Larry Holmes: “The Klitschko brothers aren’t carrying the sport."

[Jedi Vader]

http://www. e a s t sideboxing.com/news.php?p=30277&more=1

Strangely enough, back when all-time great Larry Holmes was plying his trade in the late ‘70s and early-to-mid 1980s, fans and experts were complaining how the heavyweight division was on its downside; that the great fighters had pretty much all gone. Holmes himself is still angry today over the way he failed, as he puts it “to get his just due.”

Today, however, fans would give anything to see a fighter like Holmes - and the guys he fought, such as Tim Witherspoon (a great battle), Earnie Shavers, Mike Weaver, etc - in action. In fact today, fans look back at Holmes’ era as a great era indeed. Larry himself sure does, and in a recent interview with Leighton Ginn of The Desert Sun, “The Easton Assassin” spoke of how bad the heavyweight division is today - to the extent that the man on the street no longer knows who the world heavyweight champion actually is!

“The Klitschko brothers aren’t carrying it [the sport],” Holmes said. “People are asking me every day, ‘Who’s the heavyweight champion?’ I don’t know. I feel sorry for boxing today because the heavyweight division carried boxing and the middleweights carried boxing. The only thing that’s carrying boxing now is the middleweight division, and people aren’t thinking about the other weight classes.”

Holmes went on to say how he feels boxing will “come back”, but that a “rising star is needed to take over boxing.” Larry may be guilty of over exaggerating as he claims the currently bad condition of boxing (as fans know, the Klitschko brothers are huge stars in all of Europe, where not only the heavyweight division but all of boxing currently thrives) but it’s hard to argue with him when he says that his era - and that of a few years before him, when Ali and Frazier were warring - was a very special time indeed.

Larry, like a number of U.S fans, seems despondent over the fact that America no longer plays a massive role in the heavyweight division. The “rising star” Holmes years for is surely of American origin. But will America ever climb back to dominate the sport’s most important weight class the way it did for almost a hundred years? Looking around for upcoming U.S heavyweight prospects, only Seth Mitchell looks promising.

Holmes wants the fans he meets and greets to once again know who the world heavyweight champion is. The way the Klitschkos are dominating, he may have a long wait.

[-Deal With It-]

Prepare to witness a monumental level of

In this thread.

[HooksInYou]

Did Holmes ever "carry the sport"? I just remember him getting gift decisions over Witherspoon and Williams and being twice beaten by a light heavyweight that Tyson knocked out in a minute and a half.

[-Deal With It-]

Originally Posted by HooksInYou

Did Holmes ever "carry the sport"? I just remember him getting gift decisions over Witherspoon and Williams and being twice beaten by a light heavyweight that Tyson knocked out in a minute and a half.

Witherspoon, the Truth & Spinks > Corrie Sanders, Ross Purrity, Lamon Brewster, Chris Byrd & an old, inactive out of shape Lewis.

[boxing1983]

People are always critical of the heavyweight division do to its history of big fights and great fighters. The heavyweight division was considered weak when Holmes fought and also the 90's if you remember which had guys like Holyfield, Tyson, Bowe and Lewis. When you think of it now it did not look all the weak in comparison to today. Who knows maybe the Klitschkos are really that good. Or perhaps they fought in the weakest heavyweight era. Time will tell.

[Jedi Vader]

Originally Posted by boxing1983

People are always critical of the heavyweight division do to its history of big fights and great fighters. The heavyweight division was considered weak when Holmes fought and also the 90's if you remember which had guys like Holyfield, Tyson, Bowe and Lewis. When you think of it now it did not look all the weak in comparison to today. Who knows maybe the Klitschkos are really that good. Or perhaps they fought in the weakest heavyweight era. Time will tell.

That is true but this era is the weakest it's been for the best part of a century.

[nomadman]

Originally Posted by Jedi Vader

That is true but this era is the weakest it's been for the best part of a century.

Today's HW division isn't weak so much as lacking in excitement and good matchups.

At least you don't have farmboys entering the sport in their late twenties and becoming world champ.

[Jedi Vader]

Originally Posted by It's Ovah

Today's HW division isn't weak so much as lacking in excitement and good matchups.

At least you don't have farmboys entering the sport in their late twenties and becoming world champ.

To be Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World is the pinnacle of all sports. It holds more prestige than winning the 100m at the Olympics and holding the world record. Over the last 5 decades, everyone including their dog would know who held that title. You couldn't say the same about the division now.

[Bring It On]

Originally Posted by Larry Holmes

The only thing that’s carrying boxing now is the middleweight division, and people aren’t thinking about the other weight classes.

Really? What a load of BS.

If anything, WW is carrying boxing.

[F l i c k e r]

Originally Posted by It's Ovah

Today's HW division isn't weak so much as lacking in excitement and good matchups.

At least you don't have farmboys entering the sport in their late twenties and becoming world champ.

I agree.

It's not so much about the Klitschkos, it's more about the heavyweight division lacking excitement. There is nothing exciting about that division, on a whole, including the Klitschkos. So the division and the brothers are pretty irrelevant.