Larry Holmes is a Great Who Deserves Respect
Champion For Seven Years the Easton Assassin Defeated All Comers
Oct 22, 2009
So what is it that determines boxing greatness? Longevity, technical excellence, deep reserves of intestinal fortitude and a glossy record replete with stellar opposition, all surely have to be taken into account. Larry Holmes, champion for seven years and a fighter who racked up 20 successful defences, can proudly tick all of the above boxes. Yet surprisingly Holmes’ name often features below the likes of Mike Tyson, George Foreman and Lennox Lewis whenever the subject of the all-time greats in the division is raised.
In attempting to assess Holmes’ legacy and impact as champion one has to combat a couple of damaging misconceptions. Firstly that Holmes fought in a distinctly desultory era as far as heavyweight boxing was concerned. Secondly that his reign was tarnished by his upset defeat to the rising Light-Heavyweight title-holder Michael Spinks and his disparaging and disrespectful tirade against the man whose record he was attempting to eclipse, Rocky Marciano.
Larry Holmes' Opponents
While it is fair to say that Holmes defeated his fair share of uninspiring challengers, most notably Lorenzo Zanon, Lucien Rodriguez and Alfredo Evangelista, the general quality of his title opponents would bear comparison with that faced by a number of more lauded champions. Holmes defeated quality men in Tim Witherspoon (15-0), Carl Williams (16-0), Gerry Cooney (26-0), James “Bonecrusher” Smith (14-1) and Earnie Shavers (59-7-1). He was still in possession of the IBF title at the age of thirty-five and, until outfoxed by Spinks, more than capable of turning aside the challenges of much younger and fresher men. No fewer than eight of his title opponents entered the ring unbeaten and even those with less than glittering records, men such as Mike Weaver and Randall Cobb, would have been fancied to provide many of today’s top heavyweights with a difficult examination.
Holmes was responsible for handing Muhammad Ali the only stoppage defeat on his incomparable resume, though even here he is damned with faint praise. At 38 years of age Ali was a weight drained and punched out shadow of his former self. Though Holmes, to his credit, did what had to be done in pounding out a ten round retirement victory.
Holmes Losses to Spinks
Holmes himself was eventually forced to bow before Father Time. At the age of thirty-five he lost a close and extremely contentious decision to the much younger Michael Spinks and in doing so saw his run of victories ended at 48, one short of Rocky Marciano's division record. Spinks, by virtue of a wafer thin yet unanimous decision became the first Light Heavyweight in history to move up and secure the Heavyweight crown.
The split decision loss in the rematch prompted Holmes’ infamous attack on Marciano. Bitter and disappointed in the immediate aftermath of defeat Holmes raged, “If you want to get technical about it, Rocky Marciano couldn’t carry my jockstrap.” Holmes, to his credit later retracted his tactless remarks. Though sadly the damage had been done. While it is easy to heap excoriating criticism on such vulgar boorishness others might choose to pity Holmes that he was not active in today’s more permissive age; when post fight hyperbole and ungracious posturing in victory are, if not actively lauded, then at least roundly tolerated. A legacy of excellence surely cannot be wiped out by one moment of ill-considered spite.
Holmes Fought Many Exciting Battles
Throughout his championship career Holmes engaged in many exciting battles. His war with Ken Norton was one for the ages with the final round rightly being regarded as one of the finest in the sport’s history.
His bouts with Earnie Shavers and Reinaldo Snipes would showcase his outstanding recuperative powers and heart. Dropped in both fights by right hands that would have levelled lesser fighter, Holmes rebounded from the very brink of defeat to pound out exciting stoppage wins. Against Shavers, one of the hardest one punch knock out artists in the history of the sport, Holmes showcased his courage. Tottering on unsteady legs and facing a foe feared and avoided a generation of heavyweights, Holmes would call upon his guile, limitless courage, and peerless jab to box his way out of trouble before eventually turning the tables on his erstwhile tormentor.
The Easton Assassin
Holmes always came into the ring in top condition, a salutary lesson that some of today’s porcine heavyweight contenders would do well to emulate. At 6’3’’ and the possessor of an 81’’ reach Holmes flaunted what many consider to be the best jab in heavyweight history. His jab was a rapier like weapon capable of hurting and demoralising any opponent; no pawing range finder but a swift, sharp and potent weapon that struck with the studied precision of a metronome.
Holmes, during his run as champion, could be hurt and dropped but never discouraged or demoralized. Indeed he possessed an ability to rally from the brink of defeat that only Matthew Saad Muhammad of his contemporaries could emulate. His stamina was evident in the number of times he rebounded to secure late stoppage victories. He possessed a bewilderingly diverse arsenal of offensive gifts punctuated by a punishing right hand.
Holmes' Position Among the Heavyweight Greats
Holmes was a formidable composite of fistic abilities. Adroit defensively, capable of withstanding copious amounts of punishment and possessed of an offensive arsenal diverse and effective enough to repel the challenges of a generation of top fighters. He may have been unlucky that, unlike Ali, he had no Frazier or Foreman to rubber stamp his greatness, yet he did all that was asked of him over an unbroken title reign only bettered in length by Joe Louis. He deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest heavyweights ever to lace on a pair of gloves.
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