what if: Frazier vs. Holyfield ?

[boxingsmash69]

who takes the cake?

[Scott9945]

For sure this would be a classic match. I think Holyfield at his best has the skills needed to fight off Joe and the guts to go deep into the fight. I wouldn't argue with anyones choice here, but I'd pick Holy in a close hard fought decision.

[Thread Stealer]

I think Frazier's relentless body attack would be the difference maker in a great fight.

[Brockton Lip]

12 rounds I'll go with Frazier by decision. 15 round fight I'll go with Frazier by stoppage.

[TheGreatA]

Holyfield had big trouble with Bert Cooper (Frazier trained) and Ray Mercer. He did well against Tyson though.
Dwight Qawi was quite similar to Frazier as well but he was much smaller.

Frazier's body punching could be the difference, Holyfield's uppercuts, counter punching and combination punching would be hurtful as well.

Both like to go in with their heads so there would be lots of headbutting in this fight.


Frazier


Holyfield

[TheGreatA]

Frazier in his prime:


Frazier vs Zyglewicz 1969 NYSAC heavyweight title fight


Frazier vs Quarry I 1969 NYSAC heavyweight title fight


Frazier vs Ellis 1970 WBA & WBC heavyweight title unification


Frazier vs Ali 1971 Undisputed, linear heavyweight world title fight

[Brassangel]

Holyfield did well enough against a Tyson who stopped caring about boxing after beating Spinks (and firing the crew that built him), had 4 1/2 years off, followed by a whopping 9 rounds of action against tomato cans. Meanwhile, Evander spent the prime of his career tuning up against the division's best. Even so, Mike had him in trouble in both fights, which were immediately chased by colossal headbutts; one that bothered Tyson through the remainder of the first fight, the second which lit a fuse and forced Mike to have a snack. In their prime(s), under ideal training and phsychological circumstances, Tyson saws him in half.

Anyway, Frazier would suffer a lot of early punishment, as he was often a slow starter. If Holyfield couldn't put him out in the early rounds, he would begin to tire, but Joe would begin to accelerate. The big difference maker here would be Evander's ability to muscle Joe around the ring. At his best, Holyfield weighed just as much, and was almost as tall as Foreman was when he met Frazier. He was also a more accurate puncher with quicker hands.

I actually have a thread lost somewhere on the Boxing History forums where we wrote up a dream scenario between these two. That one ended in round 11 with a nasty cut over Holyfield's right eye. The ref waved it off because the corner couldn't contain it, and Joe essentially had free passage to slam left hooks in there. Holyfield was up on the cards before that point, however, but I tried to cater the story to popular demend (via PM's before the story).

[ferocity]

This would be a great amazing fight. None stop warrirors with hearts of steel. Holyfield isn't a big puncher. Frazier would be all over him and be able to match Holyfields combination spurts. Holyfield is great but Frazier is just a bit better.

[The Hammer]

Joe Frazier would win a decision or a late TKO.

[res]

I have to give the edge to Frazier on the basis of body punches and Holyfeild's instinctual willingness to trade inside. Holyfeild would probably not be either moving forward or staying still in this fight so Frazier is going to have to come at him, and into some punshment before he is deep inside and can trade. Once inside he does more damage, and since Holyfeild does not have the same extreme stick and move skill as Ali, Frazier is probably going to be able to stalk him down often enough to hurt him badly and snatch the decision.