Michael Moorer v Larry Holmes 1994

[Roco]

Lets say that instead of Foremen getting a shot at Moorer's title, Holmes get a shot instead. What happens?

[Goodnight, Irene]

Moorer doesnt dominate as he did against Foreman, but he ultimately comes out ahead.

Its a tricky bout because Holmes had the vastly superior boxing brain, but Moorer's big advantages in endurance, speed, and power should see him through IMO. Holmes would be more effective but has no KO punch.

[Roco]

Moorer doesnt dominate as he did against Foreman, but he ultimately comes out ahead.

Its a tricky bout because Holmes had the vastly superior boxing brain, but Moorer's big advantages in endurance, speed, and power should see him through IMO. Holmes would be more effective but has no KO punch.

That is a nice assessment and one that I agree with. I just wondered if Holmes could do something similar to what he did against Mercer.

[gilgamesh]

Yeah GI's assessment was dead-on there. Moorer is a better boxer than Mercer so he'd be able to fight his way through the tough spots that Holmes would give him, I figure he'd come out with a 116-112 type win over Holmes at that stage of his career.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Had Moorer stayed champion through the Foreman catastrophe, a rematch with Holyfield would likely have occurred, and with Moorer's confidence not sapped by the loss of his crown and a past-prime Holyfield again sickly (this time with Hepatitis), I think Moorer bests him again, which is a far cry from their actual return bout.

After that, though, Moorer would be on borrowed time with guys like Bowe, Tyson, and a rising Lewis on the march.

[Goodnight, Irene]

i think moorer should be rated better at HW than he is at LHW. moorer in his prime (at HW) was nice. just didn't (and i don't think still does) have the right mentality for the game

Whether you believe his halcyon days were as a LHW or HW, he does get under-sold in the latter division.

Not a great Heavy, but certainly a good (and occasionally very good) one. You are right about his mindset usually being a drawback, though.

I recall Moorer showing great heart to survive the near-disaster with Cooper, but what did the ref do to steal it? Havent watched it in years.

Kind of a, "lite," version of Foreman-Lyle that bout, with a similar anatomy of events, but with two smaller, less menacing men. One of the more entertaining HW scraps of that decade, IMO.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Had Moorer stayed champion through the Foreman catastrophe, a rematch with Holyfield would likely have occurred, and with Moorer's confidence not sapped by the loss of his crown and a past-prime Holyfield again sickly (this time with Hepatitis), I think Moorer bests him again, which is a far cry from their actual return bout.

After that, though, Moorer would be on borrowed time with guys like Bowe, Tyson, and a rising Lewis on the march.

Agreed on the Holmes fight, I obviously disagree on a Holyfield rematch. He barely beat him the first time and Evander always came back better the second time around.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Well I wouldnt argue tooth and nail if someone favoured the Hep-stricken Holyfield of 1995 against a 36-0-0 Moorer (again, had he beaten Foreman), but I recently happened to watch their first bout, and Holyfield's biggest issue was endurance, owing to the heart problem, with there just being too many rounds where Holyfield seemed to spend long stretches catching breathers (and punches).

That was his downfall against Bowe in 95 too - stamina. I think Moorer may've taken advantage again. Needless to say, peak-for-peak, Holyfield beats Moorer - probably inside the distance.

[Bricks]

Lets say that instead of Foremen getting a shot at Moorer's title, Holmes get a shot instead. What happens?

U did it again! another imaginative matchup

[jehu]

Good fight still think moorer had a bit of menace about him if he beat foreman still being undefeated and was fundamentally sound,good boxing mind if confident and prepped not scared to mix it up with the old man.

Moorer to out box the older version of holmes via close decision.

[loaded_gloves]

Holyfield was hampered by a serious shoulder injury during the first Moorer bout. The heart misdiagnosis came in hospital after the fight.