Larry Holmes enjoys a rarefied reputation as one of the best heavyweights from one of the strongest generation of fighters.
Known as ‘The Easton Assassin’, Holmes was a masterful jabber. He used his powerful left hand to break down many of his opponents on the way to becoming world heavyweight champion in 1978, and retained that status until 1985.
His first loss came as an upset at the hands of Michael Spinks in 1985 meaning he fell one short of Rocky Marciano’s record of 49-0, but along the way beat the likes of Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney and Tim Witherspoon.
Holmes was famously a long-time sparring partner for Muhammad Ali who he eventually went on to beat in the ring late in Ali’s career.
In a clip captured by Fighting Centre, he remembered that infamous night back in 1980. Post-fight, he told the ageing Ali – who most feel should have been nowhere near the ring that night due to deteriorating health – that he was indeed the greatest ever.
“I told the referee stop this fight. Don’t let this man take the fight and he says to me shut up and box. I said what I got to do, kill him? I’m beating him up, can’t you see I’m beating him up. But they pushed him out there again. I wasn’t hitting him hard no more, I was trying to make him quit.
“I said ‘I still love you man,’ he said ‘if you love me why you beating me up then?’ I said it’s part of the game. And after the fight I went to his dressing room, grabbed him, hugged him, gave him a kiss. I told him you’ll be the greatest man, you’ll always be the greatest in my book.”
Ali had just one more fight and took a final loss to Trevor Berbick a year after in 1981 while Holmes retired in 2002 after 69 wins and six losses.
