Larry Holmes ATG

[Xyei]

I thought he won both Spinks fights.

Wasn't he really close to matching Marciano's record of 49-0 leading into those fights?

[Silencers]

Wasn't he really close to matching Marciano's record of 49-0 leading into those fights?

He was 48-0 heading into the first fight.

[Sugarj]

Just imagine if Larry had beaten Marciano's record. He came so close!

That said if he had retired in 1985 the outcry for a Tyson fight a couple of years later would be too much for him to have ignored. He would surely have been offered even more than he did get in 1988 when he did face Tyson (two undefeated legends would have made many millions).

The outcome would have been the same too!!!!

I do however think that the Holmes of 1980 would beat the Tyson of 1988.

[Xyei]

He was 48-0 heading into the first fight.

That's what I thought. I heard someone (maybe Larry himself) saying that they robbed him in that fight just so that he wouldn't achieve that goal. I haven't seen those two fights to make a judgment for myself, but from what I've read, both fights were highly controversial..

Another thing that was weird that happened to him is when he fought Gerry Cooney, they announced Cooney's name after Larry's when Larry was champion. I think this is the only time that ever happened in a championship fight.

[Silencers]

Just imagine if Larry had beaten Marciano's record. He came so close!

That said if he had retired in 1985 the outcry for a Tyson fight a couple of years later would be too much for him to have ignored. He would surely have been offered even more than he did get in 1988 when he did face Tyson (two undefeated legends would have made many millions).

The outcome would have been the same too!!!!

I do however think that the Holmes of 1980 would beat the Tyson of 1988.

He definitely would have made more money had he retired undefeated and came back to fight Tyson.

I think a prime Holmes would've beaten a prime Tyson as well but Cus D'Amato always talked to Tyson about beating Holmes, he devised a strategy with Tyson on beating Holmes years before they actually got into the ring.

[Silencers]

That's what I thought. I heard someone (maybe Larry himself) saying that they robbed him in that fight just so that he wouldn't achieve that goal. I haven't seen those two fights to make a judgment for myself, but from what I've read, both fights were highly controversial..

Another thing that was weird that happened to him is when he fought Gerry Cooney, they announced Cooney's name after Larry's when Larry was champion. I think this is the only time that ever happened in a championship fight.

Very controversial, I thought the first fight was closer to the second but had Holmes winning clearly.

Racial tension was very high when Holmes fought Cooney, Don King made the fight into a race thing to sell tickets and it worked. It was very disrespectful to Holmes to get announced after Cooney.

[Scott9945]

why do you think he never got the respect he should have.

Probably because he was always whining about not getting respect.

[Dynamite76]

why do you think he never got the respect he should have.

Because he came after Ali, never truly kissed a lot of ass, and didn't really have the personality that some of the other superstars had.Plus, to a lesser extent, he didn't unify the title, and duck some contenders.

[Xyei]

Because he came after Ali, never truly kissed a lot of ass, and didn't really have the personality that some of the other superstars had.Plus, to a lesser extent, he didn't unify the title, and duck some contenders.

Props to you for not starting a new thread. Were you searching this topic or something? I was just about to reply "didn't we just have a thread like this" but realized it was the same one.

I've already given my opinions.

[Zocalo]

The guy had the sad fate of being the best heavyweight champ after Ali. You can't look good when you have to Ali's shadow always behind you. He would kill any current heavyweight champ in his prime of even in his later years.