Larry Holmes Place in Boxing History

[Ali_is_the_greatest17]

The only reason why he became so good was because he was Ali's sparring partner..he even said after he beat Ali that he learned a whole lot from Ali and he made me a great fighter...he showed me what a real champion is.

[BadMagick]

The only reason why he became so good was because he was Ali's sparring partner..he even said after he beat Ali that he learned a whole lot from Ali and he made me a great fighter...he showed me what a real champion is.

That's not the only reason. He had a great jab, to begin with. Sure, working with Ali helped him a lot, but it most definitely was not the only reason he was great.

[Shaolin Bushido]

The only reason why he became so good was because he was Ali's sparring partner..he even said after he beat Ali that he learned a whole lot from Ali and he made me a great fighter...he showed me what a real champion is.

That's called respect ... Ali didn't teach him ****. Sparring didn't teach him **** either due to Ali's unorthodoxy. He was just given Ali his just due as an all timer.

[butterfly1964]

That's called respect ... Ali didn't teach him ****. Sparring didn't teach him **** either due to Ali's unorthodoxy. He was just given Ali his just due as an all timer.

holmes is the closest thing to ali for one one reason, ALI DID TEACH HIM ****. THEY HAVE THE EXACT SAME STYLE YOU MORON. how could holmes (almost) look like ali and ali didn't teach him anything. that doesn't make sense. larry holmes owes his career to muhammad ali. i know it, holmes knows it, ali definitely knows it, and you know it, or you should; and if you don't then you should leave this forum and go join another forum on another sport, because you know crap about boxing and boxing history.

[Dynamite76]

Larry Holmes was and is, a top-tenner all-time.Only near the end of his reign, did he lose his way.

[KidBlackie]

[[[I am curious what people think about Holmes and his boxing legacy. Holmes is one of my favorite fighters not only because of his brilliant left jab, but because he seem to have fought in relative obscurity for years, while defending his title a record 20 times.]]]
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Holmes was more than obscure, but his 20 title defenses ain't a record, Ali and Louis had more. Holmes was good, but he really didn't step up to the plate against the best and fought incredibly obscure fighters. Maybe if he'd given a rematch to Norton or Witherspoon, we could forgive him not facing Foreman, Thomas, Page, Tubbs, Coetzee, or Tate.

And, NO, Holmes could never beat Tyson at their bests. Fighters, even Tyson back then, usely give praise to their opponents. Holmes struggled against modest comp sometimes and was given good fights by his better comp. Tyson was an all time great who may have been the best peak fighter who ever lived.

[butterfly1964]

[[[I am curious what people think about Holmes and his boxing legacy. Holmes is one of my favorite fighters not only because of his brilliant left jab, but because he seem to have fought in relative obscurity for years, while defending his title a record 20 times.]]]
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Holmes was more than obscure, but his 20 title defenses ain't a record, Ali and Louis had more. Holmes was good, but he really didn't step up to the plate against the best and fought incredibly obscure fighters. Maybe if he'd given a rematch to Norton or Witherspoon, we could forgive him not facing Foreman, Thomas, Page, Tubbs, Coetzee, or Tate.

And, NO, Holmes could never beat Tyson at their bests. Fighters, even Tyson back then, usely give praise to their opponents. Holmes struggled against modest comp sometimes and was given good fights by his better comp. Tyson was an all time great who may have been the best peak fighter who ever lived.

holmes in his prime could have beaten anyone except ali, and maybe frazier. holmes is a water-down version of ali, and even that is still awesome. that beats tyson to a pulp!

[KidBlackie]

[[[holmes in his prime could have beaten anyone except ali, and maybe frazier. holmes is a water-down version of ali, and even that is still awesome. that beats tyson to a pulp!]]]
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Kid, you really don't know much. Holmes in most of his physical prime was a novice fighter and sparring partner. An older fading Ken Norton gave him all the 29 yr old Holmes could handle. Note he never gave Norton a rematch either. Young inexperienced Spoon gave Holmes all he could handle, and same story as Norton. Journeyman Snipes had him out on his feet but was not a finisher. A rusty, inexperienced Cooney gave him all he could handle. If Holmes was as good as you claim, he would have faced the best or given at least one of the men above a rematch. He didn't. He was a King made creation although his win ugly style was his own style. End of story except that obviously YOU and he have an inferiority complex over his fine career. It is what it is and you and all of King's men can't make it any greater.

[butterfly1964]

so tell me how would tyson beat a prime holmes?

[THE REAL NINJA]

I am curious what people think about Holmes and his boxing legacy. Holmes is one of my favorite fighters not only because of his brilliant left jab, but because he seem to have fought in relative obscurity for years, while defending his title a record 20 times. Still, age caught up with Holmes, which was evident when he fought Tyson, but in his prime he would've beat Mike. Ironically, Mike himself admitted that after the fight. The last and most important reason why I think Holmes deserves recognition is how he handled his assets after boxing. He is one of the few guys to retire and not live broke afterwards; a trend I wish more fighters adopted.

20 times is not a record.. joe louis what is it 24 i think