Former WBC and IBF Heavyweight Champion Larry “The Easton Assassin” Holmes was 19-3. He was from Easton, PA, and his trainer Ernie Butler had taken him to Muhammad Ali’s camp in Deer Lake, PA. When Holmes went to turn professional, he had been in the camp of Muhammad Ali sparring with him. Promoter Don King had convinced Ali Holmes to sign a contract if he would change trainers to Richie Giachetti.
In June 1978, Holmes won a split decision over Ken Norton, 40-4, capturing the WBC title. Norton’s trainer, Eddie Futch, told me years later, while at “Smokin'” Joe Frazier’s Gym in Philly, “neither wanted a rematch because of the toughness of the fight.” Holmes was 28-0.
After three defenses, Holmes stopped Ernie Shavers, 59-7-1, in eleven rounds after coming off the canvas in the seventh round.
In Holmes’ eighth defense, he defeated Ali, 56-3. He won each round before stopping Ali for the first and only time in his career in the tenth round.
Holmes faced Gerry Cooney, 25-0, and plenty of racial slurs before the fight, calling Cooney “The White Hope!” Cooney’s management made the mistake of not having a fight for him for a year after destroying Norton. Holmes stopped Cooney in the thirteenth round.
Holmes defeated Philly’s “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon, 15-0, who had also sparred with Ali in Deer Lake. It was May 1983 when he won a controversial split decision over Witherspoon, improving to 43-0.
Two fights later, Holmes met the son of the son of former champion “Smokin” Joe Frazier, Marvis, 10-0, in a non-title fight since he was not ranked. Holmes stopped at the end of the first round, improving to 45-0. After the fight, he said, “That’s for the whippings your father gave me in the gym!”
Two wins later, he defeated Carl “The Truth” Williams, 16-0, which I feel is controversial, even though the scoring didn’t show it.
Holmes was now 48-0 going into his next fight against Light Heavyweight champion Michael Spinks, 27-0. It was Ring Magazine’s 1975 “Upset of the Year” with Holmes losing for the first time ever on two of the cards. I feel that Spinks won the last round to take the decision, making him the first reigning light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight title. After the fight, Holmes said, “Marciano couldn’t wear my jockstrap!”
Holmes lost a split decision in the rematch, and I felt he was robbed. In his next fight, he beat “Iron” Mike Tyson, 32-0. I remember the current President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, sitting at ringside with Ali when the latter was introduced to the ring. He patted Holmes’ gloves, without saying a word. He then approached Tyson, whispering something in his ear. “Did he kick it out?”
After taking one of the first three rounds on two of the cards, Holmes was dropped three times by the future world champion Tyson, landing on his back. After the fight, Holmes said, “I got my arm caught in the ropes!”
Six fights later, Holmes defeated new WBO champion Ray “Merciless” Mercer, 18-0, who relinquished the title before the fight, robbing Holmes of the WBO title.
Holmes’ next fight saw him lose to IBF, WBA and WBC champion Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, 27-0. He would win his next seven fights before losing to WBC champion Oliver “The Atomic Bull” McCall, 25-5.
After winning his next five fights, he lost a split decision to Danish “Super” Brian Nielsen, 31-0, who later in his career was 49-0 when he lost. After winning his next three fights, Holmes ended his career coming off the canvas in the last round before defeating Eric “Butterbean” Esch, 334-pound, 65-2-3. His final record is 69-6 with 44 knockouts.
I believe that Holmes was one of the top ten heavyweight champions, but only a champion in the ring. Now decide, “How good was Larry ‘The Easton Killer’ Holmes?”
