How weak is the heavyweight division really?

[Trainer Monkey]

In hindsight any era can be exciting...people can look back at Lennox Lewis vs Ray Mercer and "oooooo" and "aaaaah" but totally forget that Ray Mercer drew with Marion Wilson and lost to an ancient Larry Holmes before he even fought Lennox who he damn near beat.......we can also look at Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman and think "Well they had to be pretty good to beat Lennox Lewis" and not ever once stop and think about how McCall was just a club fighter with no boxing skill and 5 losses before the shocking KO of Lewis and how Rahman has ALWAYS been a protected heavyweight.

We can look back to Larry Holmes "battles" with Renoldo Snipes and Tim Witherspoon and never once think "You know Witherspoon and Snipes weren't ready for title shots when they fought Holmes" and still think that Larry is so great to get laid out a couple times by guys who didn't even have 25 pro fights under their belts when he was AT HIS PEAK!

Guys like Snipes, Witherspoon, Carl Williams, et al were hardly green rookies. I base that on how well they performed in the ring at the time. And on how Holmes performed throughout his reign.

As for hindsight, well I ain't gonna try and argue about which of us is using that.

Snipes,two time Gold Gloves Champion
Witherspoon beat Snipes,and sparred with Ali
Carl Williams also a 2 time NY Gold Gloves winner
These arent exactly nobodies

[El Kabong]

Snipes,two time Gold Gloves Champion
Witherspoon beat Snipes,and sparred with Ali
Carl Williams also a 2 time NY Gold Gloves winner
These arent exactly nobodies

I'm not saying they were nobodies, I am just saying had they been more seasoned they might have done better vs Larry Holmes. When Mike Tyson finally fought Larry Holmes he had 32 fights under his belt.....when Michael Spinks fought Larry he had 27 fights.

And oddly enough those guys did better....call me crazy but I think they did well against Holmes because (not only was Holmes older at this time) but they had more experience

[ICB]

Snipes,two time Gold Gloves Champion
Witherspoon beat Snipes,and sparred with Ali
Carl Williams also a 2 time NY Gold Gloves winner
These arent exactly nobodies

I'm not saying they were nobodies, I am just saying had they been more seasoned they might have done better vs Larry Holmes. When Mike Tyson finally fought Larry Holmes he had 32 fights under his belt.....when Michael Spinks fought Larry he had 27 fights.

And oddly enough those guys did better....call me crazy but I think they did well against Holmes because (not only was Holmes older at this time) but they had more experience

You could also argue that Tim Witherspoon, Carl Williams, despite being green to the pro ranks. Arguably fought there best ever fight especially Tim Witherspoon, against Larry Holmes. Wouldn't you agree Lyle ?