Larry Holmes believes just one last fight had an impact on the health of former rival Muhammad Ali.
Ali is often regarded as being the greatest heavyweight of all time, but the latter stages of the three-time world champion’s career were hampered by a number of health issues which ultimately led to his Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis.
‘The Greatest’ had a number of tough battles throughout the course of his tenure, sharing the ring with the likes of Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and George Foreman, who were all known for their formidable punching power.
In his penultimate fight, Ali suffered a 10th round retirement defeat to Holmes – something many fans believe was a big factor in Ali’s health decline, but Holmes has pinpointed another contest that he feels was more damaging.
Three years prior, Ali faced Earnie Shavers, who is considered to be one of the heaviest puinchers in boxing history with a knockout rate of 76.7%. Fighters such as Ron Lyle, Ken Norton and Holmes and Ali themselves regarded him as the most powerful man they had faced or sparred.
In a clip sharedby Boxing TV, Holmes spoke about Ali’s 1977 showdown with Shavers, which ‘The Easton Assassin’ says had a negative effect on the boxing icon’s health during the later stages of his career.
“Muhammad fought Earnie Shavers. He was OK until he fought Earnie Shavers, and when Earnie started hitting him upside the head, Ali went a little bit like that. And I blame Earnie Shavers for it.
“I shouldn’t but I do. I said if you hadn’t hit him like that he would be walking around, going punchy a little bit. Earnie hit him and hurt him a lot of times. He knocked the hell out of Muhammad.”
Ali defeated Shavers via unanimous decision to successfully defend his undisputed heavyweight championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City back in September of 1977, but was caught with a number of big shots during the bout.
Shavers is often regarded as being one of the greatest heavyweights to have never won the world championship, challenging unsuccessfully on two occasions during his 26-year career.
Despite Holmes’ claimes, it’s far more accurate to attribute Ali’s decline to the cumulative toll of his entire career – years of gruelling fights, countless rounds sparring, and punishment from many of the hardest hitters of his era, not just one opponent. At the time of his last two bouts – Holmes and Trevor Berbick – it is well known that the boxing icon should have not been near the ring.
