Larry Holmes: Spot the mistake by the journalist

[WelshDevilRob]

GivemeSport

Boxing legend Larry Holmes claims Tyson Fury lacks competition in blow to Anthony Joshua

Tom Ward

4 hrs ago

 

Boxing legend Larry Holmes has suggested that Tyson Fury‘s dominance at the top of the heavyweight division has been aided by a distinct lack of competition from the rest of his peers in a blow to Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.

 

The Gypsy King has enjoyed an incredible amount of success since making his comeback against Sefer Seferi back in 2018, scooping up the WBC and The Ring heavyweight world titles while also stopping the likes of Tom Schwarz and Deontay Wilder along the way.

 

However he has regularly faced criticism from some quarters claiming he has only been successful up to this point as a result of competing against lower level opposition.

 

Holmes, who fought none other than Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, has declared that Fury’s lack of genuine competition over the years has indeed helped him to maintain his position at the top of the sport.

 

Asked about the current state of boxing’s blue riband division, Holmes told iFL TV: “It’s not as strong as when I fought.

 

“When I fought, I had guys like Ken Norton and George Foreman out there, Muhammad Ali was out there, Gerry Cooney was out there.

 

“There were a lot of strong guys that dedicated and disciplined themselves just for boxing.”

 

Fury, 33, announced his retirement after successfully defending his WBC heavyweight title with a sixth-round highlight reel knockout of Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium on April 23.

 

But Holmes, like many, doesn’t think it will last for very long.

 

He added: “Yeah, he’s going to come back.

 

“I said the same thing. Listen man, I didn’t quit until I was 55 years old or something like that, I don’t know. But no, he’s going to fight again.

 

“When it gets in your blood, you keep it there.”

 

And while Holmes acknowledges that Fury is the number one ranked heavyweight in the world, he also claims ‘he doesn’t have too much competition for it’.

 

He continued: “Well, he doesn’t have too much competition for it.

 

“He can take it if he wants it bad enough.

 

“I’ve watched Joshua a couple of times. I didn’t jump on it because I wasn’t there. But they’re big guys and strong guys so you’ve got to be careful what you do.”

 

Joshua, meanwhile, is set to fight Usyk in a rematch in the Middle East this summer.

 

Having watched their first fight from the comfort of his own home in Easton back in September, Holmes is all too aware of how dangerous Usyk is as an opponent.

 

Asked if Joshua can beat Usyk in their rematch, he replied: “Well, you know, I don’t know too much about the little guys over there and they fighting and switching and stuff like that.

 

“Boxing is all over the world now, everybody wants to do it.

 

“But you know, he’s got his hands full.”

 

[LondonRingRules]

--- Poor Lar still suffering in shame after being knocked down by Butterbean in his last moment of boxing.

 

Lar never fought Foreman is the mistake you're looking for. Even though they're the same age, Lar was never Ring ranked while Foreman was active tearing up the division. Never fought Frazier either and only Ali and Norton at the end of their careers.

 

Anyway, AJ vs The Feel is as good as it gets in boxing today, so there's that.

[WelshDevilRob]

--- Poor Lar still suffering in shame after being knocked down by Butterbean in his last moment of boxing.

 

Lar never fought Foreman is the mistake you're looking for. Even though they're the same age, Lar was never Ring ranked while Foreman was active tearing up the division. Never fought Frazier either and only Ali and Norton at the end of their careers.

 

Anyway, AJ vs The Feel is as good as it gets in boxing today, so there's that.

 

I did think of you, Bobby when I posted it. :) Posted it in a few FB places. Larry could've fought better. George would've knocked him out.

[Cableaddict]

Well, if anyone can claim to be an expert on not facing tough enough competition, it's Larry.

 

Still, he certainly was a great HW.

 

Never struck me as much of a boxing analyst, though. (To put it mildly.)

[Ledhed1]

Yea I posted in another thread Holmes didn't exactly face a murderers row during his prime; fish stories grow as the years go by. As for Fury, credit him for beating Wlad and Wilder - say what you will, Deonte does not fit the label of weak opposition - twice. Fury hasn't actually had all that long a time at the top - yet. The final chapter is yet to be written.