Holmes was recently inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame. Looking back at his career how do u feel he ranks among the best? He had one of if not the best jab in boxing history. His right hand was devasting. 20 title defenses and the longest reign of any Heavyweight Champ He was only stopped once, by Tyson. He gave a prime Holyfield all he could handle. His war with Norton is legendary. And he was robbed (in my opinion) in the rematch with Spinks. Yes he fought alot of bums but he did beat alot of good young fighters. He could never shake the shadow of Ali and when he beat Ali got no credit for it. He had a big mouth like his comment about Marciano. And was his own worst enemy with the public and press. Whats your take on him?
2007-12-11 11:16:04 · 8 answers · asked by ♠ACEMAN♠ 5 in Sports ➔ Boxing
I think "Boxing People", know, really know that Larry Holmes was a great, great fighter, all-time great champion, but sadly he wasn't embraced by the masses.
I think that the Larry Holmes marketing machine was non-existant. If you don't think that was important then compare fighters who impact the sport but don't accomplish what Holmes did. I think Larry simply believed if he kept winning the acclaim would come...He kept winning, but no acclaim. Now it seems that everyone realizes "Hey, Larry was pretty good, huh?"
So was he underated, no. Underappreciated? YES!! Most people rate him easily in their top 10 heavyweights, and some in their top 5 ( I rate him 4th all-time), but for some reason when I talk boxing with people I never say remember the Holmes vs. (fill in the blank) fight? I liked Holmes but he never stayed on my mind more than a week or two after he fought. He never was in the headlines for anything else other than a title win or whatever, he for all his skill never was bigger than life, like Ali or Leonard.
Anyway, I think he just wasn't appreciated, but he was truly an all-time great, and the numbers alone speak to that.
Keep Your Hands up.
Big Nate Dog
Speaking of skill...he won his last fight at age 52!!!!!!!
perhaps he's even better that I thought!!!!!
2007-12-11 14:48:35 · answer #1 · answered by Big Nate Dog 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You tend to ask a question and then completely answer it as to steer peoples answer in a direction. I would have said basically what you said in your details for my answer. I do disagree to some degree about the color, but not completely. Had Marciano been black, his legacy would have been the same, right up there with Louis, Ali and Johnson as some black fighter who made some kind of difference. It may have helped a little actually. In the case of Holmes, had he been white, yes, it would have been 100% different because he'd be the white pride beating all of the blacks... people may have hated Tyson (sooner) and Spinks too, evetually under rating them. If Marciano was black, and had a 49-0 record, I could absolutelly assure you a white Holmes wouldn't have lost via decision to Spinks on his 49th outing. Ofcourse there is racism out there. In the case of Marciano I do not believe it'd matter though. As far as not saying there were no greats except Johnson and then from Louis on is crazy. That's to say Babe Ruth was no big deal either. Somehow I can't agree that a fighter's legacy suffers due to how the sport was run. There are many blacks at Heavy right now and it's not working out so well for them is it? Blacks are not some super human killing machines. If you look at all the champions, most are not black. Whites could beat them then like now, we are all the same. Boxing is so messed up right now in several other, and perhaps worse, ways. Is that to say there are no greats anymore? So anyway, yeah, that's how I feel about that, have a nice day buddy. P.S. I asked about Marciano's size related to these days also... I agree. I'd have him drop 10lbs. and fight Lt. Heavy' if I was his manager. Him being 185lbs had alot to do with fighting at Heavy, I think he could have dropped 10 and fought these days. HOW ABOUT THIS!!! ROCKY V.S. TARVER "Will v.s. Skill" LMAO!!!
2016-05-23 03:18:43 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certainly during his reign he was the most underrated champ ever. But as time proceeds, people have forgotten why they refused to acknowledge him. Whenever you say "greatest jab" Holmes is always mentioned first. Whenever a sane person makes a top 10 all time greatest list, he ranges from 4 to 10. So, to answer your Q, I'd say "not any more".
Yah, he fought some bums. But he also fought some future champs in Bonecrusher Smith, Witherspoon, Weaver and Berbick along with former champs Ali, Spinks and a current Champ in Norton. Throw in Shavers, hardest hitter of all time and top contender Gerry Cooney, you can't say that Holmes didn't fight the best of his era. You can't ask for anything more. That, and the ringside press had him winning the first fight with Spinks. People don't seem to remember that. Came down to the last round, Holmes staggered Spinks, then Spinks came back with a flurry at the end. It was all the judges need to protect Marciano's record.
2007-12-11 11:29:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
During his time, no question he was vastly underrated. I agree, he may have had the best jab in heavyweight boxing history. Glad to see him get his just due by being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
2007-12-12 02:46:14 · answer #4 · answered by Gary W 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
YES! In his prime, he was DEATH! His jab was brutal, and his straight right hand was good enough to finish the job. He had unlimited endurance (I think he could have gone 20 rounds if he had to) and was about as mean as a badger inside the ring. He had great recuperative powers as well. Larry wasn't necessarily the most personable guy outside the ring, but he was an all time great inside.
2007-12-11 15:44:47 · answer #5 · answered by Buffalo1 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, I don't particularly agree. Holmes was good, but I feel that Sonny Liston was far better, but is not appreciated because of his necessary involvement with mob managers and his two contraversial bouts with Ali. Scott Frank, Lorenzo Zannon, Ossio ???? were not big names on Holmes long record. A Light heavy shouldn't beat you twice, if you're thought to be in the top 5 of all time.
2007-12-11 12:28:37 · answer #6 · answered by Billboxing 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
larry holmes was a heavyweight champion who was in the right place at the wrong time...muhummad ali is quite a tough act to follow....as ezzard charles became champion after the retirement of joe louis, so was larry holmes after the retirement of muhummad ali.
2007-12-11 21:14:07 · answer #7 · answered by afrolatinomale 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I never underrated him. I thought he was a very good champion.
He felt he was underrated and not appreciated. I think this was because he was in the shadow of Ali.
As with many sports figures his stature has risen as we can reflect on his record after his career and compare it to the people who followed him.
2007-12-11 12:29:25 · answer #8 · answered by lestermount 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋