Boxing legend and one of the finest heavyweight champions of all time, Larry Holmes, has no doubt about who really deserves to be called ‘the greatest.’
The marquee division has long produced not only world-class fighters but men who transcended the sport, bringing boxing to the front as well as the back pages.
Holmes, who became WBC heavyweight champion after a thrilling 15-round war with Ken Norton in June 1978, is rightly regarded as one of the greats of the division’s rich history. His reign from 1978 to 1985 included 16 successful title defences.
“The Easton Assassin” eventually relinquished his belt amid a financial dispute with promoter Don King, rather than face No.1 contender Greg Page. He later accepted an IBF title shot against James “Bonecrusher” Smith, beginning a new championship reign in November 1984 before Michael Spinks ended it a year later in one of 1985’s biggest upsets.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Holmes reflected on his career-long battle for recognition despite his legacy-defining run as champion.
“Even today I don’t really get the recognition that I would normally get like a Mike Tyson.
“I had (nearly) 20 title defences. Mike Tyson had three or four and then lost.
“I was champ for seven-and-a-half years. They don’t want to recognize me. [Muhammad] Ali don’t have the fights that I had defending the title. He didn’t hold his title for seven and a half years. Only one guy had that title for longer than seven and a half years [and that] was Joe Louis. And the only person that had a record like mine was Rocky Marciano –– nobody else.”
Tyson in fact made nine defences of the WBC title after beating Trevor Berbick in November 1986.
As for who truly deserves the crown of the greatest heavyweight of all time, it’s a debate that could rage for hours. But Holmes, for one, has already made up his mind.
“Why does Muhammad Ali got to be the greatest? He could say he’s the greatest, you could say he’s the greatest but I know different –– I’m the greatest!”
Holmes famously fought an aging Ali in October 1980, claiming a 10th round retirement win in a bout that doesn’t sit well with many boxing fans.