If Foreman and Holmes had got it on in '98, who would have won?

Question

The fight was set, they'd both trained, but the day before the fight, the promoter pulled the plug. Pity. It was the last great fight of the Golden Age of the Heavies (late 60's, early 70's), albeit three decades late.
I had Foreman. The tools at his disposal - size, strength, power - were still formidable weapons. Holmes' tools - speed, combination punching, footwork - were blunted with age.
Agree. Disagree.

Answer 1

It goes without saying that it would have been one helluva fight, but in this guys eyes I feel it would have been a TKO for Big George over Larry.
Why? Cos George would just absorb punishment like a sponge then kapow would let loose with his big haymakers knocking the lights out on Big Larry...

Then again who really knows as it never happened so is all conjecture....cheers

Answer 2

Foreman had that God given clubbing punching power. As Santana said he would eat some jabs early, but Big George would catch Holmes around rounds 10 or 11 and KO him. Holmes was crafty and savvy enough where he would have stayed in the fight for longer than 5, 6, or 7 rounds.

Answer 3

I agree with your assessment. The 1998 version of George
Foreman was a better boxer than the 1998 version of Larry
Holmes. Larry Holmes would have stood little to no chance
of beating Foreman back then. I would have loved to seen this bout in 1978 instead of 1998.

Answer 4

Brad good question sir! It's too bad they couldn't have met earlier in their careers than even this as it would have been a hell of an event and fight. I believe that Foreman's power would have been the difference in this fight. Holmes with that great jab would have kept Foreman off of him for several round but I believe George would have been able to withstand the punishment and land some of those clubbing punches on Holmes whos reflexes would not have been nearly as good as earlier in his career and Big George would have knocked him out in the 8th round.

Answer 5

Brad ~
In my opinion, even though well past his prime Holmes still had an outstanding jab, but his chin was suspect the older he got. Remember how foolish Tyson made him look? The older Holmes got the more pear shaped he became.
Foreman could always take a punch and remember the last thing to go on any fighter is their ability to crack. Foreman as proven had aged better than Holmes although really round he was still really good.
The fight: I think that "Big" George would eat some jabs early on, but George would eat anything "The Easton Assassin" would throw and it would take him less than 6 rounds to stop Larry. Foreman could always punch weather it were the first round or the last round, it never left him unlike Holmes legs.
Thanks Brad. Peace!

Answer 6

hey, in a rare display of harmony, i agree w/most of you! boxers lose their skills before punchers do, unfortunately, and that just comes w/age. speed, timing, reflexes wane before one's ability to really dole out the haymakers. that's one reason foreman would've won. historically, holmes never really had a strong chin...he had guts bec he would come off the canvas to win several times(snipes). as he had gotten older, and lost his signature defenses, he would have been more susceptible to foreman's range and power. as was pointed out above, foreman seemed to have gotten better w/age. the ten years off seemed to have saved him from a lot of ring damage and he got a lot smarter and more patient(moorer) as a fighter. w/the old mongoose(archie moore) in his corner, he was much more a complete fighter in his second incarnation, and he was a lot funnier, as well. for a time, he'd breathed some wit and humor into the heavyweight division, which really needed it. anyways, foreman started out w/a good jab i his prime and then the bombs just took over and became what he was most known for. it was great to see the jab return in the older, more mature foreman. he would've been able to withstand anything holmes would've been able to dole out in 98. things might have been different had they met earlier but, i dunno, i still give big george the edge had he met a lean, mean larry in, say, the late 70's(if he could've walked thru holmes' jabs, it'd be all over). anyways, for the sake of the question, i say foreman by a kayo inside of 7 rds!

Answer 7

i agree. in some ways old george was better than young george. he had better defense, more patience, and paradoxically, more stamina. holmes would make a good fight of it. he still had a good jab. but his defense was susceptible to right hands & he had less stamina than foreman at this point .sometime after 5th round, i see george winning by tko.

Answer 8

I think foreman would have KO'd him by the 3rd round. Holmes was too far out of shape by that point.

Answer 9

foreman

Answer 10

Foreman would grill i mean drill him!