Larry Holmes, the former heavyweight champion, has shared his thoughts on two boxing legends he faced in the ring: Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. In a recent chat with Sky Sports Boxing, Holmes gave his take on who he thinks was the better boxer.
Holmes, known as "The Easton Assassin," held the world heavyweight title from 1978 to 1985 and defended it 20 times. He's got a unique view, having fought both Ali and Tyson during his career.
Back in October 1980, Holmes beat Ali by stopping him in the tenth round. It was Ali's second-to-last fight before he retired. Some say Ali's health was already going downhill before that bout.
Eight years later, Holmes stepped into the ring with Mike Tyson at Convention Hall in Atlantic City. Tyson knocked him out in the fourth round. It was Tyson's 33rd win in a row and his second time defending his undisputed heavyweight title.
When asked who he thought was the better boxer, Holmes didn't hesitate to pick Ali. He said:
"I ain't knocking Mike Tyson. No [he couldn't survive in that era]. Ali? He'd slap him all day with the jab."
Holmes thinks Ali, who was at his best in the late 1960s and early 1970s, would have been too much for Tyson to handle. He reckons Ali's jab would have given Tyson big problems.
Tyson, nicknamed "Iron Mike," made his mark in the early 1980s. He became the youngest world heavyweight champ ever when he beat Trevor Berbick in 1986.
Both Ali and Tyson are seen as some of the best heavyweights ever. They never got to fight each other because they boxed in different times. That's why Holmes' opinion is so interesting - he's one of the few who can compare them based on personal experience.
