Top 10 Heavies from best to worst

[Burning Desire]

It's really difficult to predict and both on their day were capable of beating every other heavyweight in history. I think it depends on which Lewis were talking about, a young quick Lewis like the one who fought Ruddock, I think get's beat by decision or late stoppage and a bigger older and much better technically Lewis beats Holmes again either by decision or late stoppage.

I think Lewis was too slow for someone like Holmes, Lewis was good but he did struggle badly against fighters with average jabs and was caught alot by lesser fighters i think Lewis would get badly outjabbed by Holmes piston left jab and Holmes would win decision Holmes in late 70s and early 80s had good footwork when he used it.

[-CANE-]

I think Lewis was too slow for someone like Holmes, Lewis was good but he did struggle badly against fighters with average jabs and was caught alot by lesser fighters i think Lewis would get badly outjabbed by Holmes piston left jab and Holmes would win decision Holmes in late 70s and early 80s had good footwork when he used it.

I see what your saying but I can only remember Lewis struggling against Bruno's jab when he was a clumsy fighter and Steward hadn't got hold of him.

I actually think that Holmes struggled against fighter that could jab far more than Lewis ever did. But that's only my opinion.

[Burning Desire]

I see what your saying but I can only remember Lewis struggling against Bruno's jab when he was a clumsy fighter and Steward hadn't got hold of him.

I actually think that Holmes struggled against fighter that could jab far more than Lewis ever did. But that's only my opinion.

Remember that Mercer fight aswell he gave Lewis trouble with his jab and as for Holmes struggling with jabs yes he did im Holmes fan but i won't argue with that but the fight with Witherspoon i felt it was more to do with the crab style defense that Witherspoon had that gave Holmes trouble he would block Holmes jab with his right glove and counter with a left jab Witherspoon reminded me of a young Ken Norton in that fight.

Larry Holmes vs Carl Williams was another fight Holmes struggled with jabs but you got to take into account Holmes was way past his best at that time plus Williams had very good movement in that fight and thats the kind of problem that Lewis wouldn't give Holmes because Lewis hasn't got good movement like Williams.

[-CANE-]

Remember that Mercer fight aswell he gave Lewis trouble with his jab and as for Holmes struggling with jabs yes he did im Holmes fan but i won't argue with that but the fight with Witherspoon i felt it was more to do with the crab style defense that Witherspoon had that gave Holmes trouble he would block Holmes jab with his right glove and counter with a left jab Witherspoon reminded me of a young Ken Norton in that fight.

Larry Holmes vs Carl Williams was another fight Holmes struggled with jabs but you got to take into account Holmes was way past his best at that time plus Williams had very good movement in that fight and thats the kind of problem that Lewis wouldn't give Holmes because Lewis hasn't got good movement like Williams.

You're right about Holmes and he is probably my favourite heavyweight too and also the most underated IMO.

But I disagree with you about the Mercer fight, I don't think Lewis struggled with his jab at all. I think the fight was very close but it was also one of Lewis's most polished performances he showed he could do everything in that fight, and a lot of the fight was fought at close quarters with a lot of infighting and good combos from both fighters, Lewis also stood his ground and traded with a very good Mercer who had a granite jaw and could punch hard as well and Lewis proved he could take a punch in this fight along with many other fights.

[StarshipTrooper]

How come Larry didn't back it up against Pinklon Thomas and Greg Page, two fighters he obviously ducked?

Obviously ducked? What's obvious about it? Page lost major fights at the time and there wasn't any pressing issue to fight him. Thomas was just another talented up and comer who hadn't yet proven himself. The fact that Holmes fought Witherspoon when he didn't have to when eveyone knew how dangerous Tim was speaks volumes. Do you have some kind of beef against Larry or something?

Poet

[-CANE-]

Obviously ducked? What's obvious about it? Page lost major fights at the time and there wasn't any pressing issue to fight him. Thomas was just another talented up and comer who hadn't yet proven himself. The fact that Holmes fought Witherspoon when he didn't have to when eveyone knew how dangerous Tim was speaks volumes. Do you have some kind of beef against Larry or something?

Poet

He must have a beef against him poet. I don't think Holmes ducked anyone he fought many up and comers that were all undefeated. As I said earlier along with Hawkins there were probably a few contributing factors that came into play as to why the fight never came off and you can bet Don King had a big part in it as well.

[LondonRingRules]

He must have a beef against him poet. I don't think Holmes ducked anyone he fought many up and comers that were all undefeated.

** He presented a limited set of facts.

Why can't you address what he presented without making a subjective "beef" out of it?

Keep in mind that Larry gave up his WBC title to become the first IBF champ against Smith, Bey, and Williams. Holmes never held the WBA title the entire 7yrs. That's 9 yrs total of prime, big, strong heavies scrapping and knocking each other off for these titles.

This has been covered many times before. Larry the same age as Foreman without his resume against prime HOFers for example. Tyson had to do the cleanup after Larry's "reign."

[Jim Jeffries]

He must have a beef against him poet. I don't think Holmes ducked anyone he fought many up and comers that were all undefeated. As I said earlier along with Hawkins there were probably a few contributing factors that came into play as to why the fight never came off and you can bet Don King had a big part in it as well.

Yeah I count 8 undefeated guys that he successfully defended his title against, including Carl "The Truth" Williams, Gerry Cooney, "Terrible Tim" Witherspoon and first rd KO of Marvis Frazier (who would go on to beat Smith and Tillis). Plus once beaten and and Trevor Berbick and winning his second title against once beaten James "Bonecrusher" Smith.

[-CANE-]

Yeah I count 8 undefeated guys that he successfully defended his title against, including Carl "The Truth" Williams, Gerry Cooney, "Terrible Tim" Witherspoon and first rd KO of Marvis Frazier (who would go on to beat Smith and Tillis). Plus once beaten and and Trevor Berbick and winning his second title against once beaten James "Bonecrusher" Smith.

Exactly, he had contractual agreements and couldn't possibly fight everyone.
It wasn't as if he avoided Thomas to fight journeyman fighters with lots of defeats on their records.

Even at the end of his career when he knew he was far from his best he still had the confidence to step into the ring with an unbeaten Spinks and then a few years later against a very much feared Tyson, although money did play a big part a man of Larry's pride and confidence still thought he could win the fight. I don't think he ducked anyone and Thomas although not a journeyman was just not in Holmes's class.

[StarshipTrooper]

The thing is, I've noticed, is a lot of Tyson defenders point to Homes to justify Tyson's level of competition. So who were the weak sisters?

1. Earnie Shavers (beaten twice by Holmes) - Would have beaten any Tyson
Would have beaten every single Tyson opponent up till the Ruddock fights.

2. Gerry Cooney (beaten by Holmes) - Same as Shavers.

3. Mike Weaver (beaten by Holmes) - Better than every prime Tyson
opponent other than Ruddock and Tucker.

4. Ken Norton (beaten by Holmes) - Even at that stage of his career would
probably have beaten most of Tyson's opponents with the exceptions of
Tucker, Rudduck, Bruno, and Thomas.

5. David Bey (beaten by Holmes) - Decent fighter who would probably have
beaten all but the same as Norton.

6. Tim Witherspoon (beaten by Holmes) - A man I believe WOULD have
Tyson had they fought.

So I really don't see what the gripe about Larry's record is. It stacks up against just about everyone's except Ali's, who has the most star studded record there is for a Heavyweight.

Poet