Heavyweight Legend Who Fought Ali, Mike Tyson And Holyfield Declares Himself ‘The Best Ever’

Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are viewed as three of the best heavyweights of all time.

All of them hold the honour of becoming undisputed heavyweight champion, with Ali ruling the division in the 1960s and 1970s, while Tyson managed it in the 1980s, and Holyfield in the 1990s.

Many boxing fans debate who the greatest heavyweight of all time is, with Ali, Tyson and Holyfield all usually in the conversation, but It is another man that fought all three of them that believes he is the best ever across all divisions.

Larry Holmes took on Ali in 1980, winning by 10th round retirement, before then suffering a fourth round stoppage defeat to Tyson in 1988, and a unanimous decision loss to Holyfield in 1992.

During his prime, Holmes was the long-time world heavyweight champion, holding world honours for seven years from 1978 to 1985 and making 20 defences, and he explained to Sky Sports why he believes he is the number one of all time.

“Everyone said I was just a copy of Muhammad Ali, just because I idolised they guy, he hit, boxed, moved around and looked good, I like his style, I copied some of his styles, his jabs and moves and whatnot and I bettered it.

“I don’t get the recognition that I should get, like a Mike Tyson. Hey listen, I had 20 title defences, Mike Tyson had three or four and lost, I was champion for seven and a half years, he was champion for seven months, they don’t want to recognise me.

“Ali don’t have the fight record that I have with defending the title, he didn’t hold his title for seven and a half years. Why can’t I fit in that box, why does Muhammad Ali have to be the greatest, he can say he’s the greatest, you can say he’s the greatest, but I know different, I’m the greatest.”

Having taken on both Ali and Tyson during his career, Holmes has also revealed who he felt was the better of the two men.