How Much Do You Respect Holyfield

[Humean]

styles makes fights as we learned in the 70s with frazier, ali, foreman, norton, young, etc


lewis would probably beat bowe as he had the better jab and i think that would get him thru on points,, but holyfield would have been much better at getting inside on lewis and landing,,

Bowe fought good inside vs smaller guys, but a rangy guy like lewis would cause him trouble

Ok but even if you are right about Holyfield beating Lewis does that mean Holyfield was the best heavyweight of the 90s? As you said styles make fights and if you look at the rest of their records in the 90s does that make Holyfield better? Lewis lost only one fight in the 90s but Holyfield four. I think you can argue it either way but I think I just favour Lewis as the best of the 90s.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Ok but even if you are right about Holyfield beating Lewis does that mean Holyfield was the best heavyweight of the 90s? As you said styles make fights and if you look at the rest of their records in the 90s does that make Holyfield better? Lewis lost only one fight in the 90s but Holyfield four. I think you can argue it either way but I think I just favour Lewis as the best of the 90s.

Yeah but Holyfield was past his best, similar to Duran in the 80s.. And Holyfield lost to prime Lewis and bowe,,, and even moorer was no slouch... Holyfield was basically the champ from 90 and was still a champ in 99... He was that era and fought every champ in that decade

Buster
Foreman
Bowe
Moorer
Tyson
Lewis

There wasn't on champ he didn't face and throw in guys like Holmes and mercer, Holyfield has to be #1

[toooooool]

Holyfield is great..the problem is he didn't have star power....for example,he
beat Tyson fair and square but Tyson is and always will be the star...sad but
true...Lennox same thing...you either have star power or you don't...Fighters
who had star power are Tyson,Delahoya,Leonard,Duran,Ali..for example.

[TBear]

Holyfield is great..the problem is he didn't have star power....for example,he
beat Tyson fair and square but Tyson is and always will be the star...sad but
true...Lennox same thing...you either have star power or you don't...Fighters
who had star power are Tyson,Delahoya,Leonard,Duran,Ali..for example.

If you followed Holyfield after the Olympics and as he plowed his way through the cruiserweight ranks you probably would not think this. By the time he rose to heavyweight, everybody was watching him.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Holyfield is great..the problem is he didn't have star power....for example,he
beat Tyson fair and square but Tyson is and always will be the star...sad but
true...Lennox same thing...you either have star power or you don't...Fighters
who had star power are Tyson,Delahoya,Leonard,Duran,Ali..for example.

The dude was part of the biggest PPv fights of the era,,, he was def a star once the Tyson fights happened.. And much bigger star than Lewis...maybe not in uk but def worldwide

[billeau2]

Holy was great....Not better than Lewis and Lewis beat him twice. I don't care about versions....Lewis was ****** for not knocking Holyfield out.

[GeneralZod]

If you followed Holyfield after the Olympics and as he plowed his way through the cruiserweight ranks you probably would not think this. By the time he rose to heavyweight, everybody was watching him.

Even Chris Farley wanted Holyfield 1 on 1

[J-champ]

Holy was great....Not better than Lewis and Lewis beat him twice. I don't care about versions....Lewis was ****** for not knocking Holyfield out.

I thought Lewis won the first match but lost the second and Holyfield was past his prime by the time they fought.

[BattlingNelson]

Now, theres no question in my mind Holyfield was the number one heavyweight of the 90s and has a good resume. However the trend now is to rag on him for butting and it seems thats getting tossed around more than ever now.

Thats not to say the other fighters have not resulted to dirty tactics themselves, how many times has Tyson hit after the bell or when an oppenent was practically down? Tons (before anyone brings him up).

However some of the really obvious butts (Michael Dokes for example, upon the knockout when he chased him) and the fact it gets mentioned a lot of times especially in his later fights makes me wish they hadnt happened so he looks better.

Do you think theyre always intentional? Am I seeing things? Or is it on average with the dirty tactics you've seen others pull off at the time? I respect him as the premier 90s heavy and working his way up, but some things makes me wince.

Lets get the dirt out of the way first. Yeah he used foul tactics and yes he was likely juicing throughout his career. That being said I reckon he had a level playing field versus his opposition.


Holyfield was highly skilled and was always in terrific shape. He was also a real warrior. He was the real deal. His record speaks for itself. He fought everybody. He cleaned out a mediocre CW division and moved up to become one of the best HW of his generation.

[Anthony342]

Even Chris Farley wanted Holyfield 1 on 1

I remember that. "I want Holyfield. I WANT HOLYFIELD. Holyfield/Schwarzkopf. It's the war on the shore!" haha classic.