Larry Holmes vs Lennox Lewis (My View)
Posted: 26 Mar 2006, 22:22
The other mixed bag of contenders he faced, arguably bad or good, were the following:
1.) Tommy Morrison (KO)
2.) Micheal Grant (KO)
3.) Francois Botha (KO)
4.) Phil Jackson (KO)
5.) Henry Awkinwande (DQ)
Among a few others. Looking at this, clearly to me, Lewis fought the greater opposition than what Holmes did---the difference was Holmes fought more often than Lewis, albiet over 2nd rate fighters.
Holmes greatest opponents were the following:
1.) Earnie Shavers 2-0-0 (once by KO)
2.) Muhammad Ali (TKO) Ali had early symptoms of Parkinson's
3.) Ken Norton (W15)---
4.) Gerry Cooney (TKO 13th)---"Great White Hope"
5.) Leon Spinks (KO) drug addict and multiple loser
The rest of them are a mixed bag of 2nd rate fighters and push-overs, such as the following:
1.) Tex Cobb
2.) Alfredo Evangelista
3.) Scott LeDoux
4.) Osvaldo Ocasio
5.) Lorenzo Zanon
6.) Marvis Frazier
7.) Scott Frank
8.) Leroy Jones
Then of course you have guys like Mike Weaver, Bonecrusher Smith, Witherspoon, Snipes, Berbick, Carl Williams. In short
guys who never captured the imagination of nobody, and never
really were that great.
Holmes never unified the titles, but even if he did it wouldn't have really made a difference---Coetzee, Page and the other WBA rejects were just as bad if not worse than half the chumps Holmes faced.
Then Holmes lost to blown up Micheal Spinks. And again in the rematch, though it was controversial. Then two years later, without a tune up fight or anything, the ego-driven Holmes believed he could beat Tyson...he got knocked out easy.
Then he returned in 1991 and started a comeback and managed to ace Holyfield, after 5 fights with nobodies and one solid upset victory over Ray Mercer, lost a decision to Holyfield.
Took a year off, and fought guys like Everett "Big Foot" Martin and Ken Lakusta, before he faced McCall and lost a decision for the WBC title.
Never again he tried for a major title, but kept fighting off and on til 2002, when he beat Eric "Butterbean" Esch via 10 round decision. Then called out Juan Carlos Gomez, a former Cruiserweight champion, the fight never happened.
*****************************************************
So you have Lewis, who fought greater opposition in his reign, and Holmes who fought better opposition AFTER he was champion. Holmes longetivity and skills carried over into the 90's---but there is no doubt in my mind, that if Lewis did manage to make a come-back, that he would beat any of the top ten fighters out there.
The 90's was almost like the 70's there were a helluva lot of great Heavyweights---and even nearing their forties or more, these guys are still high in the division. Now you have a weak division, where there is nobody considered a true champion. Holmes entirely missed the majority of the 70's when everyone was all in their primes---so his 70's was the 90's.
Holmes couldn't do nothing in the division in the 90's, like Foreman did. Lewis ruled the 90's up til 2004.
I'd say Lewis' power, size, jab, and pretty fast speed for a man 6'5" and 245 pounds, would make Holmes desperate. Holmes was big for his era and used his jab to dominate smaller, less skilled men. Both men are alike in alot of ways.
But Lewis has the edge, as he beat better opposition, maybe not as often as Holmes did---but Lewis beat almost every man he faced CONVINCINGLY, unlike Holmes who had controversial wins over Witherspoon and faced men who really had no reason to be in there with Holmes (Frank/Marvis as example).
I'd say Lewis would beat Holmes inside of 8-10 rounds. Primes or not.
1.) Tommy Morrison (KO)
2.) Micheal Grant (KO)
3.) Francois Botha (KO)
4.) Phil Jackson (KO)
5.) Henry Awkinwande (DQ)
Among a few others. Looking at this, clearly to me, Lewis fought the greater opposition than what Holmes did---the difference was Holmes fought more often than Lewis, albiet over 2nd rate fighters.
Holmes greatest opponents were the following:
1.) Earnie Shavers 2-0-0 (once by KO)
2.) Muhammad Ali (TKO) Ali had early symptoms of Parkinson's
3.) Ken Norton (W15)---
4.) Gerry Cooney (TKO 13th)---"Great White Hope"
5.) Leon Spinks (KO) drug addict and multiple loser
The rest of them are a mixed bag of 2nd rate fighters and push-overs, such as the following:
1.) Tex Cobb
2.) Alfredo Evangelista
3.) Scott LeDoux
4.) Osvaldo Ocasio
5.) Lorenzo Zanon
6.) Marvis Frazier
7.) Scott Frank
8.) Leroy Jones
Then of course you have guys like Mike Weaver, Bonecrusher Smith, Witherspoon, Snipes, Berbick, Carl Williams. In short
guys who never captured the imagination of nobody, and never
really were that great.
Holmes never unified the titles, but even if he did it wouldn't have really made a difference---Coetzee, Page and the other WBA rejects were just as bad if not worse than half the chumps Holmes faced.
Then Holmes lost to blown up Micheal Spinks. And again in the rematch, though it was controversial. Then two years later, without a tune up fight or anything, the ego-driven Holmes believed he could beat Tyson...he got knocked out easy.
Then he returned in 1991 and started a comeback and managed to ace Holyfield, after 5 fights with nobodies and one solid upset victory over Ray Mercer, lost a decision to Holyfield.
Took a year off, and fought guys like Everett "Big Foot" Martin and Ken Lakusta, before he faced McCall and lost a decision for the WBC title.
Never again he tried for a major title, but kept fighting off and on til 2002, when he beat Eric "Butterbean" Esch via 10 round decision. Then called out Juan Carlos Gomez, a former Cruiserweight champion, the fight never happened.
*****************************************************
So you have Lewis, who fought greater opposition in his reign, and Holmes who fought better opposition AFTER he was champion. Holmes longetivity and skills carried over into the 90's---but there is no doubt in my mind, that if Lewis did manage to make a come-back, that he would beat any of the top ten fighters out there.
The 90's was almost like the 70's there were a helluva lot of great Heavyweights---and even nearing their forties or more, these guys are still high in the division. Now you have a weak division, where there is nobody considered a true champion. Holmes entirely missed the majority of the 70's when everyone was all in their primes---so his 70's was the 90's.
Holmes couldn't do nothing in the division in the 90's, like Foreman did. Lewis ruled the 90's up til 2004.
I'd say Lewis' power, size, jab, and pretty fast speed for a man 6'5" and 245 pounds, would make Holmes desperate. Holmes was big for his era and used his jab to dominate smaller, less skilled men. Both men are alike in alot of ways.
But Lewis has the edge, as he beat better opposition, maybe not as often as Holmes did---but Lewis beat almost every man he faced CONVINCINGLY, unlike Holmes who had controversial wins over Witherspoon and faced men who really had no reason to be in there with Holmes (Frank/Marvis as example).
I'd say Lewis would beat Holmes inside of 8-10 rounds. Primes or not.
