Larry Holmes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Larry Holmes
Holmes in 1996
Statistics
Nickname(s)	The Easton Assassin
Rated at	Heavyweight
Height	6 ft 3 in
Reach	81 in
Born	(1949-11-03) November 3, 1949 (age 75) Cuthbert, Georgia, U.S.
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	75
Wins	69
Wins by KO	44
Losses	6

Larry Holmes (born November 3, 1949) is a famous American former professional boxer. He competed from 1973 to 2002. He was the world heavyweight champion from 1978 until 1985. Many people think he is one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania. This is why his boxing nickname was the "Easton Assassin".

Larry Holmes's left jab (a quick punch) is often called one of the best in heavyweight boxing history. He held the WBC heavyweight title from 1978 to 1983. He also held The Ring magazine and lineal heavyweight titles from 1980 to 1985. He was also the first IBF heavyweight champion from 1983 to 1985.

Holmes won his first 48 professional fights. He beat famous boxers like Ken Norton, Muhammad Ali, and Gerry Cooney. He almost matched Rocky Marciano's record of 49 wins without a loss. But he lost his 49th fight to Michael Spinks in 1985. Holmes retired after losing a rematch to Spinks the next year. However, he came back to boxing several times. He tried four more times to win a heavyweight title but was not successful. He fought his last match in 2002 when he was 52 years old. He ended his career with 69 wins and 6 losses. All of his losses were in world title fights.

Holmes is often seen as one of the greatest heavyweights ever. He has been added to both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and World Boxing Hall of Fame. He is the only boxer to have defeated Muhammad Ali by stoppage. He is also the last living boxer to have defeated Ali.

Larry Holmes's Early Life

Larry Holmes was the fourth of twelve children. His parents were John and Flossie Holmes. In 1954, his family moved to Easton, Pennsylvania. This is in the eastern part of Pennsylvania. Larry's father worked as a gardener in Connecticut. He visited his family every three weeks. He passed away in 1970. Larry's mother, Flossie, said he did not leave them. He just did not have much to give. The family lived on welfare. To help his family, Larry left school in the seventh grade. He started working at a car wash for $1 an hour. Later, he drove a dump truck. He also worked in a quarry in the Lehigh Valley.

Larry Holmes's Amateur Boxing Career

Larry Holmes started boxing when he was 18 years old. He had 21 amateur fights. In his twenty-first fight, he boxed Nick Wells. This was in the semifinals of the 1972 National Olympic Trials. Wells won that fight in the first round.

Even so, Larry was chosen by the United States Olympic Committee to fight in the Olympic box-offs. This was in West Point, New York. He had a match against Duane Bobick. Bobick knocked Holmes down in the first round. Larry got up and moved around. He landed some good jabs. Bobick attacked Holmes in the second round. But he could not trap him. The referee warned Holmes twice for holding too much. In the third round, Bobick landed more punches. He started to corner Holmes, who kept holding. Finally, Holmes was disqualified for holding too much.

Larry Holmes's Professional Boxing Career

Starting Out as a Pro Boxer

Larry Holmes had 19 wins and 3 losses as an amateur. He became a professional boxer on March 21, 1973. He won his first professional fight against Rodell Dupree. Early in his career, he worked as a training partner. He trained with famous boxers like Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. He was paid well and learned a lot. Holmes said he was young and did not know much. But he was holding his own against those top boxers. He thought if he could do well then, he could do even better later.

Holmes became a serious contender in March 1978. He surprised many by beating the strong puncher Earnie Shavers. Holmes won by a clear decision after twelve rounds. He won almost every round on the judges' scorecards. This win led to a title fight for Holmes. He would fight WBC Heavyweight Champion Ken Norton. The fight was in Las Vegas on June 9, 1978.

Winning the WBC Heavyweight Title

Holmes fought Ken Norton on June 9, 1978. It was a very tough and close fight. After fourteen rounds, all three judges had the score tied. Holmes fought hard in the last round. He won the fifteenth round on two scorecards. This gave him the WBC title by a split decision.

In his first two title defenses, Holmes easily knocked out Alfredo Evangelista and Ossie Ocasio. His third title defense was much harder. On June 22, 1979, Holmes faced Mike Weaver. Weaver was not expected to win, with a record of 19 wins and 8 losses. After ten tough rounds, Holmes knocked Weaver down. This happened with a right uppercut late in the eleventh round. In the twelfth, Holmes attacked right away. He pushed Weaver against the ropes. He hit him with strong right punches. The referee then stopped the fight. Holmes said Weaver had hit him very hard. He also said Weaver deserved more respect after that fight.

Three months later, on September 28, 1979, Holmes had a rematch with Shavers. Shavers had earned this title shot by knocking out Norton. Holmes was in control for the first six rounds. But in the seventh, Shavers knocked Holmes down with a powerful punch. Holmes got up and survived the round. He then punished Shavers in the eleventh round. The referee stopped the fight.

His next three title defenses were knockouts. He beat Lorenzo Zanon, Leroy Jones, and Scott LeDoux.

The Fight Against Muhammad Ali

On October 2, 1980, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Holmes defended his title. He fought Muhammad Ali, who was coming out of retirement. Ali wanted to be the first boxer to win the world heavyweight title four times. Holmes was much stronger than the 38-year-old Ali. He won every round on all three judges' scorecards. At the end of the tenth round, Ali's trainer stopped the fight. Holmes was hitting Ali very hard. This was the only time Ali lost a fight by stoppage in his career. After this win, Holmes was also recognized as the World Heavyweight Champion by The Ring magazine.

Ali later said his poor performance was due to thyroid medicine. He said it helped him lose weight. But it also made him feel very tired for the fight.

Holmes seemed sad after punishing Ali so much. Tears came to his eyes during an interview after the fight. When asked why he was crying, he said he respected Ali "a whole lot." He added that Ali fought one of the best heavyweights in the world. He said no one could take credit away from Ali.

Holmes's trainer, Richie Giachetti, called the fight "awful." He said it was the worst sports event he had ever seen. Actor Sylvester Stallone was at the fight. He said it was like watching an autopsy on a man who was still alive. Many believe the fight against Holmes contributed to Ali's Parkinson's syndrome.

More Title Defenses

After eight knockout wins in a row, Holmes had to go the full distance in his next fight. He successfully defended his title against Trevor Berbick on April 11, 1981. Berbick later became a WBC Heavyweight Champion. In his next fight, two months later, Holmes knocked out former Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion Leon Spinks in three rounds. On November 6, 1981, Holmes was knocked down in the seventh round. He got up and went on to stop Renaldo Snipes in the eleventh round.

The Big Fight with Gerry Cooney

On June 11, 1982, Holmes defended his title against Gerry Cooney. Cooney was undefeated and the top challenger. He was also Irish-American. The time leading up to the fight had some racial tension. The promoter, Don King, and others promoted Cooney as the "Great White Hope." Holmes said that if Cooney were not white, he would not be getting the same amount of money as the champion. Both boxers received $10 million for the fight. Cooney tried to avoid questions about race. But some people in his team wore shirts that said "Not the White Man, but the Right Man." Usually, the champion is introduced last. But Cooney, the challenger, was introduced last.

The fight took place in a large stadium. It was built in a Caesar's Palace parking lot. Millions more watched around the world. The first round was quiet. Then, Holmes knocked Cooney down in the second round. Cooney fought back well in the next two rounds. He hit Holmes hard with his left hook. Holmes later said Cooney hit him so hard he felt it in his bones. Cooney started to get tired by the ninth round. He had two points taken away for hitting below the belt. In the tenth, they traded punches without stopping. At the end of the round, they nodded to each other as a sign of respect. Cooney lost another point for low blows in the eleventh. By then, Holmes was landing punches easily. In the thirteenth round, a lot of punches sent Cooney down. He got up, but his trainer stopped the fight.

After the fight, Holmes and Cooney became good friends.

Problems with the WBC

Holmes's next two fights were easy wins. He beat Randall "Tex" Cobb and Lucien Rodriguez. On May 20, 1983, Holmes defended his title against Tim Witherspoon. Witherspoon later became a WBC and WBA Heavyweight Champion. Witherspoon was not expected to win. He had only 15 professional fights. But he surprised many by giving Holmes a very tough fight. After twelve rounds, Holmes kept his title by a close split decision.

On September 10, 1983, Holmes defended the WBC title for the sixteenth time. He knocked out Scott Frank in five rounds. Holmes then agreed to fight Marvis Frazier, the son of Joe Frazier. This fight was set for November 25, 1983. However, the WBC refused to approve the fight. Frazier was not a top-ranked boxer. The WBC told Holmes to fight Greg Page, who was the top challenger. If he did not, he would lose his title. Promoter Don King offered Holmes $2.55 million to fight Page. But Holmes did not think that was enough. He was making $3.1 million to fight Frazier. He felt he should get $5 million to fight Page.

Holmes had an easy time with Frazier. He knocked him out in the first round. The next month, Holmes gave up his WBC championship.

Becoming IBF Heavyweight Champion

Even though the WBC no longer recognized him as champion, Holmes was still seen as the true champion. He was also recognized as world champion by The Ring magazine. On December 11, 1983, a new boxing group was formed, the International Boxing Federation (IBF). They recognized Holmes as their champion, and he accepted.

In 1984, Holmes and Gerrie Coetzee, the WBA champion, planned to fight. They wanted to combine their titles on June 15, 1984. The fight was canceled because the promoters could not get enough money. Holmes was promised $13 million and Coetzee $8 million. Even after lowering the money, they still could not find enough support. Don King then planned to promote the fight. But Holmes lost a lawsuit. So, Holmes decided to move on and fight someone else.

On November 9, 1984, after a year out of the ring, Holmes defended his IBF title. He stopped James "Bonecrusher" Smith in the twelfth round due to a cut. In early 1985, Holmes stopped David Bey in ten rounds. This was his 19th title defense. His next fight against Carl "The Truth" Williams was surprisingly tough. Williams was younger and faster. He was able to hit Holmes more often with his jab. Holmes's eye was badly swollen by the end of the fight. Holmes won by a close decision after fifteen rounds. Many people disagreed with the decision.

Fights Against Michael Spinks

Holmes's next fight could make boxing history. He agreed to fight Michael Spinks. Spinks was the undisputed champion in a lighter weight class (light heavyweight). The fight was for Holmes's twentieth world title defense on September 21, 1985. If Holmes won, he would tie Rocky Marciano's record of 49 wins without a loss. Spinks, meanwhile, wanted to be one of the few boxers to win titles in two different weight classes. Also, if he beat Holmes, Spinks would be the first light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight title.

Before the fight, Archie Moore, a famous light heavyweight, predicted Holmes would win easily. He said Larry would "chew him up." Moore thought Michael might be faster, but not fast enough. Despite this, Spinks made history. He defeated Holmes by a unanimous decision. He became the first light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight title. After the fight, a frustrated Holmes said, "Rocky Marciano couldn't carry my jockstrap."

Holmes had a rematch with Spinks on April 19, 1986. Spinks kept the title with a close split decision. The judges' scores were very close. In an interview after the fight, Holmes was still upset. He said some strong words about the judges and promoters.

On November 6, 1986, three days after his 37th birthday, Holmes announced he was retiring.

Larry Holmes's Comebacks

Several of Holmes's boxing robes on display at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York in May 2013

Larry Holmes Drive, a street in Easton, Pennsylvania named in honor of Holmes. He was from Easton and was known as "The Easton Assassin".

On January 22, 1988, Holmes was convinced to come out of retirement. He was offered $2.8 million to challenge Mike Tyson, the current Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion. Tyson knocked Holmes down in the fourth round. Holmes got up, but Tyson knocked him down two more times in that round. The fight was stopped. This was the only time Holmes was knocked out in his career. After the fight, Holmes retired again.

Holmes returned to boxing in 1991. He became a very active fighter. He often fought on TV every few weeks against newer boxers. After five wins, he fought Ray Mercer on February 7, 1992. Mercer was undefeated and an Olympic Gold Medalist. Holmes surprised everyone and won by a decision after 12 rounds. Holmes later said he fought Mercer even though he had an eye injury. This win gave Holmes a chance to fight Evander Holyfield. Holyfield was the Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion. On June 19, 1992, Holyfield defeated Holmes by a decision after twelve rounds.

On April 8, 1995, he fought Oliver McCall for the WBC title. Holmes lost by a close decision after 12 rounds. Two judges had him losing by only one point.

Holmes was back in the ring five months later. He continued to fight often. However, he was getting tired of boxing. After he fought and knocked out Anthony Willis in June 1996, Holmes said this would likely be his last fight. He said this unless he got another chance at a title.

On January 24, 1997, Holmes got his last chance to fight for a heavyweight championship. He traveled to Copenhagen to fight Brian Nielsen. Nielsen was undefeated and the IBO champion. Nielsen won by a split decision after 12 rounds. He kept his title.

Holmes and George Foreman planned to fight on January 23, 1999. But Foreman canceled the fight a few weeks before. The promoter did not pay him the rest of his money. Foreman received $1 million, and Holmes kept $400,000.

Holmes's next two fights were rematches with old opponents. On June 18, 1999, he stopped "Bonecrusher" Smith in eight rounds. On November 17, 2000, he stopped Mike Weaver in six rounds.

Holmes's final fight was on July 27, 2002. It was in Norfolk, Virginia. He defeated Eric "Butterbean" Esch by a decision after 10 rounds.

Larry Holmes's Life After Boxing

Holmes in September 2010 at Beaufort, South Carolina. Here, Joe Frazier received the Order of the Palmetto, a top award from the Governor of South Carolina.

Larry Holmes invested the money he earned from boxing. He settled in his hometown of Easton. When he retired from boxing, Holmes had many businesses. He employed over 200 people. In 2008, he owned two restaurants and a nightclub. He also had a training center, an office complex, and a snack bar. As of 2009, Holmes co-hosted a talk show called What The Heck Were They Thinking?

In 2014, Holmes sold his business complex in Easton. He sold it to Gerald Gorman, the CEO of mail.com.

In 2016, Holmes appeared as himself in a TV show. It was an episode of Mike Tyson Mysteries.

Honors and Awards

Larry Holmes was added to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.

Larry Holmes's Personal Life

In 1979, Larry Holmes married Diane Robinson. They have two children together. He also has three daughters from earlier relationships.

As of 2019, Holmes lives in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania. This is close to Easton.

Larry's younger brother, Mark Holmes, was also a boxer. He was a middleweight boxer from 1980 to 1987.

Professional Boxing Record

Exhibition Boxing Record

See also

In Spanish: Larry Holmes para niños

• List of heavyweight boxing champions
• List of WBC world champions
• List of IBF world champions
• List of The Ring world champions