Just how good was Larry Holmes?

[Mark TKO]

OK yes I mean lineal and beating Usyk and I mean heavies.

Mental health issues, drug addiction and ten stone overweight and coming back to win any version of the world title is good enough credentials to claim that accolade if you ask me.

I ain't glazing over him. I'm no fan of his at all any more believe me. Disagree he should have been stopped. He was taking punishment but was champion and he went down. That was the difference between him winning and losing in the end and no one really knew who was going to get that decision till it was called.

Outclassed in the rematch - again I disagree. Two point loss then fair enough but you've seen fights like that go the other way way too often. But yes the right man won.

Time will tell. He needs two good wins first, one against Wardley or Kabayel. And Wardley is a champion whether we agree he's worthy of it or not.

[TIC]

with so many belts around these days grabbing one ain't as difficult as it used to be & deontay picked tyson because he was an easy mark, the fact that tyson should have got that decision shows how bad deontay is. i'll give you it but personally i don't think he deserved a shot

we can agree to disagree if tyson should have been stopped or not, if it was oleksandr in that position i think the ref might have stopped it. the ref even gave tyson extra time so the bell would end the round. the nineth round wasn't the difference between tyson winning or losing, he lost clearly. the only reason there was any doubt was because of corruption & the constant bad judging in boxing

you can disagree that tyson was outclassed in the rematch but i think i had it wider than the first, if the rematch went the other way it would have been a straight up robbery

let's see how he does against arslanbek makhmudov, he's terrible but can punch a bit. i have nothing against fabio, he was my fighter of the year for 2025 because i thought he scored the two best wins of the year but it just shows that being in the right place at the right time can get you a belt

[zoley]

Ring magazine round of the year

Larry Holmes almost getting knocked out by Tim Witherspoon but somehow coming back to win the round @Master

https://youtu.be/LeWbaTCbQlo?si=eZYvwDf1FEFQKujn

What a Round of the year ‼️‼️

[Master]

Larry Holmes recuperative powers were second only to Ali and he had the most consecutive title defences except Joe Louis. These are the only 2 heavyweights above him.

Holmes beat the best fighters in his era Norton, Witherspoon, Carl Williams, Cooney, Berbick, Bonecrusher Smith. He also beat Mercer way past his best and gave a good account against peak Holyfield.

Larry would bring the fight to taller opponents like Wlad, Vitali and Fury. They may survive but don't believe they would beat him.

[Mark TKO]

If he hadn't hit the canvas so hard against Shavers he'd have been out cold. He said himself the impact woke him up

[Master]

If he hadn't hit the canvas so hard against Shavers he'd have been out cold. He said himself the impact woke him up

Missed Shavers from my list.

[zoley]

Larry Holmes recuperative powers were second only to Ali and he had the most consecutive title defences except Joe Louis. These are the only 2 heavyweights above him.

Holmes beat the best fighters in his era Norton, Witherspoon, Carl Williams, Cooney, Berbick, Bonecrusher Smith. He also beat Mercer way past his best and gave a good account against peak Holyfield.

Larry would bring the fight to taller opponents like Wlad, Vitali and Fury. They may survive but don't believe they would beat him.

Master your post is so succinctly and impeccably delivered that I have nothing to add to that. You are 100% correct, he is only second to Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis. He defeated everyone. No one cares about his whining. Larry Holmes I'll never forget attending a live pay-per-view on a 50 ft screen at The Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey for his fight with Jerry Cooney.

[zoley]

If he hadn't hit the canvas so hard against Shavers he'd have been out cold. He said himself the impact woke him up

Yeah isn't that amazing? I mean that punch was like a shotgun. I'm surprised it didn't break his neck. I think it was George Foreman who once said that that punch that floored Larry Holmes was the most well-executed punch he had ever seen, from the torque in his hips to the Arc of the punch

[TIC]

he is only second to Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis.

wouldn't that make him third?

[zoley]

he is only second to Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis.

wouldn't that make him third?

Nice one.

[zoley]

The only way I could try to escape your point is if I said that I had Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis tied for number one.

[TIC]

i have larry about sixth but if i included some old times he might not scrap into the top ten

[zoley]

i have larry about sixth but if i included some old times he might not scrap into the top ten

Yes sometimes I don't have him at number 3 because I think Prime George Foreman would smoke him and I also think Prime Lennox Lewis and Sunny Liston would smoke him.

And also he didn't do good against really big guys he struggled really hard against Tim Witherspoon and Jerry Cooney

[zoley]

Mike Weaver really kicked Larry Holmes's ass in this fight BUT Holmes pulled it out like an all-time great and it was not an early stoppage because Weaver would have been killed with one more punch as he fell defenseless against the ropes @Master after the last overhand right by Larry.

If this highlight reel of the fight best moments does not bring tears to your eyes for the savagery and the effort of the good old days in boxing then you are just not a boxing fan.

https://youtu.be/bESVq8lHUkQ?si=YZZMLCgdXS7nY5IN

[Master]

i have larry about sixth but if i included some old times he might not scrap into the top ten

Yes sometimes I don't have him at number 3 because I think Prime George Foreman would smoke him and I also think Prime Lennox Lewis and Sunny Liston would smoke him.

And also he didn't do good against really big guys he struggled really hard against Tim Witherspoon and Jerry Cooney

No body smokes Holmes at his peak. Foreman never went near Larry when they could have fought.

Larry had a faster jab than Liston and Lennox. He didn’t quit or get knocked out at his peak.