Larry Holmes laughs off suggestions Anthony Joshua would’ve beaten him

[Ruthless-RKO]

how much better was larry's reign than ggg's

Was Larry’s reign better than Wlads?

[DrDuke]

how much better was larry's reign than ggg's

Was Larry’s reign better than Wlads?

Larry's reign is better than Golovkin's one for sure.

It's better than the Wlad's reign too. Both of them weren't undisputed, but each of them clearly was the man of his era. Wlad has never beaten an ATG fighter though. Holmes did it vs Norton. Yet they're close. The likes of Povetkin and Haye are Witherspoons and Cooneys of the modern times.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Not sure why you would have to ask for the most obvious answer, but Mike Tyson. Set a record not likely to be broken as the youngest hvy champ when he grabbed the WBC in an iconic blowout, and then preceded to knock down all the relevant WBA champs Lar avoided as well as the undefeated Mike Spinks himself in another iconic blowout that bookended his prime.

That's fine, we are all aware of Tyson's credentials... But didn't Tyson rise to Champ in '86... And Ali retired in '78...
So there is an eight year stretch
Who was the best Heavyweight in those years, immediately proceeding after Ali's retirement?
That is the time frame that I was talking about as you well know

Probably the greatest thing about Larry was that he was dominant over a long stretch of time - he was World Heavyweight Champion from 78 to 85 and that encompasses 20 successful title fights...

No point skipping ahead nearly a decade there...

- Playing movable goalposts are you? You asked, "So who was the best Heavyweight around during the post Ali era?"

Tyson was, is, and always shall be the answer forever more. He's little more than 3 yrs removed from the last Ali fight, and then he obliterated the stink of Lar and his fellow WBA titlists that Lar ducked like a walk in the park.

Here's Lar at age 23, his pro debut, this after getting KOed in the Olympic Trials as an Ali protégé by Dwayne Bobick.

https://boxrec.com/en/event/191/194

Age 23 - Joe Louis wins the undisputed title.
Age 22 - Clay wins a disputed title in the farce of Liston and thus stripped by the WBA in the rematch farce where Ali should've been DQed for fighting with JJWalcott and trying to kick Liston in the head.
Age 23 and Tyson concussively and conclusively had already consolidated all relevant 4 titles that counted as the 80s closed to restore boxing as the most magnetic professional sport in the world . Relevant literature then including most old salts had never seen anything like him and were pronouncing him the best ever, and had he then retired, that's what it would be today. You could look it up along with Lar's 0-6, 0 KO record against standing champs having won their titles in the ring. It ain't brain surgery

Let's put down the supposed Lar lineal title for beating a medically feeble Ali whom Ferdie had removed himself from. I could've beat that Ali, not that 20,000 other heathy males knowing about boxing couldn't have also accomplished the dirty deed if they had the stomach to fight a sick man. Had I been The Grand Poohbah, in advance I'd have sentenced all relevant promoters and commishes to a 5 year mandatory sentence living in and working gratis in local Dog Pounds.

I have never watched that fight nor the Berbick fight any more than I watch medically or mentally impaired folks getting beat up on youtube. Thank the heavens above Vander recently eliminated hisself post haste in his Triller disaster with no damage done save that to his reputation and his fans.

The dishonestly disingenuous often cite that Tyson only gave Lar 3 months notice for their fight ignoring Lar had been in training for a year in his own gym on his own homestead for just that fight in between appearing at every Tyson fight to publicly impugn Mike in the most derogatory manner possible on broadcast TV. Lar begged and Mike gave it to him.

Mike never had to beg. Fighters came begging to him, thus Lar became one in a long line of them, and then Lar went begging to Foreman and on to Butterbean. 'Tis what it 'tis...

Your standard moronic claptrap.

It would be more bearable if you had a talent fir brevity.

[thereverend]

Incredible how overrated Tyson has become, and how underrated Holmes always has been. There's actually posters complaining about how 'unlikeable' Holmes is, while Tyson's behavior has been much worse. Holmes was champion for 7 years, Tyson for only 3. When Holmes lost to Tyson he was 38 years old. When Tyson was 38 years old who was he fighting? When Tyson was in his prime years he was either in prison or biting off ears. Tyson's career was a tragedy and an example of wasted talent not a success story.

The idea that Joshua would beat Holmes in his prime is ridiculous. Of course Joshua would have a chance to beat Holmes when he was fighting guys like Butterbean. I wonder who Joshua will be fighting when he's 50? We've seen how well Tyson fights in his 50s..

[jamesmcdonnell]

Incredible how overrated Tyson has become, and how underrated Holmes always has been. There's actually posters complaining about how 'unlikeable' Holmes is, while Tyson's behavior has been much worse. Holmes was champion for 7 years, Tyson for only 3. When Holmes lost to Tyson he was 38 years old. When Tyson was 38 years old who was he fighting? When Tyson was in his prime years he was either in prison or biting off ears. Tyson's career was a tragedy and an example of wasted talent not a success story.

The idea that Joshua would beat Holmes in his prime is ridiculous. Of course Joshua would have a chance to beat Holmes when he was fighting guys like Butterbean. I wonder who Joshua will be fighting when he's 50? We've seen how well Tyson fights in his 50s..

I know, there's some truly feeble minded people out there.

Tyson's peak lasted around 5 years, he was really never the same fighter after getting whacked by Douglas.

Beating a ring rusty 38 year old holmes doesn't make him the better fighter, and anybody who thinks it does, is frankly, am imbecile.

[margaret thatcher]

what would we rate as larry's 5 best wins of his long long reign?

[Syntax Error]

Incredible how overrated Tyson has become, and how underrated Holmes always has been. There's actually posters complaining about how 'unlikeable' Holmes is, while Tyson's behavior has been much worse. Holmes was champion for 7 years, Tyson for only 3. When Holmes lost to Tyson he was 38 years old. When Tyson was 38 years old who was he fighting? When Tyson was in his prime years he was either in prison or biting off ears. Tyson's career was a tragedy and an example of wasted talent not a success story.

The idea that Joshua would beat Holmes in his prime is ridiculous. Of course Joshua would have a chance to beat Holmes when he was fighting guys like Butterbean. I wonder who Joshua will be fighting when he's 50? We've seen how well Tyson fights in his 50s..

[DrDuke]

what would we rate as larry's 5 best wins of his long long reign?

Norton was clearly the best.

The second tier of wins include Witherspoon, Bonecrusher, Berbick, Weaver, Williams, Cooney and Shavers. It's possible to sort them out into the top 5 in different ways by a different basis.

[Ruthless-RKO]

When people talk about the 80’s boxing.

Do we think Holmes?

Or do we think the 4 kings?

[DrDuke]

When people talk about the 80’s boxing.

Do we think Holmes?

Or do we think the 4 kings?

The majority thinks of Tyson.

[Crease]

what would we rate as larry's 5 best wins of his long long reign?

Well he beat Norton, Weaver, Berbick, Witherspoon, Bonecrusher Smith & The Truth Williams - all of which were World Heavyweight Champions themselves...
And that's not counting his destruction of Leon Spinks or what he did to poor old Ali...

Larry has a very strong resume... He's a top ten guy, he has to be - he's achieved too much to be ignored...

[Crease]

Was Larry’s reign better than Wlads?

I would have said so... But Wlad was brilliant himself, very serious operator at the top level - very, very professional...

The problem with Wlad's career is the there are fighters who were around the same time that he never tested himself against - his brother for one (who I think would have beat him) and a bout against Nikolay Valuev would have been an interesting test for him...

One other thing i would say is that he had some very odd fights - Alex Leapai? Then he was was sanctioned to fight his own sparring partner - Pianeta...

Wlad is a Heavyweight great for sure, he just doesn't rank as high as Larry...

[DrDuke]

what would we rate as larry's 5 best wins of his long long reign?

Well he beat Norton, Weaver, Berbick, Witherspoon, Bonecrusher Smith & The Truth Williams - all of which were World Heavyweight Champions themselves...
And that's not counting his destruction of Leon Spinks or what he did to poor old Ali...

Larry has a very strong resume... He's a top ten guy, he has to be - he's achieved too much to be ignored...

Yeah, but Williams wasn't a champ.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Joshua would have looked like he was fighting two people against Larry.

The constant changes of angle, the jabs being pumped out in twos and threes, it would have looked like a drunk being battered by a gang of kids.

Joshuas not a bad fighter, but Larry was different gravy.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Was Larry’s reign better than Wlads?

I would have said so... But Wlad was brilliant himself, very serious operator at the top level - very, very professional...

The problem with Wlad's career is the there are fighters who were around the same time that he never tested himself against - his brother for one (who I think would have beat him) and a bout against Nikolay Valuev would have been an interesting test for him...

One other thing i would say is that he had some very odd fights - Alex Leapai? Then he was was sanctioned to fight his own sparring partner - Pianeta...

Wlad is a Heavyweight great for sure, he just doesn't rank as high as Larry...

Vitali would have spanked him like someone beating on their kid brother....oh wait.

[jamesmcdonnell]

When people talk about the 80’s boxing.

Do we think Holmes?

Or do we think the 4 kings?

The majority thinks of Tyson.

Larry's body of work is way more impressive.

[DrDuke]

When people talk about the 80’s boxing.

Do we think Holmes?

Or do we think the 4 kings?

The majority thinks of Tyson.

Larry's body of work is way more impressive.

Objectively, yes.

[Tony1244]

Larry is right.

[Crease]

Yeah, but Williams wasn't a champ.

Ah yes, you are right of course...

[Syntax Error]

When people talk about the 80’s boxing.

Do we think Holmes?

Or do we think the 4 kings?

Both, along with Tyson too.

Holmes was HW champion for half of the 80s, longer than anyone else during that decade.

[funso banjo baby]

Holmes was an essential part of the 80's golden age

His reign was one of the greatest of all time.

Like Hagler at the same time he had the tools to beat a host of challengers who would arguably have won the title against anyone else on the night.

WItherspoon
williams
Shavers
Berbick
Snipes
Cooney
Bonecrusher

All had their career best performances against Holmes

We make much of Fury's dramatic KD recovery in the first Wilder fight but we only have to look at the footage of Larry recovering against Shavers and Snipes to appreciate what a legend he is.

[rob h]

Agreed. Joshua isn't fit to carry Larry's jockstrap.

[ironbeard]

Holmes in his 40’s would have beaten AJ.

[Syntax Error]

Holmes in his 40’s would have beaten AJ.

The one who beat Ray Mercer and the one who performed so admirably against peak Holyfield certainly beats Joshua.