Scar Tissue Part 2: Larry Holmes vs Joe Frazier
 By Jess E. Trail (January 16, 2005)
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Joe Frazier
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For those of you who destroyed your keyboard trying to send me an email regarding the first dream matchup, grab your stress-ball and get ready to squeeze the life out of it.
Put down the wiffle bat for just a moment and find your most comfortable chair. The clashing of titans is always an event to behold, even if some, like dream matchups spanning generations, can only be enjoyed in the realm of imagination. Today, for our enjoyment we put two gladiators not far removed into the ring together – Larry Holmes and Joe Frazier.
If you read the last edition, you recall that I fade into a paranormal state while staring at a pop-tart, resulting in visions of what would have been. This mindscape is only present in the world of pugilistic dream matches. One day, back in 1995, I began thinking about the career of Larry Holmes. The pop-tart was on the tripod where I keep it balanced. And while moving to the sofa, I brushed it accidentally with my hip and had to lunge to keep it from falling to the floor. While placing it back on the tripod, my eyes were locked directly on the center of the frosted topping. Suddenly the image of Joe Frazier entered the room and stood, nose to chin, with Larry Holmes and said, “It’s time to do it.” Holmes said, “I’m ready, Joe…I’m ready.”
As mentioned before, the first thing one must do to determine, without doubt, what would happen in the dream match is to compare and contrast strengths and weaknesses. The other most important element is that you must be able to see them together in the ring in your mind. Without this, your predictions are hopelessly flawed. This is where the pop-tart comes in for me. The vision is clear. The outcome is certain. I’ve seen it.
Looking at Larry Holmes first, his most obvious strength was his ramrod jab. All Holmes opponents had the absolute pre-fight priority to develop a strategy to avoid and neutralize the jab. Accomplish this or be destroyed. Holmes had a height advantage on most opponents at 6’4” and had a right hand that he could throw straight as an arrow, or from any angle and with any directional arc. And it had very good power. He had an above average chin and determination that was unsurpassed. Very daunting was the task of fighting Larry Holmes. Any fighter weak in pre-fight analysis would definitely be forced to consult the computer Expert System and plug in all the coordinates to find a winning strategy.
Joe Frazier’s strengths were his relentless pressure, toughness, and a left hook that was effectively designed to erase consciousness. Most opponents could not handle the heat. The ones with solid chins would either eventually fold from the sustained beating, or have too many bright red leaks to continue. Those without a solid chin would quickly find that they had fallen and could not get up.
Looking at the weaknesses of Larry Holmes, we have to go beyond the technical. He was very sound technically. Though he was a great boxer, he had the most trouble with those who waded in from different angles. He was most susceptible to awkward, aggressive punchers. I had to watch the Norton film years apart to finally say that Holmes won the fight. I admittedly wanted Norton to win. Holmes was new on the scene and I begrudged his spot in the limelight. However, that fight was tougher than any of his other victories from a brutality aspect. Holmes’ left arm was injured, but regardless of this, the jab was strong. Norton’s non-conventional aggression neutralized it enough and the same awkwardness enabled him to land more punches cumulatively than any other fighter that Holmes fought. When Holmes fought Shavers the second time, Shavers caught Holmes with a looping right hand that came in from the side. Renaldo Snipes hurt him badly with a right hand from an odd angle. Everything Snipes did was from an odd angle.
Frazier’s weaknesses stemmed from his strengths. His philosophy was patterned after his admiration for the relentlessness of the great multi-weight champion, Henry Armstrong. Joe’s apparent philosophy was that the best defense was a good offense. Regardless of the fact that he bobbed and weaved incessantly, he still was willing to take a few shots in order to impose his will on his opponent. Therein lay his most glaring weakness. He looked like Frankenstein after Ali-Frazier I. He looked about the same after Superfight III. And he walked into too many of the blows of the much larger George Foreman, went down again and again, and simply kept repeating the process. Go down, get up. Go down, get up. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Do you know what the result of this fight would be? This one is tough. Lucky for me, I had my paranormal state to assist. Compare the strengths and weaknesses. Holmes had a tough time with those who were awkward aggressors. Frazier fits this. Holmes was a harder puncher than Ali. This would hurt Frazier. Holmes was less susceptible to the left hook than he was the right hand. I know Cooney landed a couple of hooks, but right now I can’t picture any of them, they were so infrequent. However, Frazier was not a stand up boxer like Cooney. Point-counterpoint. Point-counterpoint. On and on it goes.
I saw a fight that was actually more brutal than Holmes-Norton. Frazier took immense punishment coming in. Due to the gut-level toughness of both, the fight went the distance. The fight went back and forth nearly from round to round and the decision was split and razor close. Had it not been for a left hook, followed by another in round ten that put Holmes in a heap in a neutral corner for a count of eight, Holmes would’ve won. There was no parade around the ring. There was no protest or braggadocio, or excuses or promises for the future by either man. Neither combatant gave a post-fight interview, and as in Ali-Frazier I, both warriors took a ride to the hospital for a few days.
Don’t blame me, Holmes fans. I have Holmes in my top five all time and ahead of Frazier. Plus, I am simply reporting to you what I saw with my own eyes. Blame the pop-tart.
For comments and suggestions for future subjects, shoot me an email at jess_trail@yahoo.com
jess_trail@yahoo.com
Also See: Scar Tissue Part 1: Louis vs. Ali.
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