Muhammad Ali vs Larry Holmes in their primes.?

Question

Who wins?

Answer 1

aiiight, y'all, to stonewall and others, jimmy ellis was ali's sparring partner, too, and the two went so far back since they grew up together...and ali whupped him good. all holmes knew he learned from ali, had they been in their primes, holmes would not have had that knowledge and experience to benefit from. for the sake of the question, though, holmes had, arguably, the greatest jab of any heavyweight, but ali had far more numerous and superior skills, speed, agility, accuracy, intelligence, power(way underrated), etc. so, given that, ali would really emerge victorious over holmes w/superior combinations, hand/foot speed, etc. holmes might get some rounds in, but ali would deliver his usual masterful performance! knowing holmes he would try to out-psyche ali, which would have failed miserably against "the master" if anything, this would have so insulted ali that he would have made holmes "pay" for this, like he did against patterson, folley/bonavena, etc if ali had any weakness it was a susceptibility to left hooks...which was not holmes' strong suit, so, ali takes it, w/a near shut-out unanimous decision! to paraphrase ali, himself, he wouldn't have gone for the kayo...he woulda whupped him!

Answer 2

Larry Holmes is the most competitive match-up against the primed Ali. Ali would probably only win 10 rounds as Big Lar's jab controls the range and pace of the fight, but Ali's combos will catch up to the Easton Assassin enough to win a classic fight that all the "blood lust fans" will call dull and boring. Larry Holmes is the litmus test for boxing knowledge. Fans who consider the Easton Assassin inferior or overrated always lack in depth knowledge of the science of boxing. Fans who consider Big Lar' as an all-time great understand all the other tools (besides heavy hitting) it takes to make a complete fighter.

The last time Holmes sparred Ali, Holmes was beating him, wearing him down. Holmes quit the session before finishing Ali, and was fired for it.

Answer 3

I cant believe people compare what Larry Holmes did to Ali at the end of his career towards what Ali did at his prime. When Ali fought Holmes he was a shell of his former self.

Holmes was in his prime when he fought Ali, who had abandonded using his footwork and fought flatfooted...was older...not even a quarter of his speed...his wind was gone...and his eating habits were notorously horrible. He wasnt even showing up to training anymore, as was reflected in his body (Ali pullled his shorts WAY up over his stomach).

As much respect as I have for Larry Holmes...he doesnt have it in his skillset to even CATCH a Cassius Clay, much less the smarter stronger boxer Ali was in the seventies.

And I will give that Holmes had a awesome jab....but in stiffness I wouldnt say that it was THAT much better than Alis in his prime. Ali could win an entire fight on his jab....he could fire it from a relaxed position...from any angle...hit you anywhere...WHILE MOVING.

Holmes, nah wont give him that much due. Wouldnt have gone nine against Cassius...and wouldve gone a brutal eleven or twelve rounds against the Ali of the seventies, but most of the brutal would have been Holmes side.

Answer 4

Holmes had a great jab but Ali's jab and footwork were superior to Holmes. In their prime Ali is just too quick for Holmes. Ali win by unanimous decision. Holmes couldn't carry Ali's jock.

Answer 5

Holmes used to be Ali's sparring partner. He always did real well against him and has stated that he could have beaten him. Then again, Holmes has stated that he could beat anybody! Holmes had the much stiffer jab, but Ali was MUCH smarter and more tricky. I think Ali would find a way to win. Holmes' right just wasn't devastating enough to change the fight against the great-bearded Ali.

Answer 6

Holmes was never near the greatness of Ali at any time in his career as compared to Ali's prime. The Ali of 1966/67 was easily the greatest athlete ever period. He was stripped of his prime before he really peaked. When he came back he was still great but older and even that Ali who barely lost to Frazier in 1971 was better than a prime Holmes as well as the 1974 Ali who beat Foreman. Holmes was a guy who won the title by winning a close decesion over overrated Ken Norton who didn't even win the title in the ring himself and then Holmes beat a bunch of scrums. Ali in his prime and past his prime beat Liston, Patterson, Frazier, Foreman and Shavers.

Answer 7

This is a really tough one for me because I always felt ali was the more talented of the two but Holmes was very disciplined. He basically took all the techinical gifts that Ali had, took the flash out of them and turned himself into a robotic boxing machine.

The one big difference would be speed.T he first incarnation of ali had unmatched hand/foot speed and I think he would dazzle the plodding holmes.

Answer 8

This would be a great match-up and possibly the hardest opponent Ali could face.

Larry Holmes is one of the most underrated boxers of all time and deserves more credit than he gets and i think this would be a close one that went the distance with Ali winning by a split decision.

Answer 9

Muhammad Ali would win a UD but Larry would give him a tough fight with his stronger jab and determination.

Answer 10

Ali would have won, somehow I just can't see a jab stopping Ali if Forman and Listons bombs couldn't stop him. Holmes was very very good, but Ali was better.