Larry Holmes, the former heavyweight champion known as "The Easton Assassin," has taken aim at two boxing legends. Holmes brands George Foreman and Mike Tyson as overrated fighters, stirring up controversy in the boxing world.
Holmes faced Tyson in the ring back in January 1988, losing by knockout in the fourth round. Despite this personal experience, he's not shy about critiquing "Iron Mike's" abilities.
"Everybody in this room here would've been able to beat Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson was born [in the right era]. You'd have never heard of him [in my era]."
Holmes claims Tyson couldn't have survived in his era, despite Tyson's impressive record. "Iron Mike" became the youngest world heavyweight champion in 1986 and made nine defenses of his crown. He scored notable wins over Holmes himself, Michael Spinks, and Frank Bruno on his way to becoming the undisputed champion.
Tyson recently made a sensational return to boxing against Jake Paul. The fight, held at AT&T; Stadium in Texas last November, saw Tyson lose over eight rounds.
Holmes didn't stop at Tyson. He also took shots at George Foreman, calling him the "biggest phoney ever" in boxing.
"Everybody know that George Foreman can't fight, everybody know that Tommy Morrison kicked his butt, everybody know that Shannon Briggs kicked his butt, everybody knew that he wouldn't fight me .. George Foreman is the biggest phoney ever."
Foreman, nicknamed "Big George," was a dominant force in the heavyweight division from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. He first became world heavyweight champion in 1973 with a win over Joe Frazier. After retiring in 1977, Foreman made a comeback 10 years later and became the oldest world heavyweight champion in history.
In a twist, despite his harsh words for both fighters, Holmes predicts Foreman would beat Tyson in a hypothetical match-up. Speaking to Sky Sports Boxing, Holmes said:
"George Forman 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 Foreman's punching power would be too much for Tyson, predicting a knockout in the first round.
These comments from Holmes have sparked debate among boxing fans. While many respect Holmes' opinions based on his own experiences in the ring, others point to the impressive careers and achievements of both Foreman and Tyson as evidence of their boxing prowess.
