Larry Holmes, the former heavyweight champion, has admitted he regrets coming out of retirement to face Mike Tyson in 1988. Holmes shared his thoughts in a recent interview with The Telegraph, revealing that money was the main reason he took the fight.
Holmes, known as 'The Easton Assassin', stepped back into the ring after a two-year break to face the rising star Tyson. At the time, 'Iron' Mike was on a tear through the heavyweight division. He'd won his first 19 professional fights by knockout in the early 1980s and became the youngest world heavyweight champion at just 20 years old when he beat Trevor Berbick for the WBC title in November 1986.
By August 1987, at only 21, Tyson had added the WBA and IBF belts to his collection, becoming the undisputed champion after defeating Tony Tucker. With his incredible knockout power, Tyson was quickly becoming one of the most feared fighters in boxing history.
Holmes reflected on his decision to face the young champion:
"I shouldn't have come out of retirement against him. I fought Mike Tyson and I lost. He stopped me. Tyson could punch, you can't take that away from him."
The fight ended with Holmes knocked out in the fourth round. When asked about his motivation for taking the bout, Holmes was candid:
"Money, it was the money."
Despite the loss, Holmes believes the outcome would have been different if they'd met earlier in his career:
"He would stand in front of you, try and push you against the ropes, but he wouldn't have been able to do that to me in my prime. I would have beaten him."
After the Tyson fight, Holmes continued boxing on and off until 2002. He had two more shots at world titles, challenging Evander Holyfield and Oliver McCall, but came up short both times.
The Tyson-Holmes fight remains a significant moment in boxing history, marking a changing of the guard in the heavyweight division. While Holmes regrets taking the fight past his prime, it serves as a reminder of the tough decisions fighters often face when balancing their legacy with financial opportunities.
