Larry Holmes, one of boxing's greatest heavyweights, has opened up about the only fight he regrets in his nearly three-decade career. In a resurfaced clip, the former undisputed heavyweight champion talks about his 1980 bout with Muhammad Ali.
Holmes, now 75, held the heavyweight title for seven years from 1978 to 1985. During his career, he racked up an impressive record of 69 wins in 75 fights. The Easton Assassin, as he was known, beat some of the best in the business, including Trevor Berbick and Leon Spinks. He was famous for having one of the best jabs in boxing history.
But it's his fight against Muhammad Ali in October 1980 that Holmes now looks back on with regret. At the time, Ali's health was slowly getting worse, and many people couldn't believe the fight was allowed to happen.
Holmes won the fight, defending his WBC heavyweight title by knocking out Ali in the 10th round of their scheduled 15-round bout. But he didn't feel good about it. He said:
"I was in a no-win situation, that's what I said then and I say it now. Because if I beat Ali well he was old, he couldn't fight no more, should've quit. And that's what I had to live with till I beat him up, and I told the referee stop this fight, don't let this man take the fight and he said to me 'shut up and box'."
Ali, known as "The Greatest," only fought once more after his loss to Holmes before retiring. He passed away in 2016 after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease, leaving behind a legacy that went far beyond the boxing ring.
Holmes' words show how tough it can be for fighters when they face aging legends. Even a win can feel like a loss when you're up against someone who's past their prime. For Holmes, beating Ali wasn't just about the fight – it was about dealing with how people would see the win, and that's something he's carried with him ever since.
