Just finished a Larry Holmes marathon watch. Amazing fights. Does anyone jab better than Holmes? My favourite fight so far is the second Shavers fight. Man was Larry rocked, he showed tremendous heart. Had it been in an other era, and not immediately after the Ali era, Holmes would rank up there as top 3 HW of all time. What I Love about his fights the most is that he was so skilled, yet would slug it out - especially when he was hurt.
I think he is rated about right, all-time top 5 HW or there about.
Just speculation on my part as he hasn't the resume to back it but for me he may well have been the best HW ever.
- -Here's the guy who knocked down Tubby Lar in his last moment of last fight and would've arrested him and tossed him in the clink had he been sworn in back in the day. The perfect bookend to the start of his misbegotten Olympic career when he got KOed by Duane Bobick...
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Back then, I honestly expected him to lose every fight. Norton, Shavers and the others from that era were amazing. But Holmes proved us all wrong.
I remember watching him fight Shavers. I couldnt have been more than 8 years old. I knew who Holmes was but I didnt know who Shavers was. My grandpa or dad kept talking about him up so i was into it. That right hand he hit Holmes with is still like an "Oh Wow !!" moment for me. I go back and look at it from time to time, its still unbelievable he got up from it.
How is he underrated, he is clearly one of top hw-e ever.
I think he means universally he is underrated not by people who know boxing. He doesnt get mentioned much among the greats and he clearly was.
absolutely one of the best......fought all the best of the time......came close to beating Marciano's title fight streak, which he should have as he beat Spinks in the first fight.