Re: Was Muhammad Ali really the best

Originally Posted by
Lyle
Had Holmes had the full time to prepare he more than likely would have still lost but I think he would have done a lot better as his footwork and timing on his punches would have been better than what it was.
Holmes didn't have the best of chins....he could recover because he did get blasted on and hit the canvas only to get back up and win, but if you hit him he was going to get a little shook up.
Plus Holmes wasn't the big KO puncher that Tyson was so given the circumstances obviously Don King wanted a big stage where Tyson could show off and dominate. The only way Larry was going to have a chance was to take Tyson late into the fight and wear him down (as he did in his career and as Tyson lost in his career) but even with training that was going to be damn near impossible for Holmes to do.
Yeah it's a shame because Larry in his prime (or even at that late stage of his career) had the jab that could have posed some intersting questions for Tyson. I don't think it would have been enough to confuse Tyson enough to alter the outcme but the fight would certainly have lasted longer and been more competitive.
I don't think Larry was scared as someone suggested - I just think that at his age, with the layoff and less than 100% training camp he knew there was a good chance that it was going to be a hard night and with a painful outcome.
'To speak with his equal and irish man is forced to talk with God...'
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