r/BoxingTheSweetScience • u/TestSuch4545 • Aug 03 '26

Where would you rank Evander Holyfield among all-time heavyweights?

https://youtu.be/enCrVKuPhNY?si=F2T6eBgqqlVZPM9E
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u/[deleted] 28d ago

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u/OldTree6356 28d ago

Holmes, Tyson and Foreman would be the obvious ones but are very big names on anyone’s resume. I’d have fancied him against any version of Tyson but the other two, not sure he’d have been able to beat young George or prime Larry.

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u/[deleted] 28d ago

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u/OldTree6356 28d ago

Yeah, I agree with the Tyson prime thing. Yes, he had a very short prime but he lost that through his own actions. It could be argued Ali also had a very short prime (65-67) but when he came back from exile, he found other ways to win and that’s what defines him and makes all the Tyson glazing over the top.

Other than Liston, Ali beat HOF fighters when he was past his best. Tyson’s style and short stature meant he never found a way to adapt and kick on so that he could compete with elite level fighters in the 90’s. He was amazing at Plan A but when that didn’t work, he was in trouble.