Veteran-heavyweight champion says Fury, Wilder and Joshua ‘don’t have no skills’

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Former heavyweight champion, Larry Holmes revealed his disappointment in the performance of contemporary heavyweight boxers. The Hall Of Famer said they have no skills, and proved it.

Back in the years, Larry Holmes defended his WBC championship belt for about 6 solid years ( from 1978 to 1985), held the maiden  IBF belt for more than 11 years (from 1983 to 1995), and defended his Ring Magazine title and others from the year 1980 to 1985.

He insinuated that today’s boxing is inferior compared to that of the past, while pointing out what he found unpleasing about the skills of the present-day masters. Basing his argument on the sloppiness of the footwork they practice, he used Tyson Fury  as a case study, arguing that the boxer’s attitude of allowing himself to be punched instead of dodging blows was really out of place.

Muhammad Ali (left) fights with Larry Holmes (right) in 1980

Muhammad Ali was another boxer whose ability to take punches was remarkable. But this ability became known for one reason: Ali was willing to display it at the expense of amassing internal damages that made his old age an unsavoury one.

Larry Holmes declared it was bad boxing to stay in the path of a damaging blow, just because one thought he was able to take it. He advocated for good footwork too, because getting out of the way was the work of the feet.

‘They [Fury, Joshua and Wilder] don’t have no skills,’ said Larry Holmes. ‘They throw punches like this for a jab, you’ve got to throw them straight.

‘They don’t know how to throw a 1-2 and get out and protect yourself. But I had my day, I had great times doing what I was doing.

‘They don’t move like Larry Holmes. You have to give punches, you shouldn’t take punches – and he [Fury] takes punches. I guess he wants to prove to people he can take punches, but you should hit and not get hit.’

A bout will come up between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou on October 28. Fury might do well to borrow a leaf from Holmes’ advice, or its end might be adversely-memorable. That goes to Ngannou too.