Larry Holmes Says Heavyweights Tyson Fury And Anthony Joshua 'Lack Skills'

Retired heavyweight champion Larry Holmes is less than impressed with boxing's current crop of fighters. And that list includes current title holder Tyson Fury, as well as recent champ, Anthony Joshua.

Holmes is of the opinion that neither Fury, nor Joshua could've competed with the fighters of his era.

“They don’t have no skills,” Holmes said of boxing's current stable of fighters, via Fight Hub. "They throw punches like this for a jab, you don’t throw a punch like that, you throw straight. You can’t hit me with that right hand because this hand’s here to protect me. They don’t know how to throw a one-two, and move out to protect yourself."

Holmes, 72, is the only boxer to have ever defeated Muhammad Ali by stoppage. He lost just six of his 75 career fights, with all of those loses coming in title fights. Aside from Ali, he fought notable names like Tyson, Spinks and Holyfield.

In addition to ducking punches, Holmes also accuses today's fighters of avoiding big-name opponents. “The game of boxing is hit and don’t get hit," insisted Holmes. "The fighters today are not the fighters that I fought. We fought the top ten, we didn’t duck nobody. Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney, Kenny Norton, all those strong guys."

He continued: "Today these guys don’t want to fight. If you want to make some money, you’ve gotta bring it to them, you’ve gotta make these guys fight."

Fury last fought in April and Joshua hasn't been in the ring since last September, but thanks to Holmes, the hits keep coming.

Follow along on Twitter: @OhioAF