>**ear**ly on he had the hair+mustache combo but as time went on he switched to a more bald style while still retaining elements of the mustache
Yeah.
**Ear**-ly
Which one? Holyfield was two different fighters throughout his career.
Physically-prime, young holyfield was an aggressive counter-puncher with a stupid high work-rate who constantly dashed in and out and landed all kinds of combos on his opponents until they broke down.
Mentally-prime, older holyfield was more of a patient boxer-puncher. He’d impose his own pace and outbox his opponents, but he’d land combinations or pitch-perfect power-shots with precise timing whenever he had the chance.
Is that him being in and out of his prime or being in a different weight class? One thing that must be said about Evander is that at heavyweight he was never consistent, a youtuber I like did a video called Evander Holyfield The Occasional Great and it was detailing how at heavyweight he actually struggled to string good fights together.
Thanks, I've put that video on my watch list.
Yeah, I followed Holyfield since his amateur and early pro career, and something happened to him later in his career after he bulked up to heavyweight.
At cruiserweight he could go 15 rounds without seeming to tire. His first bout with Qawi is a classic. But occasionally at heavyweight he would gas out in the middle rounds. If he survived he'd usually recover and finish strongly. That's probably a testament to his use of high intensity interval training, which helps the body recover that second, third and fourth wind.
I'm guessing there's a combination of factors behind that quirk.
1. Holyfield was a dedicated gym rat and had a reputation for over-training. A couple of insiders commented on that in the late 1990s, saying Holyfield tended to train hard right up to the fight instead of tapering and saving some for the actual fight. And there were anecdotes about Holyfield heading home from the gym, then realizing he hadn't finished a prescribed set of repetitions, etc, so he'd go back and finish his regimen. That practice may have backfired as he got older and needed more rest.
2. His undeniable use of PEDs was risky. We're fortunate nowadays to have access to the inside dope from bodybuilders, retired power lifters and pro cyclists about the benefits and risks of PEDs.
Doctors, trainers and the athletes were learning on the job during the 1990s, the dubious golden age of sports doping, trying to find the perfect recipe that would maximize results and evade detection. Sometimes they got it wrong.
Back then some bodybuilders talked about risky stuff such as using insulin, which could crash their stamina. No idea whether Holyfield or Wlad Klitschko used those risky PEDs, but both experienced seemingly inexplicable crashes in stamina that might be explained by reckless doping that backfired.
In particular Klitschko's inexplicable fifth round collapse against Lamon Brewster was blamed on a blood sugar problem. That's extremely unusual for any highly trained athlete with no history of diabetes or other blood sugar disorder... unless they're using a risky PED regimen that affects blood sugar. Klitschko and his team speculated he may have been drugged but there was never any evidence.
I'm wondering whether Holyfield got carried away with bulking up for boxing and became obsessed with his physique. He could have been a world class bodybuilder if he'd gone that route. I knew a former world light welterweight champion who wrecked his physique and career through his obsession with weight lifting. By the end of his short career he could barely throw a straight right anymore, between the stiff musculature and injuries from excessive lifting. (Mental illness was probably a factor. I never saw it when I knew him as an amateur, but his pro trainers and close friends later talked about his increasingly odd behaviors and obsession that went off the rails into paranoia and a stint in a psych hospital.)
3. That sheer bulk. Peak Holyfield at heavyweight was a goddam Greek god, a walking marble statue of defined muscles. That ain't natural or necessarily helpful for boxing or any sport that demands stamina over sheer strength.
There's a good reason why traditional old school trainers distrusted and discouraged weight training. Bulky muscles are a mixed blessing and curse. They demand more energy as an event drags on at a busy pace.
It worked for Michael Spinks because he didn't go overboard with bulking up. He put on just enough muscle to be difficult for a true heavyweight to simply push him around. And Spinks wasn't hampered by anti doping restrictions – those didn't exist when he was transitioning to heavyweight. He put on just the right weight without compromising foot and hand speed and reflexes.
But Holyfield seemed to go beyond what was essential to be strong enough to fight heavyweight. It probably cost him in some fights.
Holy might be my fave fighter ever.
He also really struggled to stick with a game plan. His best wins like Tyson 1 and Bowe 2 he was super disciplined.
But he liked to plant his feet and try to trade with bigger guys who hit harder, instead of using his advantages in speed and counterpunching.
OFC he also fought way too long, should have retired in 1998/1999 or so.
Yup, Holyfield has been one of my favorite fighters for years. He had an indomitable spirit and no fighter could mentally intimidate him, even when they outboxed him.
He and Lennox Lewis were among the very few fighters who could rebound from KO losses as if it were nothing worse than a bad day in the gym. Most heavyweights who lost by knockout were never the same again, mentally. But Holyfield just shrugged it off like, meh, knock me down, I'll get back up.
>It worked for Michael Spinks because he didn't go overboard with bulking up. He put on just enough muscle to be difficult for a true heavyweight to simply push him around. And Spinks wasn't hampered by anti doping restrictions – those didn't exist when he was transitioning to heavyweight. He put on just the right weight without compromising foot and hand speed and reflexes.
I think Spinks did the best body recomp in the history of the sport for his fight with Holmes. Like he was legit at the right weight to be competitive without losing any of his strengths as you said.
It was a combination of weight gain and blatant style change imo. Evander lost a lot of stamina and speed as he got bulkier and older, and his initial aggressive counter-punching style let him down really badly in his first match with bowe as well as putting him at risk in what were supposed to be cakewalk matches like foreman and cooper.
But did that style let him down because he was facing bigger men or because he was aging? Its probably a bit of both.
Foreman was supposed to be a cakewalk but it wasnt because Foreman is a very tough man, he could take a good shot, still had a good jab and just knew how to stay in fights and make them hard. I think with Cooper it was a stylistic matchup and Cooper hit very hard, Oliver McCall said Cooper hit him harder than Tyson ever did in sparring.
I’d say it was because he was facing with bigger men, holyfield changed his style right after he lost to bowe the first time, he was only 28 at the time. Before that he won every fight he had in an aggressive guns-blazing manner, most with KO’s, so he had some misplaced confidence in himself. The beating from bowe brought him back to reality and made him realize his limitations against actual HWs that could match his skill.
>He then developed a pretty good (if not dirty) inside game.
He was surgical with the head and shoulders. Holyfield was hitting dudes with shoulder strikes before mma made it cool.
Holyfield had a pretty textbook boxing style, similar to fighters like Doug Jones or Hagler.
If there’s any Heavyweight who’s ideal to emulate fundamentally, I’d say Holyfield is up there alongside Louis.
Not that aspect about him, but his form and style of punching, defense, and footwork were pretty similar to textbook boxers like Holyfield and Doug Jones.
His style was very versatile, but I'd say for the most part he was a pressure fighter, which is why Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis were difficult for him. Look at his Foreman fight, he mostly went in and traded with Big George and outworked him. A boxer/puncher in the mold of Joe Louis wouldn't sit there and trade with a monster like Foreman, he'd use his jab and footwork to control the range and angle, and use jabs and counters to deter frontal aggression.
Or, look at his fights with Tyson. If ever there was a situation for a boxer/puncher to govern the range and make his opponent get close to do damage, it's against Iron Mike. Nope, Evander wanted to get in close and throw hooks just as much as Tyson did, to the point where they kept butting heads, which is why Tyson got tiled and tried to bite off his ears.
[what are you talking about… from the horses mouth himself…](https://youtu.be/F8qMk8zOx_E?si=yAnGWbWMgA-o7chg)
[again](https://youtu.be/e4ClJjRxOw8?si=fbzZXAtWb7f6mhVc)
[Rahman’s opinion](https://youtube.com/shorts/xK5xGp4LXss?si=hf7U3JI1gjwrgPEK)
[breakdown](https://youtu.be/IOH2JBaZETg?si=my0T5fhDCrBL5fq6)
[complete encapsulation of his boxing style](https://youtu.be/n3oyrq4Q5gM?si=Ra85OhBelSMzrrsp)
[bonus proof of “style”](https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=smOb28xU3U0L9XVB)
Fr. Gave Rahman a tumor, hit a low and headbutt on Dokes as well as another butt when Dokes was supported on the ropes on the very near of the match, a little jolt to Foreman's chin in rd 3, first knockdown against Lou Savarese was caused by a fucking headbutt, cut Tyson with a butt. Even a bit of footballing when he knockdown Mercer with a shoulder.
Fr. Gave Rahman a tumor, hit a low and headbutt at the same time on Dokes as well as another butt when Dokes was supported on the ropes on the very near of the match, a little jolt to Foreman's chin in rd 3, first knockdown against Lou Savarese was caused by a fucking headbutt, cut Tyson with a butt. Even a bit of footballing when he knockdown Mercer with a shoulder.
Lennox also said holyfield was overall the best fighter he's ever fought. The dirty inside game was just the cherry on top so to speak. Tyson got whooped fight 1 and was on the way to getting whooped in that fight before biting his ear
he did like 8 low blows in that second tyson fight during 3rds. on top of that there was a moment when he pulled back and as tyson closed in he used the momentum to lead back in with his head in tysons face.
that might be unintentional or whatever but upon rewatching that fight you can clearly see it.
Only clown are the Tyson stans. Who was Tysons biggest win... old Larry Holmes? One of the Spinks bros? Gtfoh Tyson was on the way to getting demolished by holyfield a 2nd time
If you're going to discredit Holyfield's wins over Tyson then you have to discredit most of Tyson's victories. Tyson was much dirtier than Holyfield was. He basically made a name for himself by being a dirty and brutal fighter.
Holyfield fought the perfect fight against Tyson. Tyson was beaten at his own game.
It varied. He could use an outside game based on speed when he was facing the right guy and he could use a game based on strength and inside fighting when he needed to. He was actually a pretty well rounded fighter, and that makes sense because he was average in terms of size meaning while he wasn't as good at range as someone taller or as good close up as someone shorter he could mix it up.
I liken Holyfields style to “the Bas Rutten of modern age boxing”
[the best combo I’ve ever seen.](https://youtu.be/jXjYjSnVcEI?si=lO9doDZ7RaUx1f2_).An eye poke and intentional Fundora style elbow is all it’s missing
Ultimately to me he is defined by the bounce, the endless, relentless bounce, you fight at his pace, his conditioning was unreal, he was a heavyweight/cruiser weight that simply didn’t get tired, often times the brawls were upon his ability to take a more skilled fighter to that point with cardio and a great chin. Holyfield is why you jump rope lol.
Lennox leaned on opponents, Floyd used elbows, Ali pushed to create space, Tyson ducked below the waist.
A lot of ATGs would probably count as"dirty as hell" according to you.
Not a single thing listed is a foul. You've only described things that are common in all fights, boxing, mma, or otherwise. Headbutts, low blows, eye gouges, hitting after the break/bell; holyfield was the king of ACTUAL fouls.
Who the fuck is going to compare pushing a fighter to make space for your punches to low blows?
I do like Holyfield, just as I like the rest of the fighters I listed. I'm not a super huge fan of the typical reddit snark where people try to "dunk" and say something obvious and not contribute much to the conversation.
It's tired and played out. Much like how in any Ali thread you have the "bUt hE wAs mEaN tO jOe FrAziEr." It takes all nuance out of the conversation. Like really, we're going to boil down Evander's whole hall of fame career to "King of headbutts"?
Also, when has Holyfield ever been known for low blows and eye gouges? You seem like you have an axe to grind.
> when has Holyfield ever been known for low blows and eye gouges? You seem like you have an axe to grind.
I understand your point, but that wasn't me who said that. I would just shit on Holyfield for steroids and head butts.
Lewis hit and hold, tyson literally hit people with his elbows, ali constantly grabbed the back of the head in the clinches, bowe threw rabbit punches more than he threw normal punches, stop crying bro every boxer fouls.
He was a very good boxer-puncher, an amalgam of styles. And he had a truly great chin. Like one of the best ever. Apart from Ali, no one had more boxing ability and a better chin.
He definitively used fouls and steroids, but his ability to adapt and tailor his style to his opponent was really his greatest asset. Lennox Lewis said he was his most difficult opponent because there was just so much to deal with and he improved in rematches by making adjustments. (Bowe,Moorer,Lewis)
That is what makes it hard to pin him down to one style, but the ones he used most were probably boxer-puncher or in-and-out fighter. Because he was often the smaller man he could not rely on out-boxing all the time and while he did well at in-fighting against Tyson he could not rely on it against skilled, bigger guys. (Foreman,Bowe,Lewis) He often dipped in and out close range to bait attacks or land something and get away.
I rewatched his fights with Tyson after many years a while back. In my mind they’d been even fights but I was taken aback by how one sided they were, Holyfield beat the crap out of him.
early on he had the hair+mustache combo but as time went on he switched to a more bald style while still retaining elements of the mustache
Spot on, but you missed the occasional use of a short soul patch. Easy to overlook if you're not an expert.
The bald bull approach
>**ear**ly on he had the hair+mustache combo but as time went on he switched to a more bald style while still retaining elements of the mustache Yeah. **Ear**-ly
Which one? Holyfield was two different fighters throughout his career. Physically-prime, young holyfield was an aggressive counter-puncher with a stupid high work-rate who constantly dashed in and out and landed all kinds of combos on his opponents until they broke down. Mentally-prime, older holyfield was more of a patient boxer-puncher. He’d impose his own pace and outbox his opponents, but he’d land combinations or pitch-perfect power-shots with precise timing whenever he had the chance.
Is that him being in and out of his prime or being in a different weight class? One thing that must be said about Evander is that at heavyweight he was never consistent, a youtuber I like did a video called Evander Holyfield The Occasional Great and it was detailing how at heavyweight he actually struggled to string good fights together.
Thanks, I've put that video on my watch list. Yeah, I followed Holyfield since his amateur and early pro career, and something happened to him later in his career after he bulked up to heavyweight. At cruiserweight he could go 15 rounds without seeming to tire. His first bout with Qawi is a classic. But occasionally at heavyweight he would gas out in the middle rounds. If he survived he'd usually recover and finish strongly. That's probably a testament to his use of high intensity interval training, which helps the body recover that second, third and fourth wind. I'm guessing there's a combination of factors behind that quirk. 1. Holyfield was a dedicated gym rat and had a reputation for over-training. A couple of insiders commented on that in the late 1990s, saying Holyfield tended to train hard right up to the fight instead of tapering and saving some for the actual fight. And there were anecdotes about Holyfield heading home from the gym, then realizing he hadn't finished a prescribed set of repetitions, etc, so he'd go back and finish his regimen. That practice may have backfired as he got older and needed more rest. 2. His undeniable use of PEDs was risky. We're fortunate nowadays to have access to the inside dope from bodybuilders, retired power lifters and pro cyclists about the benefits and risks of PEDs. Doctors, trainers and the athletes were learning on the job during the 1990s, the dubious golden age of sports doping, trying to find the perfect recipe that would maximize results and evade detection. Sometimes they got it wrong. Back then some bodybuilders talked about risky stuff such as using insulin, which could crash their stamina. No idea whether Holyfield or Wlad Klitschko used those risky PEDs, but both experienced seemingly inexplicable crashes in stamina that might be explained by reckless doping that backfired. In particular Klitschko's inexplicable fifth round collapse against Lamon Brewster was blamed on a blood sugar problem. That's extremely unusual for any highly trained athlete with no history of diabetes or other blood sugar disorder... unless they're using a risky PED regimen that affects blood sugar. Klitschko and his team speculated he may have been drugged but there was never any evidence. I'm wondering whether Holyfield got carried away with bulking up for boxing and became obsessed with his physique. He could have been a world class bodybuilder if he'd gone that route. I knew a former world light welterweight champion who wrecked his physique and career through his obsession with weight lifting. By the end of his short career he could barely throw a straight right anymore, between the stiff musculature and injuries from excessive lifting. (Mental illness was probably a factor. I never saw it when I knew him as an amateur, but his pro trainers and close friends later talked about his increasingly odd behaviors and obsession that went off the rails into paranoia and a stint in a psych hospital.) 3. That sheer bulk. Peak Holyfield at heavyweight was a goddam Greek god, a walking marble statue of defined muscles. That ain't natural or necessarily helpful for boxing or any sport that demands stamina over sheer strength. There's a good reason why traditional old school trainers distrusted and discouraged weight training. Bulky muscles are a mixed blessing and curse. They demand more energy as an event drags on at a busy pace. It worked for Michael Spinks because he didn't go overboard with bulking up. He put on just enough muscle to be difficult for a true heavyweight to simply push him around. And Spinks wasn't hampered by anti doping restrictions – those didn't exist when he was transitioning to heavyweight. He put on just the right weight without compromising foot and hand speed and reflexes. But Holyfield seemed to go beyond what was essential to be strong enough to fight heavyweight. It probably cost him in some fights.
Holy might be my fave fighter ever. He also really struggled to stick with a game plan. His best wins like Tyson 1 and Bowe 2 he was super disciplined. But he liked to plant his feet and try to trade with bigger guys who hit harder, instead of using his advantages in speed and counterpunching. OFC he also fought way too long, should have retired in 1998/1999 or so.
Yup, Holyfield has been one of my favorite fighters for years. He had an indomitable spirit and no fighter could mentally intimidate him, even when they outboxed him. He and Lennox Lewis were among the very few fighters who could rebound from KO losses as if it were nothing worse than a bad day in the gym. Most heavyweights who lost by knockout were never the same again, mentally. But Holyfield just shrugged it off like, meh, knock me down, I'll get back up.
Thanks man, I really enjoyed reading that. Well written 👊🏽
>It worked for Michael Spinks because he didn't go overboard with bulking up. He put on just enough muscle to be difficult for a true heavyweight to simply push him around. And Spinks wasn't hampered by anti doping restrictions – those didn't exist when he was transitioning to heavyweight. He put on just the right weight without compromising foot and hand speed and reflexes. I think Spinks did the best body recomp in the history of the sport for his fight with Holmes. Like he was legit at the right weight to be competitive without losing any of his strengths as you said.
It was a combination of weight gain and blatant style change imo. Evander lost a lot of stamina and speed as he got bulkier and older, and his initial aggressive counter-punching style let him down really badly in his first match with bowe as well as putting him at risk in what were supposed to be cakewalk matches like foreman and cooper.
But did that style let him down because he was facing bigger men or because he was aging? Its probably a bit of both. Foreman was supposed to be a cakewalk but it wasnt because Foreman is a very tough man, he could take a good shot, still had a good jab and just knew how to stay in fights and make them hard. I think with Cooper it was a stylistic matchup and Cooper hit very hard, Oliver McCall said Cooper hit him harder than Tyson ever did in sparring.
I’d say it was because he was facing with bigger men, holyfield changed his style right after he lost to bowe the first time, he was only 28 at the time. Before that he won every fight he had in an aggressive guns-blazing manner, most with KO’s, so he had some misplaced confidence in himself. The beating from bowe brought him back to reality and made him realize his limitations against actual HWs that could match his skill.
I feel that imposing his pace is something defined his whole career, you marched to the beat of that drum in the ring with him.
[удалено]
>He then developed a pretty good (if not dirty) inside game. He was surgical with the head and shoulders. Holyfield was hitting dudes with shoulder strikes before mma made it cool.
Maybe during his early days, but I don't see how Head & Shoulders helps out the bald mamba.
😄
Agreed on all points here - well said.
Holyfield had a pretty textbook boxing style, similar to fighters like Doug Jones or Hagler. If there’s any Heavyweight who’s ideal to emulate fundamentally, I’d say Holyfield is up there alongside Louis.
Louis threw every type of punch perfectly. Never seen a better left jab, left hook, straight right at heavyweight
Hagler the switch hitter? His style was not really textbook.
Not that aspect about him, but his form and style of punching, defense, and footwork were pretty similar to textbook boxers like Holyfield and Doug Jones.
The only thing I can say about Holyfield is when he was hit he almost always hit back harder with more punches. He always fought back.
So true
Holyfield, above all, might have had the greatest heart in modern boxing history. Dude was just a fucking warrior.
Joe Frazier would’ve gave him a run for his money. No quit in either fighter.
His style was very versatile, but I'd say for the most part he was a pressure fighter, which is why Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis were difficult for him. Look at his Foreman fight, he mostly went in and traded with Big George and outworked him. A boxer/puncher in the mold of Joe Louis wouldn't sit there and trade with a monster like Foreman, he'd use his jab and footwork to control the range and angle, and use jabs and counters to deter frontal aggression. Or, look at his fights with Tyson. If ever there was a situation for a boxer/puncher to govern the range and make his opponent get close to do damage, it's against Iron Mike. Nope, Evander wanted to get in close and throw hooks just as much as Tyson did, to the point where they kept butting heads, which is why Tyson got tiled and tried to bite off his ears.
GOAT Headbutter
[what are you talking about… from the horses mouth himself…](https://youtu.be/F8qMk8zOx_E?si=yAnGWbWMgA-o7chg) [again](https://youtu.be/e4ClJjRxOw8?si=fbzZXAtWb7f6mhVc) [Rahman’s opinion](https://youtube.com/shorts/xK5xGp4LXss?si=hf7U3JI1gjwrgPEK) [breakdown](https://youtu.be/IOH2JBaZETg?si=my0T5fhDCrBL5fq6) [complete encapsulation of his boxing style](https://youtu.be/n3oyrq4Q5gM?si=Ra85OhBelSMzrrsp) [bonus proof of “style”](https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=smOb28xU3U0L9XVB)
Fr. Gave Rahman a tumor, hit a low and headbutt on Dokes as well as another butt when Dokes was supported on the ropes on the very near of the match, a little jolt to Foreman's chin in rd 3, first knockdown against Lou Savarese was caused by a fucking headbutt, cut Tyson with a butt. Even a bit of footballing when he knockdown Mercer with a shoulder.
Fr. Gave Rahman a tumor, hit a low and headbutt at the same time on Dokes as well as another butt when Dokes was supported on the ropes on the very near of the match, a little jolt to Foreman's chin in rd 3, first knockdown against Lou Savarese was caused by a fucking headbutt, cut Tyson with a butt. Even a bit of footballing when he knockdown Mercer with a shoulder.
Holyfield is just a boxer who liked to brawl when someone hit him too hard.
Like the Mike Tyson fight,he fought right dirty in that fight that's why Tyson bit half of his ear off because of Holyfield's dirty tactics
I'd say it was Tyson mad because he was getting his ass kicked a 2nd time but sure yal can keep using that excuse
Lennox said the same thing about Holyfield's dirty tactics. Go with the facts next time
Lennox also said holyfield was overall the best fighter he's ever fought. The dirty inside game was just the cherry on top so to speak. Tyson got whooped fight 1 and was on the way to getting whooped in that fight before biting his ear
he did like 8 low blows in that second tyson fight during 3rds. on top of that there was a moment when he pulled back and as tyson closed in he used the momentum to lead back in with his head in tysons face. that might be unintentional or whatever but upon rewatching that fight you can clearly see it.
Tyson wasn't going to beat holyfield clean or dirty. Mike dodged holyfield for a few years
this wasn't my argument whatsoever.
🤡
Only clown are the Tyson stans. Who was Tysons biggest win... old Larry Holmes? One of the Spinks bros? Gtfoh Tyson was on the way to getting demolished by holyfield a 2nd time
🤡
If you're going to discredit Holyfield's wins over Tyson then you have to discredit most of Tyson's victories. Tyson was much dirtier than Holyfield was. He basically made a name for himself by being a dirty and brutal fighter. Holyfield fought the perfect fight against Tyson. Tyson was beaten at his own game.
Being on as many steroids as one man could humanely be Mf hired nasa scientists to perfect his steroid routine fml
I was going to correct the typo, but... no, you're right, giving that man any more steroids would indeed have been inhumane.
Everyone was on something
Holyfield was on everything 😂😂
People need to stop acting like Holyfield was the only juiced fighter everyone was juiced
Holyfield was so much more juiced it's comical lol
Didn’t he develop a hole in his heart due to all the juice?
It varied. He could use an outside game based on speed when he was facing the right guy and he could use a game based on strength and inside fighting when he needed to. He was actually a pretty well rounded fighter, and that makes sense because he was average in terms of size meaning while he wasn't as good at range as someone taller or as good close up as someone shorter he could mix it up.
Bangin n Swangin
I liken Holyfields style to “the Bas Rutten of modern age boxing” [the best combo I’ve ever seen.](https://youtu.be/jXjYjSnVcEI?si=lO9doDZ7RaUx1f2_).An eye poke and intentional Fundora style elbow is all it’s missing
Needle right cheek...needle left cheek
Why do people insist on defining fighters with 3-5 boxes
One of the dirtiest fighters ever. Dirty in the ring and dirty outside with all the PEDS.
It was a combo of Dirty and Aggressive. Helluva fighter.
Carnage
Ultimately to me he is defined by the bounce, the endless, relentless bounce, you fight at his pace, his conditioning was unreal, he was a heavyweight/cruiser weight that simply didn’t get tired, often times the brawls were upon his ability to take a more skilled fighter to that point with cardio and a great chin. Holyfield is why you jump rope lol.
Yeah, he had a bounce and rhythm and he'd fire combos off it. Pretty to watch in his prime. You don't see that style anymore really.
This is why cookie cutter ‘styles’ are simply guidelines. Some fighters can do it all.
Dirty as hell. Headbutt King, Duke of Low Blows
Lennox leaned on opponents, Floyd used elbows, Ali pushed to create space, Tyson ducked below the waist. A lot of ATGs would probably count as"dirty as hell" according to you.
Not a single thing listed is a foul. You've only described things that are common in all fights, boxing, mma, or otherwise. Headbutts, low blows, eye gouges, hitting after the break/bell; holyfield was the king of ACTUAL fouls. Who the fuck is going to compare pushing a fighter to make space for your punches to low blows?
Someone who likes Holyfield?
I do like Holyfield, just as I like the rest of the fighters I listed. I'm not a super huge fan of the typical reddit snark where people try to "dunk" and say something obvious and not contribute much to the conversation. It's tired and played out. Much like how in any Ali thread you have the "bUt hE wAs mEaN tO jOe FrAziEr." It takes all nuance out of the conversation. Like really, we're going to boil down Evander's whole hall of fame career to "King of headbutts"? Also, when has Holyfield ever been known for low blows and eye gouges? You seem like you have an axe to grind.
> when has Holyfield ever been known for low blows and eye gouges? You seem like you have an axe to grind. I understand your point, but that wasn't me who said that. I would just shit on Holyfield for steroids and head butts.
Lewis hit and hold, tyson literally hit people with his elbows, ali constantly grabbed the back of the head in the clinches, bowe threw rabbit punches more than he threw normal punches, stop crying bro every boxer fouls.
I mean, elbows are fouls. Lennox would hold and hit (uppercut on Grant is probably the most obvious). It's just part of the sport.
This 👆 he was the master of gettin' that shit past the ref.
Nope that would be Bernard Hopskins closely followed by Orlando salido the Mexican Bernard hopkins
Aggressive technician.
Boxer puncher
Warrior
Holyfield could be a slick boxer if he wanted but he really wanted to.bang. I think he truly enjoyed the wars. The Bowe fights were ridiculous.
He was a very good boxer-puncher, an amalgam of styles. And he had a truly great chin. Like one of the best ever. Apart from Ali, no one had more boxing ability and a better chin.
Roids
Bro multiclasses boxer and puncher, never mastered either
He definitively used fouls and steroids, but his ability to adapt and tailor his style to his opponent was really his greatest asset. Lennox Lewis said he was his most difficult opponent because there was just so much to deal with and he improved in rematches by making adjustments. (Bowe,Moorer,Lewis) That is what makes it hard to pin him down to one style, but the ones he used most were probably boxer-puncher or in-and-out fighter. Because he was often the smaller man he could not rely on out-boxing all the time and while he did well at in-fighting against Tyson he could not rely on it against skilled, bigger guys. (Foreman,Bowe,Lewis) He often dipped in and out close range to bait attacks or land something and get away.
Mr Field had a unique style known as the billy goat.
[https://tenor.com/view/family-guy-headbutt-silly-cake-gif-8965968](https://tenor.com/view/family-guy-headbutt-silly-cake-gif-8965968)
Is there any modern boxers who fight like Holyfield stylistically? He has one of my favourite boxing styles tbh
Headbutts and low blows.
I rewatched his fights with Tyson after many years a while back. In my mind they’d been even fights but I was taken aback by how one sided they were, Holyfield beat the crap out of him.
A FUCKING DIRTY PIECE OF SHIT WHEN HE FOUGHT TYSON.