Joe Frazier vs Evander Holyfield

[JAB5239]

Styles make fights. Holyfield had trouble with Qawi due to inexperience and the fact that professor Qawi schooled him on the finer points of the game. Holyfield "won" that fight purely by out working the aging Qawi. Frazier on the other hand isn't going to be giving Evander any boxing lessons. It's just a straight up slug fest. And I'll take Holyfield in one of those against anyone smaller than him.

But Frazier wouldn't have been smaller than Evander unless you want to count an insignificant height advantage, and had a better work rate than Holy at heavyweight. I won't argue that Holy could win, but a straight up slugfest would favor Frazier in my opinion.

[Obama]

But Frazier wouldn't have been smaller than Evander unless you want to count an insignificant height advantage, and had a better work rate than Holy at heavyweight. I won't argue that Holy could win, but a straight up slugfest would favor Frazier in my opinion.

The height advantage isn't insignificant, the difference in work rate is. Holyfield took a better punch than Frazier. Much like Ali did. Holyfield also hit harder than Ali. I reckon Holyfield gets a late stoppage.

[JAB5239]

The height advantage isn't insignificant, the difference in work rate is. Holyfield took a better punch than Frazier. Much like Ali did. Holyfield also hit harder than Ali. I reckon Holyfield gets a late stoppage.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this matter because Joe had the much better prime work rate at heavy. And as good as Evander was he never showed the type of power to rearrange Frazier's circuits and never had the type of accuracy of Ali. As I said, I won't argue Holy can't win, I just wouldn't favor him. Put any heavyweight version of Evander against the 71' Frazier and I'll pick Joe/ Only my opinion though.

[Swag Hustla]

We'll have to agree to disagree on this matter because Joe had the much better prime work rate at heavy. And as good as Evander was he never showed the type of power to rearrange Frazier's circuits and never had the type of accuracy of Ali. As I said, I won't argue Holy can't win, I just wouldn't favor him. Put any heavyweight version of Evander against the 71' Frazier and I'll pick Joe/ Only my opinion though.

I agree with that statement. Holyfield had decent power, but he was more of the type to break down fighters through accumulation. Most of his knockouts came from outlasting his opponents, while simultaneously beating them down.

Basically had the style of testing your will.

I still give Holyfield the edge as long as he mixes counter-punching as well as picking when to exchange. If it's an all out slugfest, Holyfield would be giving away a decision to Frazier, just my opinion.

[DET. IRONSIDE]

I think Holyfield would win by stoppage. The ref would have to stop the amount of pounding that Frazier got.

Holyfield's chin>>>Frazier's as is proven.

[joseph5620]

Not only was he taller and stronger, he was more aggressive, hit harder and had better stamina.

Absolutely, Jab.

[HaglerSteelChin]

Maybe i am a bit bias as i am a big holyfield fan and have all his professional fights and some of his amateur and olympic fights. On the other hand, i have seen only about a dozen Frazier fights. The guys who gave Holyfield the most trouble were guys who were bigger that can box. Holyfield beat Holmes, but a prime Holmes might have been able to nick a decision on Holyfield with his jab and sturdy chin. Frazier's style and dimensions are not like Bowe or Lewis.

Frazier was hell of a warrior in his prime, but i figure that style usually burns a fighter out due to the punisment they take. I think the prime Frazier who fought Quarry in their first fight could go the distance with Holyfield, and a good portion would be fought in the inside. Holyfield was too solid and durable to get knocked out, and i figure he would probably have some trouble with Frazier's head movement and angles, but eventually Holyfield would figure him out and improve his timing and land on Frazier. I fancy EVH by an exciting and entertaining decision win.

[HaglerSteelChin]

He was but you missed the point. Holyfield was also on the decline by then. If anything Tyson was less used up since he got to sit out and rest for those years. Few guys have looked as good as Holyfield did in the first Tyson fight at that age and after that much mileage.

Many even thought Holyfield was nuts for fighting Tyson. People forget Tyson was the heavy favorite like 8-1 odds, and also Holy had the heart condition that many felt was the reason that he pretty much collasped in Bowe-3 that got him stopped. I remember George Foreman a good friend of Holy thought Holyfield might even die and was begging his corner to stop the fight.

Mike Tyson always seem to fear Holyfield a bit. If you look at the history he was going to fight Holyfield after the Douglas fight, than he got a TKO from Tokyo while Holyfield was actually In Japan in ringside. Than he is going to fight Holyfield in 1991 after Ruddock 2, than he gets arrested for **** in Indiana.
Gee, talk about luck? Holy could handle Tyson's power in anypoint of his career. In fact, look at some of the wicked shots that Tyson landed in their first fight, couldn't do a dent on Holyfield.

Recently, Tyson was on Oprah with Holyfield, he talked about how much he admired Holyfield, and knew when "Holyfield slayed the dragon Rickey Womack that he was a warrior of the highest level." Even in post fight interviews with Jim Lampley when asked about Holyfield- Tyson would seem to stutter or say excuse me, i think Holyfield got into Tyson's head long before he took a bite on his ear.

[them_apples]

But Frazier wouldn't have been smaller than Evander unless you want to count an insignificant height advantage, and had a better work rate than Holy at heavyweight. I won't argue that Holy could win, but a straight up slugfest would favor Frazier in my opinion.

Holyfield was huge for 210 lbs though. mostly because he had a broad back and most of the muscle was up top.

He'd certainly look bigger than Frazier, just like he looks a lot bigger than 230 lbs Tua in that sparring video.

They weighed similar in their primes though, Holyfield being a shade Heavier. Doesn't matter though, Frazier fought plenty of people bigger than him.