Would Tyson have defeated a prime Larry Holmes?

[Atreyu Khalil]

Tyson said after his fight with Holmes that he wouldnt have beat holmes if Holmes was in his prime. Do You Agree?

[CubanGuyNYC]

Tyson said after his fight with Holmes that he wouldnt have beat holmes if Holmes was in his prime. Do You Agree?

I don't think this was false modesty on Tyson's part. On his best day, Mike was capable of beating any boxer that ever lived. But the underrated Holmes might've beaten Tyson a hypothetical 7 or 8 out of 10 times. Larry was a great boxer with an ATG jab and an iron chin. And lets not forget his will to win. In the end, I think this would've been the biggest factor working against "Iron Mike". Tyson would've withered in the championship rounds versus Holmes.

[New England]

holmes is a bad style for tyson. tall enough. huge reach. nice footwork. speed for a very big man. sturdy enough chin and the ability to recover / weather a storm. he could also put a whooping on you if you let him tee off. he had nice snap on his punches. nice uppercut. nice straight right hand from the right distance. if holmes was prime and still had his legs he'd be a very tough style for mike over 12 - 15 rounds.

he's the fighter buster douglas wished he was.

now, that being said, a lesser fighter than tyson,but a power puncher on his level, in earnie shavers dropped holmes and almost had him out. along those lines you can say that tyson could certainly do the same.

and a lesser fighter and puncher than both in reynaldo snipes dropped holmes.

both were right hands if memory serves right. tyson was a decent right handed puncher
AKA one of the hardest punchers ever. there's a chance that he'd finish what lesser men were able to start.

i'd favor holmes down the stretch in a very fun fight. mike could box and survive late, but he was only a truly dynamic offensive force for a few rounds. he also peaked crazy early. his prime was no later than his early 20s

[Atreyu Khalil]

I don't think this was false modesty on Tyson's part. On his best day, Mike was capable of beating any boxer that ever lived. But the underrated Holmes might've beaten Tyson a hypothetical 7 or 8 out of 10 times. Larry was a great boxer with an ATG jab and an iron chin. And lets not forget his will to win. In the end, I think this would've been the biggest factor working against "Iron Mike". Tyson would've withered in the championship rounds versus Holmes.

I agree

[JAB5239]

I don't think this was false modesty on Tyson's part. On his best day, Mike was capable of beating any boxer that ever lived. But the underrated Holmes might've beaten Tyson a hypothetical 7 or 8 out of 10 times. Larry was a great boxer with an ATG jab and an iron chin. And lets not forget his will to win. In the end, I think this would've been the biggest factor working against "Iron Mike". Tyson would've withered in the championship rounds versus Holmes.

Well said.

[zab191]

Tyson would destroy Holmes limb by limb.

[#1Assassin]

holmes had everything to weather the storm early, footwork, skills, intelligence, chin and heart. once he got past the initial barrage from tyson he could outbox him perhaps not easily but he wouldnt really struggle either. he would pick tyson apart and knock him out late.

[raskat]

I think HOlmes in his prime would beat Tyson. in the fight u see how an older version of holmes makes Tyson look silly in a few moments of the fight with his jab and movement. I think a prime Holmes would be a bad style matchup for Tyson. but we will never find out, so who knows.

[Atreyu Khalil]

Tyson would destroy Holmes limb by limb.

A prime Holmes? A post retired Holmes had Tyson frustrated and Tyson himself said he wouldn't beat a prime holmes

[DefThatGuy]

I think if they did fight in their respective primes there is no doubt that Tyson would have bitten Holmes in frustration in the 9th or 10th round. Im being dead serious too.