Holmes had a great run as champ, defending his title for seven years. He even beat Muhammad Ali in 1980, though Ali was past his prime by then. Holmes only lost his title after back-to-back defeats against Michael Spinks. The only time he got stopped in his career was when Mike Tyson beat him in four rounds.
When it comes to the hardest hitter he's faced, Holmes is clear: "Earnie Shavers was the hardest I've ever faced." Shavers, who fought for the world heavyweight title twice, had a record that speaks for itself. Out of his 91 fights, he won 76, with a whopping 70 of those wins coming by knockout.
But Holmes puts Mike Tyson right up there with Shavers when it comes to punching power. He says Tyson's style was all about destruction: "When Tyson hits, he tries to kill you." Holmes describes Tyson as relentless, "kept coming, growling like Joe Frazier."
Holmes didn't hold back when talking about his experience fighting Tyson:
"Mike knocked the sh*t out of me, he hit me so hard I went 'wooooo'. It was embarrassing. He hit me with a right hand and I thought at the time 'he should be locked up' because of the power."
Despite the power behind Tyson's punches, Holmes gives him credit for his chin too, saying Tyson "can take a good punch."
Holmes' reign as heavyweight champion was one of the longest in boxing history. He's recently been talking to OLBG about current heavyweights, even naming one he thinks could knock out a prime Tyson.
Holmes' insights give us a rare glimpse into the world of heavyweight boxing from someone who's been in the ring with some of the greatest. His experiences with both Shavers and Tyson show just how much power these fighters packed in their punches.