What's funny with Larry Holmes reign as champion...

[THE THIRD MAN]

Holmes was a bit of a whiner, but some of it was understandable, he was always in Ali's shadow and never really got the respect he deserved. Part of that however had to do with Larry having the charisma of a carrot and never being a popular champion.
I remember when Holmes fought Cooney in Vegas, it was like Cooney was the Champion, they even introduced him last like they would the champion. I heard the crowd in Vegas was really racist, the great white hope thing.

Holmes really needed big George to stick around, the early retirement of Foreman prevented an inevitable match up that most certainly would've occurred sometime in 1978/79? Foreman would've only turned 30 in 1979 and these days that makes you a pup! A win over big George would've solidified Holmes reputation that was tarnished by his win over the hapless Ali. The Ali fight wasn't his fault, the fight shouldn't have happened, but he appears to get the blame. Holmes had one of the best jabs in Heavyweight history and the lumbering Lewis would've have had a face full of it from Holmes in his prime. Holmes had problems with the difficult Norton and the difficult Spinks. His early 1980's defences were against moderate opposition and this clouds people's judgement of him. Larry just needs to sit down relax and know in his own heart he was a great champion.

[Mars_ax]

To tell the truth I was really glad Spinks won the first fight, not because of Marciano's record or anything, I just liked Spinks better then I did Holmes.
I must admit though, that Larry really got screwed in the rematch, there's no fucking way that Spinks won that fight.
As for Holmes' fight with Tyson, oddly enough I thought Larry might win, I should have known better because this was back when Mikey had seriously bad intentions, and was like a juggernaut. I can't say I minded seeing 'ole Peanuthead (what Ali used to call him) finally get his ass kicked.

Ali was right, he did have a peanut head...

Ali was quite the entertainer, in some of his later fights, the pre-fight hype was better then what took place in the ring.
BTW, Holmes did some funny shit, I recall when Holmes got in a scuffle with some 'can he was going to face for the Championship a few days later. Anyway the scuffle broke out while "Humble Howie" Cossell was doing an interview with Holmes and the 'can and Cossell gets in the middle of it, and ends up getting a fat, bloody lip. I always thought Holmes staged this just so he could bust Cossell a good one in the mouth. I nearly fell out of my recliner I was laughing so fucking hard.

[ykdadamaja]

Holmes was a bit of a whiner, but some of it was understandable, he was always in Ali's shadow and never really got the respect he deserved. Part of that however had to do with Larry having the charisma of a carrot and never being a popular champion.
I remember when Holmes fought Cooney in Vegas, it was like Cooney was the Champion, they even introduced him last like they would the champion. I heard the crowd in Vegas was really racist, the great white hope thing.

Holmes really needed big George to stick around, the early retirement of Foreman prevented an inevitable match up that most certainly would've occurred sometime in 1978/79? Foreman would've only turned 30 in 1979 and these days that makes you a pup! A win over big George would've solidified Holmes reputation that was tarnished by his win over the hapless Ali. The Ali fight wasn't his fault, the fight shouldn't have happened, but he appears to get the blame. Holmes had one of the best jabs in Heavyweight history and the lumbering Lewis would've have had a face full of it from Holmes in his prime. Holmes had problems with the difficult Norton and the difficult Spinks. His early 1980's defences were against moderate opposition and this clouds people's judgement of him. Larry just needs to sit down relax and know in his own heart he was a great champion.

... and nothing more can really be said about it unless you want to make more out of it than need be.

But, I wish to make a little more of it than need be: I'd say that Larry wasn't mentally pushed as a champion in any of his fights. He KNEW he was fighting a hapless Ali and he FELT as if he could brutalize a smaller Spinks.

Holmes knew that none of his opponents post Norton would give him any trouble. Not even a Cooney. In fact, the only fight we saw Larry souped up for a fight to win it like he meant it was against Norton- and perhaps a little bit in the second Spinks fight.

But, unlike Ali, Holmes never had moment after moment where he was tested as a champion to the extent that it was dangerous- Ali had Liston, TWICE, Frazier, THRICE, Jerry Quarry (dangerous white hope that in todays alphabet soup of organizations would have AT LEAST be WBO Champ) TWICE, Chuvalo, Bonavena, Ellis... these guys meant business, and the list goes on and one!!!

Even if we look back to the Norton fight wasn't dangerous for him leading up to it for him to think that this is a do or die and this guy can do away with me- but it was an important fight for Holmes.

The media AND Holmes too, because he was so arrogant and the media was kind of shitty for him, didn't make him a good enough foe regardless if the guy was a tomato can or not. The best foil he EVER had leading up to a fight was Cooney- and he even cussed at that rather than thank Cooney for making the fight.

Holmes was dumb as a box of rocks, but man could ge punish you with that left jab and follow it up with stiff right hands!

[Mars_ax]

Holmes was a bit of a whiner, but some of it was understandable, he was always in Ali's shadow and never really got the respect he deserved. Part of that however had to do with Larry having the charisma of a carrot and never being a popular champion.
I remember when Holmes fought Cooney in Vegas, it was like Cooney was the Champion, they even introduced him last like they would the champion. I heard the crowd in Vegas was really racist, the great white hope thing.

Holmes really needed big George to stick around, the early retirement of Foreman prevented an inevitable match up that most certainly would've occurred sometime in 1978/79? Foreman would've only turned 30 in 1979 and these days that makes you a pup! A win over big George would've solidified Holmes reputation that was tarnished by his win over the hapless Ali. The Ali fight wasn't his fault, the fight shouldn't have happened, but he appears to get the blame. Holmes had one of the best jabs in Heavyweight history and the lumbering Lewis would've have had a face full of it from Holmes in his prime. Holmes had problems with the difficult Norton and the difficult Spinks. His early 1980's defences were against moderate opposition and this clouds people's judgement of him. Larry just needs to sit down relax and know in his own heart he was a great champion.

And thank his lucky stars that he even had the opportunity to become HW champion and become as wealthy as he is.
I've seen some recent interviews with Holmes, and he doesn't seem all that bitter about anything, and he'll still tell you how great he is/was.

[ykdadamaja]

Plus, the reason why Holmes was robbed in Spinks 2 was becasue he robbed Carl the Truth Williams... he came in lazy for that fight and LOST. The judges gave him a fight!

[IamInuit]

There are no false facts and you larry lapdogs can say what you want and the sarcasm is misplaced. Not only is he one of the most overrated boxers in history he is also one of the dumbest.

[ykdadamaja]

There are no false facts and you larry lapdogs can say what you want and the sarcasm is misplaced. Not only is he one of the most overrated boxers in history he is also one of the dumbest.

Dumb, but not overrated. Spinks got kilt by Tyson, Holmes lasted at least a few good rounds.

[IamInuit]

Puff!!

[TitoFan]

I don't know who else in here has seen old Bugs Bunny cartoons..... but Larry Holmes reminds me of Daffy Duck, who used to follow Bugs' act with his own song and dance, and get nothing but crickets chirping in the background. In this case Holmes was Daffy to Ali's Bugs. He never got over the fact that people idolized Ali and not him. He always came across as bitter, racist, and disrespectful to other boxing greats.

My wish came true when he got into the ring with a young Mike Tyson.

[Master]

You have to admit he took Tyson's bombs and still tried. Remember his hand getting caught up in the ropes for the last knock-out? That was brutal, showed to me he had an amazing chin and recuperative powers. Can't think of many fighters that have taken that many blows from Tyson and still get up.

[TitoFan]

There's no doubting his chin. In fact... I was glad to see him continue trying as he was getting bombed by Tyson. I wouldn't have wanted the punishment to end that quickly.

[ykdadamaja]

There's no doubting his chin. In fact... I was glad to see him continue trying as he was getting bombed by Tyson. I wouldn't have wanted the punishment to end that quickly.

This is just EVIL...

[TitoFan]

There's no doubting his chin. In fact... I was glad to see him continue trying as he was getting bombed by Tyson. I wouldn't have wanted the punishment to end that quickly.

This is just EVIL...

Who....... me?