I also believe in there Prime's there's a lot more chance Holyfield rocks or drops Ali than Ali dropping him. Ali would likely win rounds 14 and 15 but Holyfield's hard pace throughout would have won him most of the rounds I figure.

[flatnoseflynn]

I think holyfield would of taken Ali on a ud .............. holyfield has better stamina

[Goodnight, Irene]

I think holyfield would of taken Ali on a ud .............. holyfield has better stamina

Maybe at Cruiserweight, LOL.

Holyfield as a HW had in no way, shape or form better lungs than Ali. He took rounds off & let his punch-count slide fairly often in 12-rounders, something Ali rarely did even fighting over fifteen.

I do not see Holyfield as all that competitive with Ali, personally. Ali just isn't one of the greats Holyfield would trouble too much. Ali would simply run him a merry chase for large stretches of the bout, IMO. Faster hands, quicker feet, snappier reflexes, a similar punch output, no stylistic disadvantage, no fear of Holyfield's power...where is this life-&-death struggle coming from?

Ali (1965-67) wins it along the lines of 10-5 over Holyfield (1990-92), IMO.

[BoxBuzz]

GI, there is little if anything wrong with what you have stated here.

However as strange as it may sound, I think Holyfield vs Frazier would produce a lot of sparks.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Nothing strange about it. Holyfield-Frazier would be Fight Of The Century material.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Prime Ali would soundly outbox Holyfield, Evander had as good a left hook as the division has ever seen so he would score with some of those. But Ali's jab and movement would be a nightmare him.

[Ezzard]

I started a thread on who would give Ali the most problems and possibly defeat him.

Holyfied was on my list. I wouldn't bet on him though.

[Syntax Error]

I've always thought that Holyfield would actually have been one of the more difficult mythical matchups for a prime Ali.

Holyfield's stamina, relentlessness, speed, double jabs & Left hook would have given The Greatest something to think about.

I'd still take Ali on points over 12 or 15, but I do believe that it would have been a well earned victory for Ali.

[BoxBuzz]

I see the Holyfield Frazier fight as great material much like the Qawi Holyfield 1.....However I think it may end badly for Holyfield. But lord what a fight!


Ali I think would assess Holy's skills, (and cmon Holy's not the tenacious inside fighter that Frazier was so Ali won't get mugged) Anyway like I say I think Ali recognizes Holy's skills and would simply have too many answers for him. It might produce some great moment, but those moments would just be "great" for anyone who hopes to see Ali in trouble...which Holy would manage to do from time to time.... the excitement I speak of is all about the "hope" that it would bring to Ali's detractors and the fear it would put in his minions. There were always a few of those moments in most of his fights.

I'm not saying it would be boring, it wouldn't, but I imagine Ali would be in apparent control for enough of the fight to convince the judges and most ringsiders that these two are in two different skill leagues. I also think that Ali would probably win the foul wars (which I'm guessing neither would ever be called on or a point deducted for either man) and in addition I bet Ali never gets head butted, as he would manage to elude that third fist of Holy's. He'd probably have Holy in a few neck wraps along the way that would serve to set Holy off his game. Both are cool characters but I think Ali would get under Evander's skin, and frustrate him in ways we've not seen except by a washed up version of Evander via James Toney.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Evander was unflappable, Ali's skills would be the problem. His mental BS would be useless here. Holyfield always fought better when he was angry.

[BoxBuzz]

Yep both very strong psyche's , but if you had to figure who was cooler under pressure, I wouldn't pick Evander. Even if anger made him "better".

[Ambling Alp]

I started a thread on who would give Ali the most problems and possibly defeat him.

Holyfied was on my list. I wouldn't bet on him though.

I remember that thread. I wouldn't pick anyone against Ali, but Holyfield would matchup better than almost anyone else.
When you are going someone better than you, you need to be unpredictable. Holyfield was that. He could mix up boxing and slugging. He also had good handspeed and was one of the most accurrate punchers ever. He would be more effective offensively than anyone else would.

The big problem for Holyfield was defense. He was not a good defensive fighter and Ali of course had great hand speed and was even more accurrate than Holyfield. Ali would pick him apart with jabs and those lightning combinations. It would be competitive for a while, but gradually Ali takes over. It's a matter if it would go the distance or a late round stoppage. It would be an entertaining fight.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Yep both very strong psyche's , but if you had to figure who was cooler under pressure, I wouldn't pick Evander. Even if anger made him "better".

I would call that even as any category can be. No need to bother with semantics, I agree with your take on the fight.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I started a thread on who would give Ali the most problems and possibly defeat him.

Holyfied was on my list. I wouldn't bet on him though.

I remember that thread. I wouldn't pick anyone against Ali, but Holyfield would matchup better than almost anyone else.
When you are going someone better than you, you need to be unpredictable. Holyfield was that. He could mix up boxing and slugging. He also had good handspeed and was one of the most accurrate punchers ever. He would be more effective offensively than anyone else would.

The big problem for Holyfield was defense. He was not a good defensive fighter and Ali of course had great hand speed and was even more accurrate than Holyfield. Ali would pick him apart with jabs and those lightning combinations. It would be competitive for a while, but gradually Ali takes over. It's a matter if it would go the distance or a late round stoppage. It would be an entertaining fight.

Ali wouldn't stop Holyfield with a sledgehammer. You are not being serious with that penultimate sentence, surely?

[BoxBuzz]

Only Toney and Bowe actually have stopped him to this day, correct? Or am I suffering from dementia? Ok I know the two are not mutually exclusive.....

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Yup, and one of them he should have been in the Hospital.

[Diamond WEAPON]

I agree with Saad and Buzz on this. Evander woud give Ali some scary moments with his physical strength and handspeed but Ali's combination handspeed and footspeed would frustrate Holyfield more often than not and have him spending long stretches trying to figure out how to close the gap and land clean.

[BoxBuzz]

Saad, Help me with your hospital statement. Which fight did he go into compromised? Which is what I assume you are implying here. If I had to guess maybe the Toney fight? I know that outcome seemed WAY out of character. But I'm not aware of any Holyfield health issue in his career other than the heart thing which the record indicates is inconclusive...(from what I have read)

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Saad, Help me with your hospital statement. Which fight did he go into compromised? Which is what I assume you are implying here. If I had to guess maybe the Toney fight? I know that outcome seemed WAY out of character. But I'm not aware of any Holyfield health issue in his career other than the heart thing which the record indicates is inconclusive...(from what I have read)

Surely you jest, you must have heard about the Hepatitis he had for the Bowe fight. He certainly looked the part in the ring.

He was compromised by age, if anything, against Toney. A shoulder can limit your effectiveness, but it wont get you thrashed like that.

[Diamond WEAPON]

Saad, Help me with your hospital statement. Which fight did he go into compromised? Which is what I assume you are implying here. If I had to guess maybe the Toney fight? I know that outcome seemed WAY out of character. But I'm not aware of any Holyfield health issue in his career other than the heart thing which the record indicates is inconclusive...(from what I have read)

Surely you jest, you must have heard about the Hepatitis he had for the Bowe fight. He certainly looked the part in the ring.

He was compromised by age, if anything, against Toney. A shoulder can limit your effectiveness, but it wont get you thrashed like that.

Yeah, that Heart issue he suffered didn't help issues since nobody knew he had the Hep before the fight, so when he gassed out and was getting bludgeoned by Bowe, Lampley, Foreman, and Merchant were all freaking out because they thought they were witnessing the brutal death of Holyfield unfold in the ring.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Saad, Help me with your hospital statement. Which fight did he go into compromised? Which is what I assume you are implying here. If I had to guess maybe the Toney fight? I know that outcome seemed WAY out of character. But I'm not aware of any Holyfield health issue in his career other than the heart thing which the record indicates is inconclusive...(from what I have read)

Surely you jest, you must have heard about the Hepatitis he had for the Bowe fight. He certainly looked the part in the ring.

He was compromised by age, if anything, against Toney. A shoulder can limit your effectiveness, but it wont get you thrashed like that.

Yeah, that Heart issue he suffered didn't help issues since nobody knew he had the Hep before the fight, so when he gassed out and was getting bludgeoned by Bowe, Lampley, Foreman, and Merchant were all freaking out because they thought they were witnessing the brutal death of Holyfield unfold in the ring.

When they were all screaming for the stoppage and he unleashed a picture perfect hook was a spectacular moment. I was getting creamed at a fight party because of all the years I demanded Evander would own Tyson. My friends loved Mike so they always cheered against Evander. The whole HBO crew & a room full of my boys all got served some STFU for a brief moment.

That rivalry was the best of my lifetime. I lost a beard bet on the first one, then redemption. No way he loses that fight healthy. Holyfield ruined Bowe.

[Diamond WEAPON]

Yeah, their trilogy is one of my earliest memories of watching Boxing. I was amazed by what they did in there. It was such a shame that Bowe burned out so quickly, those Golota fights were the definition of "adding insult to injury."

George Foreman: "This man is gonna end up in a pine box!"

[SteveO]

Holyfield ruined Bowe.

And Golota finished him off!
The Ali-Holyfield matchup would have been a good one. Ali would win by UD in my opinion.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Bowe's lifestyle did him more damage than anything or anyone else, Holyfield included.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Yes, eating KFC is much more damaging to your brain than 32 violent rounds of getting pounded in your head. That's funnier every time you say it.