
By James Blears
Larry Holmes celebrated seventieth birthday on Saturday, and we salute one of the greatest heavyweight champions of them all.
A career spanning 1973 to 2002. WBC champion from 1973-1983. Aa a champion he made 20 successful defences. Only Wladimir Klitschko with twenty two, and the illustrious Joe Louis with an astounding twenty five, had more.
A statue of Larry stands on Champ’s Corner at 91 Larry Holmes Drive in his home town of Easton in Pennsylvania. And that’s appropriate too, because if ever there was a fighter who was driven by ambition, it was Larry. That burning desire to prove the doubters wrong. Those who felt his legs were too thin and that he didn’t have enough inbuilt stamina to be effective over the full distance of a championship fight.
Larry proved them all utterly wrong, and in the process, showed the World what a tremendous boxer plus courageous man he was, is and forever will be.
Larry fought them all during his time. Mike Weaver, James “Bonecrusher” Smith, Gerry Cooney, Oliver McCall, Evander Holyfield, Tim Witherspoon and Ray Mercer. But the fights which really define him are as follows:
The titanic war with Ken Norton for the WBC Championship. After fourteen amazing grueling rounds of nonstop fighting, the two of them locked together…dead even…and bone weary tired!
It was all or nothing pure heavyweight drama in those final three minutes. Dredging up literally everything he had left, Kenny attacked. It looked as though he was going to edge past the winning post. But then, somehow Larry dug deep and then still deeper. He counter attacked with a titanic effort.
Aware they were witnessing true greatness, the crowd was rose to its feet roaring them home. Both were fighting flat out, and on absolute empty, but Larry just had the edge and won it on two of the three Judges` score cards. Every time I see the film, it brings tears to my eyes!
As that final bell clanged, Kenny gave Larry a light pat on the side of the shorts. Mutual respect!
Larry recently recalled: “Kenny was a good man and a great friend. How I miss him now he’s gone!”
Back then, who could blame a tired but Jubilant Larry with team in tow, trooping to the swimming pool of Caesar’s Palace, and jumping in to cool off. Promise fulfilled!
Green and gold belts are also made of stern stuff and the symbol of boxing’s greatest achievement was none the worse.
Even bigger tests and ordeals were to follow. A rematch with Earnie Shavers, tested Larry’s mettle in the glowing furnace. Coasting in full command after six rounds, Larry walked smack bang into a blockbuster overhead right thunderbolt from explosive hitting Earnie. How he got up defying gravity from this grave crisis, and fought on to stop Earnie in the eleventh, still utterly eludes me. It defies belief!
If anything the knockdown courtesy of Renaldo Snipes…same punch, same round was even more shuddering. As he got up at the count of four, Larry pitched forward, staggering into the ropes.
Renaldo sailed right back in, seeking to finish a stricken foe. But then something amazing happened. Larry harnessed mind over matter and started to fight back! The Referee halted the fight in the eleventh, as Larry landed a terrific right to Renaldo head and then followed up with a barrage.
The monumental fight against Gerry Cooney. Larry put Gerry down in the second, Gerry got up and fought on until the thirteenth, when Larry overwhelmed him and Gerry`s Coach Victor Valle, humanely called a halt. Larry and Gerry have since become friends. Fighting an opponent in a this way always leaves a bond. Many times it leads to mutual respect.
Then the tearful heartache of having to fight and defeat a fading Muhammad Ali. As an eighteen year old Larry had been a sparring partner for the Maestro. He’d gone there, nursing cracked rips from some fire and brimstone sessions with “Smokin” Joe Frazier. Joe had never known how to ease up in sparring!
Ali didn’t hurt the bruised youngster, using him for speed and to hone reflexes.
Larry observed: “Ali was a guy with a lot of discipline. If you hung around him, you’d be able to get some of that discipline, and I learned from that. He was also a sweet man.”
Anyone who’s followed the career of Larry Holmes, knows his greatness, but also his guts! As Larry has said: “My fans know the name Larry Holmes and that he always gave his all.”
Larry also reflected: “I always felt good about myself. I was just an average person. I always felt I could do anything anyone else could. If an average person makes up their mind to do something…they can!
Larry Holmes is being too modest. He just might have started out as average. His achievements tend to point towards BRILLIANT AND MEMORABLE! We salute you CHAMP!
THIS ARTTICLE IS DEDICATED TO THE EVERLASTING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR FRIEND, REPORTER AND MAN OF GENTLE HUMOR…JULIAN SANCHEZ.
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