BoxRec

Ambling Alp and I have a different view on this, and I am wondering what other people think.

Holyfield's record is here: http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=000499

I don't know who thought what, but his prime was CLEARLY from the late 80s up until around the 2nd Bowe fight. After that, all you have to do is look at the film and see how Evander's work-rate fell a good deal, he stopped throwing a lot of combinations, didn't move around as much etc.

Many people believed he was at his best during the Tyson fights, b/c . . "oh My, he beat that monster Tyson, he has to be at the top of his game etc."

Tyson had such a image with the mainstream public, that whenever an opponent beat or even did ok vs Mike, they suddenly were seen as being much better than they were (Razor Ruddock, Frans Botha, just look at how big Danny Williams stock rose in between the Tyson and Klitschko fights fairly recently . . . . and then it went right back down again!)

I was guilty of it too. But now we have the benefit of retrospect and not getting caught up in the media hoopla . . .Holyfield fought a great fight in 1996 but he was definetely past his best, as was Mike.

Look at Evander vs Dokes, Foreman, Douglas, Bowe I . . . then Evander vs Mercer, Moorer II, Bean, Lewis etc.

Clear as crystal difference.

Yes, I agree with Dempsey. This is kind of like discussing Ali’s prime. Ali was probably closer to his physical prime during his first career, but had a lot more noteworthy wins during his second career.

I agree that Holyfield was not the same in his Tyson fights... he was good, but not quite what he was. If you watch a couple of Evander's fights in his prime and then watch Holyfield-Tyson right after you'll see the difference... great performance, but Holyfield had declined a bit. I would say that his prime came in his latter Cruiserweight defenses and lasted probably until his 1st or 2nd Bowe fight... more or less.

Sure, Holyfield was great at cruiser and he was also remarkable in his pre-title heavyweight days.

But once he won the title he seemed overmotivated and tense, made bad tactical mistakes (like slugging it out with old George Foreman), and most performance were disappointing. As if he couldn't deal with the pressure and expectatinos of being heavyweight champ. Bowe II in 1993 was his first really good fight since 1989, and he had to lose the title first to put in such a performance.

I for my part find it difficult to call this period "prime".

The 1996/97 Holyfield who rose like phoenix from the ashes may have been a bit slower, but he had the mindset of a true champ. Calm, composed, patient, mercilessly exploting his opponents' weaknesses. Mind and body have to come together in a fighter -- and on that basis I'd vote for the 1996 Holyfield.

Definately the earlie vintage was the best. Later on Holyfield look good for one fight then like sh*t for the next, to the point where people were worried for his health. But he would rebound from a Bowe III type performance to deliver a Tyson performance.

The younger Holyfield was at least consistent.

Flump wrote:Definately the earlie vintage was the best. Later on Holyfield look good for one fight then like sh*t for the next, to the point where people were worried for his health. But he would rebound from a Bowe III type performance to deliver a Tyson performance.

The younger Holyfield was at least consistent.

That's right. After the Bowe rematch, he was very up and down the rest of his career. I re-watched Evander-Mercer a few weeks back on ESPN2 ad was SHOCKED at how slow and old Holyfield seemed . . much more lethargic than during his first reign as champion . . .and this was in 1995.

The first Bowe fight in itself probably did a lot of damage, but add on the rematch, the wars with Stewart, Dokes, and notably 15 BRUTAL rounds with Qawi, and it's amazing he not only beat Tyson, but that he did as well as he did vs Lennox almost 5 years later at 37 years old. That's why I can't understand guys who think Lewis beats EVander at his best .. .Holyfield was literally at 50% and he still arguably got a close points win in their rematch.

Now he's around 20% what he once was, which doesn't say much for Fres Oquendo.

I would say from 1986 - 1990ish.

He was at his best from his late cruiserweight days up to & including the Douglas fight.