Holmes is also a very bitter man, he wouldnt be very complimentary of any boxer, he is sore that Mike wiped the floor with him, Holmes was still a very capable boxer as his fights with Mecer and Holyfield later proved.

He would have had ample time to train for the fight, there is no way that Mikes team back then would let Mike take a fighter like Holmes on short notice, they would have realised Holmes still had something and would have trained apropriately.

All that short notice stuff is bullshiit propoganda from Holmes, deep down Larry knows Mike was something special, it would be good to put Larry on a lie detector and ask him if he would have beaten Mike in his own prime, I dont think hed be too sure, for all his talk Mike smashed him through the canvas and tore in to him and he knows he still had some fight in him to try and hold Mike off but it was nowhere near enough.