Ali vs Holmes: Was it as bad as they say?

[No-Mas]

It's a great fight....

Ali/Holmes was a fantastic fight.

I never was an Ali fan so to me Ali/Holmes was a great one. It's kind of like watching game six of the 1986 World Series -- you know Mookie's slow grounder to Buckner. I watch that one over and over and Ali/Holmes is just like that one. No greater joy.

Look, Ali fan or not, you can't be afraid to watch it. It's one of Ali's fights, it's on his record, watch the fight. I saw my favorite, Duran, actually quit in the ring! That's a hell of a lot worse than Ali/Holmes, but I watch Duran/Leonard II a lot...but then I put on Duran/Barkley, or Duran/Moore.

Boxing is the best -- all the best fighters have great highs and great lows. That's why we love 'em. You have to watch Ali/Holmes and then all other Ali fights become even more magical.

[Derranged_]

No-Mas, you've probaly never seen the fight otherwise you wouldn't be calling it a great fight. Who would want to see the greatest sports hero of the 20th century getting hurt in the ring? And to compare Duran's losing fight with Leonard to Ali's fight with holmes is ludricrous because Duran gave up, Ali did not.

[No-Mas]

BostonGuy, I said I was not an Ali fan, therefore Ali/Holmes to me is a great fight. I am not a Boston Red Sox fan, therefore game six of the 1986 World Series is a great game to me. I am not a Zab Judah fan, therefore Judah doing the wild KO dance after Tszyu dropped him is a great fight for me. That's not too hard to follow, is it?

Ali the greatest sports legend of the 20th century? Quit snorting clam chowder, BostonGuy. Ask Ali who he thinks is a legend. He'll tell you someone named Sugar Ray Robinson. Christ, Ali immitated everything Robinson did in the ring --right down to wearing the exact trunks!

Odd how the "greatest sports legend of the 20th century" couldn't even win the fight of the century. Better do some rethinking there, BostonGuy. Greatest sports legend of the twentieth century? Anyone who has ever seen a Ray Robinson fight is laughing hysterically at you right now, BostonGuy.

And don't ever say a bad word about Duran. That guy is in his mid-fifties and he could slaughter you, me, and everybody on the internet in about twenty minutes time. That guy was and still is the most ferocious fighter that ever lived.

[M26]

BostonGuy, I said I was not an Ali fan, therefore Ali/Holmes to me is a great fight. I am not a Boston Red Sox fan, therefore game six of the 1986 World Series is a great game to me. I am not a Zab Judah fan, therefore Judah doing the wild KO dance after Tszyu dropped him is a great fight for me. That's not too hard to follow, is it?

Ali the greatest sports legend of the 20th century? Quit snorting clam chowder, BostonGuy. Ask Ali who he thinks is a legend. He'll tell you someone named Sugar Ray Robinson. Christ, Ali immitated everything Robinson did in the ring --right down to wearing the exact trunks!

Odd how the "greatest sports legend of the 20th century" couldn't even win the fight of the century. Better do some rethinking there, BostonGuy. Greatest sports legend of the twentieth century? Anyone who has ever seen a Ray Robinson fight is laughing hysterically at you right now, BostonGuy.

And don't ever say a bad word about Duran. That guy is in his mid-fifties and he could slaughter you, me, and everybody on the internet in about twenty minutes time. That guy was and still is the most ferocious fighter that ever lived.

Ali was VOTED the greatest sport legend of the 20th century.... I think this is BostonGuys point as well.

And Ali vs Holmes is by no means a great fight! No matter if you are a fan of Ali or not. This is a one-dimensional beating of an ageing 38-year-old with parkinsons syndrome (it was later found that he already at this stage was starting to show signs of this). An ageing 38-year-old who once upon a time was one of the greatest fighters of all time, taking a terrible beating. It is just sad!

Marciano vs Walcott is a great fight. Ali vs Frazier is a great fight. Dempsey vs Tunney is a great fight. Ali vs Holmes is a sad fight!

[Derranged_]

I forgot to ask you guys who saw the fight, did Holmes hold back during the fight not wanting to hurt Ali? And did Ali hit Holmes with any substantial punches?combos?

[M26]

I forgot to ask you guys who saw the fight, did Holmes hold back during the fight not wanting to hurt Ali? And did Ali hit Holmes with any substantial punches?combos?

Yes, Holmes did hold back for a good part of the fight. It looked like he could have ended it at any time. Ali just stood there, covering up. I can´t remember him hitting Holmes with any substantial combos.

[marvdave]

That was the saddest thing I've ever witnessed in sports. Ali was embarrassing in that fight. Not only in the ring, but the prefight hype was very sad. He couldn't hardly talk anymore. It was the first time in his career that he couldn't command the room. Press conferences were a sad place as well. Larry Holmes started fast, but quickly took it easy on Ali, becuase it was obvious nothing could help Ali. Holmes actually kept asking the ref to stop it. Finally Angie Dundee showed some passion and stopped between rounds. I have the fight on tape, but have only watched it twice. Live and one replay. By the way, I am a huge Holmes fan and I still can't watch.

very sad

[abdiel2k3]

I consider myself a big Ali fan and I've seen many of his early to mid career fights. But I have not seen the bout between him and Larry Holmes. From what I have heard and read the bout was a total mismatch and Ali took alot of unneccesary punishment before his corner halted the fight. Have any of you guys seen this fight? Is it as bad as everyone says? As a fan of Muhammad Ali's should I watch it or forget about it?

ya it is as bad as they say
should u watch it?
id say u shouldnt but its good too watch still
to see the tragedy that some boxers become
how they just can let go or pass up a chance at glory
but its def a borderline tear jerker

[fistlegend]

no-mas, ali better'ed sugar ray robinsons style... ali was an amazing boxer, i dont know what you have against him, but he was an amazing spectacle in the ring, a tremendous fighter, he had heart

[butterfly1964]

the ali-holmes fight was a mismatch, but before the fight ali took some drug that messed with the part of his brain that controlled his reflexes for most of the fight. it didn't even look like he was trying to do anything. had he not have taken the drug, it would not have been as lopsided as it was. although holmes still would have won no doubt, because he is the closest heavyweight to ali the world has ever seen. it was almost like an old ali fighting a young one! the old won didn't stand a chance.

yes it was sad. i saw it, and i almost cried too. however, larry took some tripe long after that fight about how he was a monster or something. he is still maligned to this very day for that night! he should have not have taken such a verbal thrashing. he did his job. nobody told ali to get in the ring again. it is his own fault. i read the book Facing Ali and he said that in the 70s, when he was ali's sparring partner that in the camps ali was an overwelming womanizer! he said and i quote, "he would **** a snake if you held it down for him." he said ali was not always the great person he is made out to be. i think the man deserves credit for whupping the best boxer ever. holmes is the second most underrated boxer of all time (under joe frazier). he needs the praise about ten times as much as someone like tyson.