ThatOne wrote:Larry Holmes (Prime)
Muhammad Ali
George Foreman (Prime)
Joe Frazier
Jimmy Ellis
Sonny Liston
Floyd Patterson
Rocky Marciano
Joe Louis
James Braddock
Max Baer
Holmes UD15 Holyfield
Holmes showed me enough in their 1992 meeting to suggest, had the reflexes & fitness been there, he'd have proven more than a match for a peaking Holyfield. Holmes sets his traps, doubles-up on the jab, & moves fluidly, safe in the knowledge Holyfield probably cannot seriously wound him. Too quick & too precise, with too few errors in his game to exploit.
Ali UD15 Holyfield
As above, but more convincing, on account of Ali's superior speed & unorthodox, less predictable offense.
Foreman TKO4 Holyfield
Going toe-to-toe with Bowe proved detrimental to Holyfield's chances of victory, but he just couldn't help himself against a guy who could rock his world. Bowe hurt him --- Foreman annihilates him. With Holyfield's chin, (lack of) defense, & competitive streak, it'd get cringe-worthy. It isn't as though he can land a hail-mary shot to save himself here, either.
Frazier TKO13 Holyfield
The most enthralling of all these matchings, & it's simply epic. Near-even scorecards at the time Holyfield's corner pull their beleaguered warrior from the battlefield. Frazier's bodyassault, as was the case for Bowe, proves pivotal. Having Futch in the corner, given his experience against Holyfield, wouldn't hurt either. It's downright brutal in stages.
Holyfield UD15 Ellis
"In all the fights I ever knocked somebody out, they were tryin' to knock me out," Holyfield once said, & this, to me, rings as important for this fight. Ellis just doesn't ring his bell hard enough to awaken the beast. Competitive fight for the first eight or nine rounds, but Ellis fades against the bigger, physically stronger, harder-hitting man.
Liston TKO8 Holyfield
This is absolutely down-to-the-wire, 50-50 pick 'em stuff for me. I really cannot make more than a 50-50 case, here. I'm going with Liston on th strength of his jab (consistently beating Holyfield to the punch & busting him up pay off down the line), & the fact his chin is rock-solid. His endurance was also under-rated. Still, if Holyfield out-muscles him early, gets inside Liston's head by showing no fear, & employs his filthiest firty tactics, he can wear Liston down. Very tight fight.
Holyfield TKO10 Patterson
Unlike Ellis, a snappy left from Patterson (an under-rated puncher) can get Holyfield's attention, & I think he goes after the more fragile Patterson at around the 8th-stanza mark, finishing it with a knockdown & a series of unanswered blows in the tenth.
Marciano MD15 Holyfield
Simply sensational, with both men claiming to have won in the aftermath. Why Marciano? Unlike Holyfield, he never faded at Heavyweight in high-output affairs, & his higher work-rate, coupled with harder punching throughout, see him edge Holyfield.
Louis TKO7 Holyfield
I'm probably alone here, but I don't see this as the most competitive affair. Louis is faster, sharper, heavier-handed, & more accurate. I think he really hurts the defense-deficient Holyfield with hooks & uppercuts off the jab, scoring a knockdown in the third. He stops him in seven. Not all that competitive.
Holyfield UD15 Braddock
A dull fight, but Holyfield has the edge in most categories, & I expect it to show come fight-night.
Holyfield UD15 Baer
A close UD, mind, in an at-times exciting stoush. Baer does better in my mind than many will imagine. He was a busy fighter with a pesky jab & a right hand which could certainly dent anyone, Holyfield included (Baer was
at least the equal of Bowe, in terms of raw hitting power). There'd be some comical moments, given Baer's clown persona & Holyfield's steadfast seriousness, when the fouls hit home from both men. One guy wants it more, though --- we all know who that man is.
His record rolls out at 4-7.
