Originally posted by Dshearn:Originally posted by BobS:
Hell, I don't think I could even include Mike Tyson in an all time heavyweight top ten.
The guy had a 4 year run beating up on stiffs, then when a few decent heavyweights
appeared he got trashed. Please, one of the 44% that picked Tyson, name me someone decent he beat. He did beat Larry Holmes but I believe Holmes was 55 years old at the time.
hey bob....
larry holmes is only 58 or 59 years old..... he was in his mid 30s when tyson beat the tar out of him.....
for the record..... For me , Larry holmes was the greatest heavy weight ever....
He also fought in an era that did not have great heavy weights
But i have no doubt that if he was in the mix with Foreman Ali ect that he would have done Fine.
Best Jab boxing has ever seen.
What made Holmes so awsome was never really was an off balanced striker....
You never really seen him LOAD up to take some one out , He was so fluid , never really telegraphed his blows...he just Punched people really really hard.
That is why his jab was so deadly , he just Flicked it out there and could knock people out with a glaceing blow. He was not a fighter that Coiled up and unloaded....he just punched....
forward or backwards....attacker or counter puncher....didnt matter he would knock people out with that jab.
Holmes was 38 when he got killed by Tyson, out of shape and coming off a 2 year retirement, I was just trying to be funny when I said he was 55. I liked the guy,
met him in Vegas before his fight with Spinks where he was robbed. I was pulling for him to tie Marciano's record, too bad he got screwed by the judges. I don't think he got the credit he deserved. He beat Ernie Shavers and Ken Norton, 2 fighters who were pretty solid, better than anyone Tyson beat. I think following Ali
was a tough act to follow. He won his first 48 fights, He definitely is a top 10 all time heavyweight on any knowledgeable fight fans list. He was in a no win situation
when he faced an over the hill Ali, and he beat up the great white hope Gerry Cooney. I don't think any heavyweight champion was as disrespected as Larry Holmes, he held the title for almost 8 years, never did anything that would make him a bad citizen, but still got no love. Then you get some loser like Tyson that rapes women, beats up old men after he rear ends their car, bites people's
ears off, and he gets unconditional admiration. Makes no sense to me.