Quote Originally Posted by ICB View Post
Quote Originally Posted by TitoFan View Post
Just happened to see a great 90-minute special today called "Thrilla in Manila" about Ali-Frazier 3. That remains my all-time favorite HW fight. Of course, they had to ruin it with an old, fat Larry Holmes spouting off about how Ali was overrated. Spoken like the bitter, racist, fat bum he will always be.
I thought Larry Holmes always respected Muhammad Ali ? as they were old sparring partners ? and Muhammad Ali wasn't racist ? he was probably one of the most insulting boxers of all time, yet everyone loves him.

Larry Holmes had a good reason to be the way he was, he was never respected during his title reign. And when he fought Gerry Cooney, President Reagan phoned him to wish him good luck, there was alot of racism during that fight.

And Larry Holmes was so racist that during the staredown, he said to Gerry Cooney "lets have a good fight". And they also do a charity thing together now i believe ?

The fact is Larry Holmes is a top 5 Heavyweight, and only recently in last few years. Has he started to get his respect.
I personally don't think Ali was a racist. He was a proud black man who wore his emotions on his sleeve, and reacted to the white supremacist racism that was so open at that time. A lot of the insults he piled on opponents, he did to pump up publicity for the fights.

And I don't begrudge Holmes his skills and his place in boxing history. But to me, Holmes WAS racist. And bitter... and did a lot of whining and complaining. I don't think Ali ever belittled fighters 'cause they were white, whereas I'm sure Holmes did. Yeah, he may have come around at the wrong time, following in Ali's footsteps. But he could have been a helluva lot more gracious about it. Even to this day, you see an interview with the guy, and his abrasive personality comes through. I don't know... I just have never liked the guy.