Heavyweight icon Larry Holmes is one of the most successful champions of all time, having put together a legendary seven-year reign. Although, there is one opponent that Holmes admits he never should have faced.
Holmes dethroned Ken Norton with a split decision win back in 1978 to get his hands on the WBC heavyweight world title and hung onto the belt up until 1985; defeating challengers such as Muhammad Ali, Earnie Shavers and Leon Spinks during that time.
That famous run was brought to an end by Michael Spinks, who handed Holmes a first career defeat and then also won their rematch the following year, leaving ‘The Easton Assassin’ with a record of 48-2 as he announced his retirement from the sport.
Yet, less than two years later, Holmes returned to action to take on unified world champion Mike Tyson, where he suffered the solitary stoppage defeat of his career – ironed out by Mike in just four rounds.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Holmes honestly shared that he only accepted that fight for the money and that doing so was a mistake in hindsight, but declared his confidence in beating Tyson if he was a few years younger.
“I shouldn’t have come out of retirement against him. I fought Mike Tyson and I lost. He stopped me. Tyson could punch, you can’t take that away from him.
“He would stand in front of you, try and push you against the ropes, but he wouldn’t have been able to do that to me in my prime. I would have beaten him. But I did it for the money.”
Holmes continued to fight up until 2002, finally hanging up the gloves with a record of 68-6 at the age of 52.