Boxing Legend Larry Holmes Reminisces In New York

ByBoxing Press

Former World Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes graced Gallagher’s Steak House in midtown Manhattan with his enormous presence the other day as the guest of honor at the Gallo’s Geezer luncheon.

The “Easton Assassin,” rated as one of the greatest of all time, defeated Muhammad Ali in October of 1980.

“I knew I was going to be the heavyweight boxing champion of the world,” recalled Holmes, “because Ali, Joe Frazier, Earnie Shavers…all those guys out there, were all four or five years older than me. So as soon as they got out of that sport, I was going to be on top.”

While Ali was one of the greatest of all time, Holmes always wanted to be his own man. “I never wanted to be like Muhammad Ali,” he says. “I wanted to be like Larry Holmes. I wanted to do my own thing and I did.”

“But,” added Holmes, “Ali did teach me a lot when I was his sparring partner. That helped me later in my career as I ascended the ranks.”
Holmes compiled a glittery 69-6 career ring record, with 44 victories coming by way of knockout, and downed the likes of Ali, Ken Norton, Earnie Shavers, and Leon Spinks during a career that spanned four decades.

“It’s always good to come back here to Gallagher’s where we had press conferences for every championship fight,” recalled Holmes. “These are memories that I’ll never forget.”

Holmes still follows boxing, but his current interest is the real estate business. Alongside that he makes many appearances, and his hometown of Easton, PA will be erecting a statue of him on a street named in his honor later this year.

Famed New York Daily News Hall of Fame cartoonist Bill Gallo hosted his monthly luncheon with upwards of 120 die-hard boxing fans on hand. Famed boxing trainer and ESPN “Friday Night Fights” commentator Teddy Atlas was also a featured speaker, all three delighting the crowd in attendance.

Gallo recounted the story of the Holmes victory over Ali for the audience: “Larry Holmes that night used the left hand like nobody I saw since Joe Louis. He has a marvelous beautiful left hand. Poor Ali could not get away from it. Thank God the ref stopped it. There was humanity in the fight.”

Atlas spoke of his charity, The Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation, which is named in memory of his beloved father and humanitarian. The foundation’s programs aim to help people in tough situations that may not be able to afford help themselves.

Ultimately the day was about bringing together boxing fans with their heroes. Atlas explained why boxing is such an exceptional sport. “On one given night, a guy with a heart as strong as mine can be a champion, can even the playing field,” he said. “He can be the champion of the world, and that’s something very special.”