Thread: Why did Larry Holmes never Unify the Alphabet belts?

Larry Holmes won the WBC title in mid 1978. He defended it for 5 years. During that five years, the WBA title, which at the time was the only other recognized title, was passed around by a parade of boxing’s one hit wanders. Yet Holmes never unified the two alphabet belts.

In fact, Holmes fragmented the Heavyweight title even more, when in 1983, he relinquished the WBC title and started defending the brand new, and not yet recognized IBF championship.

So; for dominating his era so thoroughly, why did Holmes never unify the belts?

It is a very good point you make here. Nobody seriously recogonised anyone other than Larry Holmes as the true heavyweight Champion at the time so my guess is he felt he didn't have to.
Spinks beat Holmes to become Champion and really it wasn't until Tyson beat Spinks that he was officially and universally accepted as the true heavyweight Champion. All others at the time are blow ins.
It's a complete mess nowadays of course with more claimants to the title than the population of India!
The Politics of boxing are as complicated as those who administer Governments!

Originally Posted by lance Uppercut

Larry Holmes won the WBC title in mid 1978. He defended it for 5 years. During that five years, the WBA title, which at the time was the only other recognized title, was passed around by a parade of boxing’s one hit wanders. Yet Holmes never unified the two alphabet belts.

In fact, Holmes fragmented the Heavyweight title even more, when in 1983, he relinquished the WBC title and started defending the brand new, and not yet recognized IBF championship.

So; for dominating his era so thoroughly, why did Holmes never unify the belts?

i was going to post this the other day, very good question lance! im not sure why but holmes was regarded as the world champion..

......but back in that era a lot of fans lost interest in the HW scene until tyson came along, thats why i say holmes never got credit when he was one of the best ever

Originally Posted by lance Uppercut

Larry Holmes won the WBC title in mid 1978. He defended it for 5 years. During that five years, the WBA title, which at the time was the only other recognized title, was passed around by a parade of boxing’s one hit wanders. Yet Holmes never unified the two alphabet belts.

In fact, Holmes fragmented the Heavyweight title even more, when in 1983, he relinquished the WBC title and started defending the brand new, and not yet recognized IBF championship.

So; for dominating his era so thoroughly, why did Holmes never unify the belts?

The whole abc belt thing did not really take full effect until after Holmes....Yes they existed but no one paid attention to them....Holems wa the ring champion and thats all that counted.....Once he left and Spinks took a powder the cash machine opened because there was no dominate HW they were all paper champions and each body decided that this was their chance....Don't know how old you are but that is when Don King came up with the whole HW unification thing...From the time Spinks left until Tyson took all the belts it was a free for all....It may have been the weakest era for HW boxing...(well at least a few years not reall a whole era)...They were all just hopnig one of them would turn out to be something and the pickings were slim

Don King could make more money with 2 so called champs.

You got it Porky cc

Originally Posted by Scrap

You got it Porky cc

Back to you scrap CC

Originally Posted by porkypara

Don King could make more money with 2 so called champs.

Thats why Don had another unification Tourney once he knew Tyson was legit....Slap a Big Dollar sign on old "Kid Dynomite" and paint him black and white....Cause the Cash Cow just came rolling in...is exactly what King was thinking

I think alot of the reason why Holmes never unified the titles is that the other titles changed hands so often that there was never really any interest in a unification. Everyone new Holmes was the best heavyweight so there was no need.

Originally Posted by glennf

It is a very good point you make here. Nobody seriously recogonised anyone other than Larry Holmes as the true heavyweight Champion at the time so my guess is he felt he didn't have to.
Spinks beat Holmes to become Champion and really it wasn't until Tyson beat Spinks that he was officially and universally accepted as the true heavyweight Champion. All others at the time are blow ins.
It's a complete mess nowadays of course with more claimants to the title than the population of India!
The Politics of boxing are as complicated as those who administer Governments!

CC
Good point- I guess if one fighters is completely dominent, then the fans tend to pay little attention to the alphabet belts. Like when Lennox Lewis was King a few years back, no one cared that John Ruiz was walking around with the WBA trinket.

Originally Posted by lance Uppercut

Originally Posted by glennf

It is a very good point you make here. Nobody seriously recogonised anyone other than Larry Holmes as the true heavyweight Champion at the time so my guess is he felt he didn't have to.
Spinks beat Holmes to become Champion and really it wasn't until Tyson beat Spinks that he was officially and universally accepted as the true heavyweight Champion. All others at the time are blow ins.
It's a complete mess nowadays of course with more claimants to the title than the population of India!
The Politics of boxing are as complicated as those who administer Governments!

CC
Good point- I guess if one fighters is completely dominent, then the fans tend to pay little attention to the alphabet belts. Like when Lennox Lewis was King a few years back, no one cared that John Ruiz was walking around with the WBA trinket.

Exactly!!

Really wish Holmes would of fought Greg Page Pinklon Thomas and Tony Tubbs would of been great to of seen and you know people still actually say Holmes ducked Page

Originally Posted by ICE COLD BOXING

Really wish Holmes would of fought Greg Page Pinklon Thomas and Tony Tubbs would of been great to of seen and you know people still actually say Holmes ducked Page

Larry Holmes never ducked a fighter in his life

I would like to see more of hws in 80s alot of footage can't get hold off it seems if anyone has any let me know