BoxRec

Both at their primes, could this be one of, if not, THE greatest heavyweight match up of all time?

This fight would be epic.

Holyfield had only medium power, but his superior strength and conditioning would see Frazier take a beating in the last third of the fight. Holyfield in 9.

Real Deal by late stoppage.

They both beat each other to hell and back to a draw.

No follow up match, as each is forced to retire in the aftermath.

Both are put on pureed foods for the following year

Frazier by very close decision. Probably a SD or MD. these two guys styles would mesh really well

Greatest fight ever, Holyfield by decision. His hook would beat Joe's to the punch more often than not. That's the only separation I can come up with.

Have to go with my man frazier...points or late stoppage.

Saad is as wrong as he can be what a loon!.......Frazier has the edge by .0000000000000000000000000001948003%

Because he would curry favor with the judges BECAUSE he beat ALI at his peak.


Wait.....or would that work against him?


never mind.


What a mess this fight would be.....I'm just glad they didn't show up at the same time in the century....it's the sort of fight you always wanted to see.....but it's just better that it never happened. Some things are simply too much.

Frazier by decision or possible stoppage

I'd take Holyfield by a very narrow decision. Like everybody else, I have no doubt this would be one of the all time epic battles for the ages.

the why of this intrigues me.

These two had a different sort of warrior mentality that they shared. Break 'em down, Wear 'em down, Beat 'em down. Don't stay down. Unrelenting, only taking a step back when needed. Sluggers, yet their boxing skills were none too shabby. And they could typically deal with sluggers or boxers. Both rugged as leather.

Did either man take many steps back? Very economically.

They both were only floored by the biggest of punches.

Both had top shelf work rates.

They will have NO trouble finding each other.



I think questions that arise are

Who would be taking more steps back? I think Holyfield
Who's left hook would be the greater weapon......I think Fraziers
Who's going to smile more at the end of each round? Dead Heat lol
Who would have the psyche advantage? Dead Heat
Who could take more punishment? I think Frazier...but I won't argue against the Holyfield believers.
Who had the better one punch power? I think Frazier
Who had the better defense? I don't know....you tell me.....I'm serious I can't figure it out...and am open minded to those who think they have. My guess is more will take Holy's side on this.....but I'm stumped.
Better Chin? I think Dead Heat

I have to go back and see the end of the Toney and Bowe fights to know just how "out" Holy has ever been.

I know that Joe was never "extinguished". Others always made that decision for him.


I honestly can't call it. And it's the biggest "scientific" donnybrook I can summon to my imagination.

I think they're both too tough to knock each other out. I would give Holyfield the edge because I think he had more offensive tools he could when it came down to it. Frazier definitely had the superior left hook of the two, but Holyfield had the all around better arsenal and could use his legs and box a little bit if he had to to separate himself from time to time.

I don't know that either man tastes the canvas in this bout, if someone does I assume it would be Holyfield, but I can't imagine he wouldn't get up and get right back in Joe Frazier's face.

It would be a close, awesome fight no doubt. I have the utmost respect for both guys. True warriors.

Evander's hook was as good as Joe's. Yup, I said it.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Evander's hook was as good as Joe's. Yup, I said it.

It was faster, I don't think it had more impact though.

gilgamesh wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Evander's hook was as good as Joe's. Yup, I said it.

It was faster, I don't think it had more impact though.

Maybe not, it was also tighter and shorter. The biggest differential in a single punch between the two would easily be Holyfield's superior uppercuts. When they're going toe to toe, Evander would usually come out on top. His problem is that Joe would never stop firing and Holy fought in spurts.

BoxBuzz wrote: I have to go back and see the end of the Toney and Bowe fights to know just how "out" Holy has ever been.

I know that Joe was never "extinguished". Others always made that decision for him.

He was ridiculously exhausted against Bowe. Still beat the count. That was the most frustrating fight I've ever watched.

Toney doesn't really matter, if Frazier fought James over 40 he'd have been stopped too. Holyfield never spoke to the dude that threw in the towel against James again.

All I know is that there will be no KO and it will be a war that would affect both fighters in the aftermath.

I like Holyfield. He had the quicker hands, could take big time punishment and I think would land his shots quicker more often throughout the night. Frazier had the bigger / powerful hook but Holyfield had the shorter and quicker of the two with good power to boot and he'd get to point X much more often.

I'd go with Holyfield in a close decision.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

gilgamesh wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Evander's hook was as good as Joe's. Yup, I said it.

It was faster, I don't think it had more impact though.

Maybe not, it was also tighter and shorter. The biggest differential in a single punch between the two would easily be Holyfield's superior uppercuts. When they're going toe to toe, Evander would usually come out on top. His problem is that Joe would never stop firing and Holy fought in spurts.

Holy's uppercut was definitely one of the shots I had in mind when I mentioned his all around superior arsenal.

Two great fighters. Between these two greats, I do not see another fighter with a bigger heart, will or determination. This would be a battle of wills. Who has the greater heart? I don't know. Both guys' hearts are unmeasureable. But I pick the Smoking Joe that won the Fight of the Century over any Holyfield you put in, in a great battle of attrition.

elmersalsa wrote:Two great fighters. Between these two greats, I do not see another fighter with a bigger heart, will or determination. This would be a battle of wills. Who has the greater heart? I don't know. Both guys' hearts are unmeasureable. But I pick the Smoking Joe that won the Fight of the Century over any Holyfield you put in, in a great battle of attrition.

Agree.

Yancey...you got this one right......and I know your not bias.

I'd confidently pick Frazier by either late stoppage or solid decision. Bigger power, better stamina, better work-rate. Evander had those moments when he'd just "zone out" like he did vs Cooper, Stewart, Dokes, Foreman etc. and vs Frazier he's going to be punished severely during those moments, especially to the thin body/waist which was Evander's one (relatively) weak-spot. That's how Bowe got him so tired in their first fight, and Tyson's lone moment vs Holyfield came from a body attack.

Evander's hook better than Fraziers? Haha, oh please. Frazier's was as short, quick, and tight as they came. Look at the hook at that nearly decapitates Quarry in their rematch . . .that thing was lightening in a bottle. Holyfield threw nice crisp shots as well but he didn't have the firepower that Frazier had.

Evander would win the first 3-4 rounds but then Frazier would get in control, with Evander having an ever decreasing number of return-fire flurries as the fight went on.

dempseyfire wrote:I'd confidently pick Frazier by either late stoppage or solid decision. Bigger power, better stamina, better work-rate. Evander had those moments when he'd just "zone out" like he did vs Cooper, Stewart, Dokes, Foreman etc. and vs Frazier he's going to be punished severely during those moments, especially to the thin body/waist which was Evander's one (relatively) weak-spot. That's how Bowe got him so tired in their first fight, and Tyson's lone moment vs Holyfield came from a body attack.

Evander's hook better than Fraziers? Haha, oh please. Frazier's was as short, quick, and tight as they came. Look at the hook at that nearly decapitates Quarry in their rematch . . .that thing was lightening in a bottle. Holyfield threw nice crisp shots as well but he didn't have the firepower that Frazier had.

Evander would win the first 3-4 rounds but then Frazier would get in control, with Evander having an ever decreasing number of return-fire flurries as the fight went on.

By your logic Frazier should have boxed a shut-out over Joe Bugner, a passive fighter with a low output. Yet the fight was relatively close. Funny that.

dempseyfire wrote:
Evander's hook better than Fraziers?

Never said that, but I'm happy to educate you whenever your mind is open.

polecateddy wrote:
By your logic Frazier should have boxed a shut-out over Joe Bugner, a passive fighter with a low output. Yet the fight was relatively close. Funny that.

About as close as a 9-3 sort of scorecard gets, I suppose.