Larry Holmes, the legendary heavyweight champion, has shared his thoughts on how Mike Tyson would stack up against the top fighters of the 1970s. Holmes, who held the world title from 1978 to 1985, offered his take in a resurfaced interview.
Holmes knows a thing or two about facing tough opponents. He won his first 48 professional bouts and is widely regarded as one of the best heavyweight boxers ever. His list of victories includes names like Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Mike Weaver, Gerry Cooney, and Tim Witherspoon.
In 1980, Holmes faced Muhammad Ali in a controversial bout. Ali, deemed unfit to fight beforehand, was forced to retire in his corner, leading to backlash against Holmes. Later in his career, Holmes suffered his first loss to Michael Spinks in an upset, and also lost the rematch. In 1988, he faced Mike Tyson and was knocked out in four rounds.
In the interview with Sky Sports, Holmes didn't hold back when assessing Tyson's chances against the heavyweight greats of the 1970s.
"I ain't knocking Mike Tyson, but no. Joe Frazier would beat him up. He just don't stop. Joe liked guys like that. Kenny Norton too strong. [George Foreman would win in] two seconds, he hit too hard. Anybody come at George Foreman you got to box like I did, or Ali did , you can't stay there and take those punches. They take your head off. Bam, bam, it's like the kitchen sink he's hitting you with."
Holmes believes Frazier's relentless style would be too much for Tyson. He also thinks Norton's strength would give him the edge. When it comes to George Foreman, Holmes says you'd need to box smart, like he or Ali did, to avoid Foreman's devastating power.
As for how Tyson would fare against Muhammad Ali, Holmes had a simple prediction:
"Ali would slap him all day long with the jab."
It's worth noting that Holmes himself faced Ali in 1980, forcing a corner retirement in a fight that many felt Ali shouldn't have taken.
Holmes' own career was filled with memorable moments. He won the heavyweight title in 1978 and defended it successfully for seven years. His first professional loss didn't come until his 49th fight, against Michael Spinks in 1985.
While Holmes offers his opinions on these hypothetical matchups, fans will have to use their imagination to picture how they might have played out. As for Tyson, he's set to step back into the ring next month for a controversial bout against Jake Paul.
