Interviews

Larry Holmes was born November 3rd 1949, in Cuthbert Georgia. With an amateur record of just 19 wins and 3 losses, who
knew this man would go on to become one of the greatest Heavyweights of all time? With a professional record of 69 wins 6 losses, and 44 Knockouts, Larry Holmes has solidified his place in the Boxing Hall Of Fame. Larry Holmes is also a Champion outside of the ring.. He has a determined will to assist those in
need, and he shows up to as many charity events as his busy schedule can handle. Larry Holmes is also a proven businessman.. With successful Real Estate endeavors, and a brilliant business mind, Larry Holmes has proven that he is not just a smart fighter.. but he is a very smart man .. period.. Here is my conversation with the former World Heavyweight Champion.... Larry Holmes.

BC

Larry.. First of all, thank you very much for talking to me.. I know you are a busy man.

LH

How you doing man.. you doing ok?

BC

I am doing very well Champ, thank you...

LH

Brad, where are you at Mississippi?

BC

Yes, I am in Jackson Mississippi.

LH

I never been to Jackson.. but I was in Biloxi, and Bay St Louis.

BC

Larry, you fought in Bay St Louis, and in Biloxi quite a few times, no?

LH

8 times all together

BC

Larry, I think we have a mutual friend in Chuck Wepner, he speaks of you highly.. and has mentioned your fight down here in Mississippi.. he attended one of them, I can't remember which one though.

LH

Chuck is a good guy man.. his wife keeps in straight.. (laughing)...

BC

Champ.. what are you up to as of recently.. ?

LH

Well you know, I am doing this boxing reality show with Oscar Delahoya that will be on FOX. I also am trying to get that crazy guy named Foreman to come out ..he's saying he is going to kick my butt??..He is always coming out saying what he is going to do with everyone else.. but Damnit.. he must be scared of the greatest fighter that ever lives... me.

BC

Larry I think what you are saying, holds some merit.. He never fought you before..

LH

No, he would never fight me.. I would have jabbed him today like I would have jabbed him when I was a young Larry Holmes.. We almost got in the ring a few times.. He wouldn't dare touch a contract with my name on it though... He just never put the dollars up where his mouth was..

BC

So, you haven't heard anything from George Foreman at all.

LH

No, when they talk boxing.. they don't want to mention Larry Holmes name at all.. I mean Teddy Atlas mentioned my name the other night, more in one night then he has in his entire life.. only because I did the ESPN show.. the only guy that mentions me is Scott LeDoux.. that's because he wants to get in the ring with me.. but he can't fight.. hell he could not fight then, I know damn well he can't fight now (laughing)...Why go that direction.. you are going to give me money to beat up Scott LeDoux??...

BC

Champ, I will give you some money to beat up Scott LeDoux (laughing)....

LH

(laughing)........

BC

Champ.. I think a fight with Foreman would be ok.. even at both of your ages.. I think a lot of people would still like to see that fight.

LH

I know they would... a lot of people dont know George Foreman like I do.. and I will tell them all, he is the biggest phony in the damn world.. and that grill don't mean nothing.. if you buy that grill, you are wasting your money.. if you don't want no damn fat on your steak.. you got to be crazy.. eat that juice man.. I want a juicy hamburger.. I don't want no dried up hamburger.. (laughing)... If you don't want the grease to run down.. just tilt the pot.. (laughing)

BC

laughing... oh man.. that is funny.... laughing...

BC

Larry, what got you into boxing initially?

LH

You know... I have always been athletic.. football, basketball, baseball.. everything I could get into as a child..but I dropped out of school when I was young.. I was boxing, and I didn't need to go to college to keep doing it.. I got into amateurs, then I got to liking it.. but I never thought I would go pro. ... or win the title.. then I started meeting people... and fighting more.. I said.. shit man.. them guys im fighting are older than me.. I am doing real good with them.. if I keep staying at it.. how far can I go??...

BC

Champ.. at what point did you start feeling that you are good at it.. and when did people start noticing that Larry Holmes was not just a boxer.. but a special boxer.. ?

LH

It was after my 6th or 7th fight.. pro fight.. then Don King took a liking to me.. but he only used me as a sparring partner.. at that point he didn't think I had the heart for it.. nobody really thought so.. but he kept with me.. he didn't give me the money I should have been getting..but, I stayed with it.. so he was good for me in that way.

BC

Larry, I am involved in amateur boxing here in Mississippi.. we have a boxing club here in Pearl.. in fact we have a young fella named Thomas that won the 2004 Junior Golden Gloves Championship out of our gym.. but anyway, every time I go to the amateur shows, the older fans will get to talking about the Heavyweights back in the day..and who had the best hook, or the best punch.. and when the best jab comes up.. Larry Holmes is almost always who everyone agrees on.. Larry, was your jab the key to your brilliant success as a Heavyweight Champ?

LH

Brad, I would have to agree with that... I really think so.. because with the jab, everything sets up after that.. Ali had a good jab.. but he just slapped people with it.. he slapped the hell out of people.. my jab did damage to people.. and that is what really carried me on.. if you have a good jab.. that is half of the fight.. most Heavyweights throw 40 or 50 punches a round.. I was throwing that with just the jab.. and then I would finish people.. sooner or later, they would go out.

BC

Larry, you ate up Gerry Cooney with the jab..

LH

Gerry was a big puncher.. and he came forward.. and he ate my jab.. it was my counter to him coming forward... he ran into my punches. Earnie Shavers was the same way.. they look for the big punch.. and they have to set you up to do it.. they have to try to counter over a jab.. same thing with Kenny Norton.. my jab kept working .. bang, bang.. and I would stay to there side.. and on the outside..and that is what kept me going.

BC

Larry.. every person I talk to that fought Earnie Shavers talks about how hard that guy hit.. He caught you with one didn't he.. (laughing)

LH

Oh .. Earnie Shavers hit me so damn hard... I feel it now!.. (laughing)..25 years later......

BC

Larry, talk about todays Heavyweights.. why do you think the division is so wide open now? I mean when you start comparing the names from your prime, to todays names, and I mean no disrespect.. todays fighters are still warriors.. but the talent level seems to have dropped quite a bit.. no?

LH

Well, number one.. the great trainers are not there anymore.. they are either dying off.. or just don't want to do it anymore.. and these guys now make so much money , that after a payday, they don't want to fight another one for awhile.. you have to practice what you preach man.. I mean, if you want to be a great fighter.. you have to practice like a great fighter.. these guys go in the gym every other week .. or only when they have a fight.. when I fought, I fought on a Tuesday and back in the gym on a monday.. if I fought on a Saturday.. I was back in the Gym on Wednesday.. If I hurt my right, I would use my left.. if I hurt my left, I would use my right.. or run some miles, or shadow box.. today, these guys dont have none of that.. when they come back into the corner.. there guys are asking them .. How do you feel?.. .. How the hell do you think I feel???.. I just got hit in the nose .. (laughing)... I was watching the Ebo Elder fight the other night.. he got knocked down.. his father was asking him.. "man, how do you feel.. I didn't even see that punch".. I was thinking.. well damn, neither did Ebo.. laughing.. I mean come on.. why is he asking him how he feels.. he just got knocked down.. how the hell does he thing he feels.. laughing...I mean come on.. don't ask him that.. he just got knocked down.. how is the kid supposed to feel??..laughing.. Brad, you go down to your gym down there, and see who is really qualified to train fighters.. you don't have to fight to know fighting.. just be around the game long enough to know what you are doing.. but if you haven't been around the game enough.. don't train...

BC

Larry, basically.. you are saying that good old hard work is a big key to being successful.. Larry, you proved it by working hard..and that is why you still hold the record for holding the Heavyweight Championship for longer than anyone in history..

LH

Exactly.. I worked my ass for that.. I always say to young fighters.. hard work aint easy, but it is fair... you give in to yourself.. and you will never win.. sometimes your mind will say.. shit don't do this.. sometimes they say you should listen to your first mind.. you know Brad.. like you could be walking down the street, and your mind tells you.. don't go down that street.. so you don't do it.. but once and awhile.. you say fuck it.. and you go anyway.. (laughing).. so when you are in the fight game, if your mind says don't do this.. you sometimes have to over-rule it..because its gonna be what you want to do.. don't lay down.. when I got hit with that punch by Earnie Shavers.. people were yelling "get up, get up".. my body was saying "stay down stay down" (laughing), but my mind was saying... "Kick his ass Larry"... it's mind over matter.

BC

Champ, who was the toughest fighter you have ever faced?

LH

Ken Norton.. June 9th, 1978 Ceasars Palace.. he was champion.. and he didn't want to lose.. and he was only the champ for 3 months because Leon Spinks didn't want to fight Kenny Norton, he wanted to rematch Ali.. they signed an agreement.. the WBC said, hey you have an agreement.. but the WBA said, we are going to stick with Leon Spinks.. so they did.. that is how the titles got split.. the WBA went with Spinks..and the WBC said, no, you have to follow the rules.. so then there was a box off..and Ken Norton beat Jimmy Young for the title.. and I had to fight the winner for that, after the elimination fight with Earnie Shavers..

BC

Larry, in 1985.. I was sitting on board the USS Truett, in the navy.. down in the mess decks.. I remember on the television, you were fighting a guy named Carl "THE TRUTH" Williams.. what are your memories of that fight?

LH

I was shadow boxing... I thought I was fighting myself.. he came out, and looked just like me.. (laughing)... he punched good, he moved.. it made it difficult for me to hit..but when he stopped moving.. it was easier.. but when he was jumping all around, I was like.. shit.. I can't beat me.. (laughing).. but I wore him down, and in time.. I got him...

BC

Larry, it is amazing how two lifes can go in different directions.. Carl last time I heard was a security guard somewhere.. In fact I believe that Gerry Cooney's F.I.S.T. program helped "Truth" out with getting him that job..

LH

Well you know, Gerry does a lot with F.I.S.T. .. I try to help him out as much as I can with that.. a lot of the reason is that people have different lifestyles.
I have a quiet lifestyle.. I am in a little town.. Easton.. just like where you are at Brad.. it is probably pretty quiet down where you are at..everything closes down at 10 oclock...and everybody goes home (laughing)....

BC

Champ.. in some counties down here, you cannot even buy beer period.. (laughing)..

LH

That is what I am saying.. (laughing)... well here it is not quite that bad.. we are starting to get a lot of people that are moving here from the city..but my lifestyle is quiet..but some of these fighters today stay up all night..and all the next day...

BC

Champ, I think you also have to give yourself some credit for having a business mind.. not everyone has that...

LH

Brad, I was scared.. I was scared of going back to where I came from, and everyone would be talking shit about me.. saying you were a fool.. you had it, now you lost it.. you have nothing to show for it.. 36 years of taking punches..and nothing to show for it.. Brad, I didn't want that to happen..

BC

Champ.. so your being scared was an incentive for you to keep on the straight and narrow.. work hard.. and create a business..

LH

To keep me going man..

BC

Larry, here recently there have been some really unfortunate injuries with some of the older boxers trying to make comeback attempts.. Greg Page comes to mind.. What do you think boxing needs to do to provide fighters with health coverage, and some medical benefits as the NBA, NHL, NFL, does.

LH

Brad, I have said this a long time ago.. what boxing needs to do, is everytime there is a fight, there should be a sum of money that goes into a fund for insurance.. just like they do in every state in the country when you have a job.. there should be a pension plan.. they should take some money out of the gate.. ticket sales.. and the television.. and a small amount of the purse.

BC

Many in boxing put you right up there with the greatest Heavyweights of all time.. where does Larry Holmes put himself within boxing's elite?

LH

Well, people usually get mad at me.. but you know what.. I tell him the way I feel.. but if I dont feel good about myself.. then I aint shit to myself.. I am the best that God has ever put on this earth.. I love me.. but that is my opinion on me.. that is my opinion. .but you know, you have some that say.. Larry, in my book you are number 2, some say 3, some say 5..

BC

Larry, you defended the crown 20 times.. you fought everyone in front of you.. you still hold the record for being the reigning champion for the longest period of one time.. I would guess that should qualify you to be right up there man..

LH

You know, I appreciate that.. but you know what.. if someone says im not number one.. I don't care.. Ali says he is the greatest. .but in my opinion he is not.. but when people mention my name with Ali's.. I like that... I will be with Ali on Thursday in fact...

BC

Champ.. who do you think is the best Heavyweight out there right now.

LH

I have to go with Klitschko.. but if you can get him after 7 rounds... who knows.. the problem is.. nobody can get him past 7.. so right now.. it is him.

BC

Larry, any thoughts on the Tyson/Williams fight coming up?

LH

Man.. 59 seconds... Tyson .. Mike can still fight.. and if you don't have long arms.. and a good jab.. and punching power.. Mike will eat you up.. I don't see Williams as having any of that.. plus, I don't think they are going to give Tyson anyone that can hurt him..and Mike knows that.. I think Tyson's heart is beating faster now. .he wants to show people that he can fight, and that he can come back an win..

BC

Larry, Freddie Roach seems to have Tyson really focused..and ready for this fight.

LH

Freddie Roach is a good guy.. he is a nice guy.. but, Mike wont do what he wants him to do.. Freddie will not be able to control, and contain Mike Tyson.. he is young, and Mike is not going to have a lot of respect for him.

BC

Champ, so you don't think the Freddie Roach, Mike Tyson marriage is going to last too long?

LH

No, I don't think so.. because Freddie is not big enough to control Mike.. he has been around a lot of black people.. but he hasn't been around a lot of black people like Mike Tyson (laughing)...I know Freddie from when he was a little boy.. back when he was fighting..

BC

Champ, I have a few questions from our readers... Brian Davis from Flowood Mississippi would like to know.. .. if you could go back in time, and rematch any of your opponents.. who would it be, and why?

LH

Well, I would like to fight Mike Tyson.. he was big, and short at the same time.. but strong.. and he fought me when I was not anything.. I was out for years..and not in shape.. if I could be in condition, and younger.. I know I could have beat him.. when I fought him I did it only for the money back then.. if I could go back in time, and do it again.. things would be different.

BC

Marcus from Albuquerque New Mexico would like to know.. would you ever consider training fighters?

LH

Only if I get someone that is really serious.. and really wants to do it.. I got into it once..and people told me they wanted to.. I spent a lot of money on them..and then they realized that they didn't want to do it.. I do have about 30 guys in my gym.. but it would have to be a special occasion..

BC

Last question champ.. when boxing fans look back on the career of Larry Holmes.. how do you want them to remember you?

LH

Well, I just want to let them know that I was a good man, a good human being, a good father.. a good husband.. I did it all my way.. I made it when people put me down.. and at my age at 54 yrs old.. I am still doing it.. I am happy.

BC

Larry to me, you are a world class man ... period.. you held the title with class.. It was an honor to speak with you.. thank you very much for doing this interview with me.

LH

Brad.. thank you

Interviewed by Brad Cooney
July 27th, 2004

Email Brad Cooney with comments
bradcooney1@bellsouth.net

Visit Larry Holmes web-site.. www.larryholmes.com

* Special thanks goes out to Jay Newman for helping me set up this interview.

At eight years of age, a young kid out of Warrens Boys club in Atlanta Georga was preparing for what is now one of the greatest boxing careers in history. The late Carter Morgan (coach) spoke to this kid, and told him that he could one day become the Heavyweight Champion of the World. The encouragment provide by Carter Morgan, was all that Evander needed to go on and win the Boys Club Boxing Tournament. At the age of 11, Evander qualified to enter the Junior Olympics. Now at the age of 16, and weighing 139 pounds this young man became the Southeastern Regional Champion, and was awarded "The Best Boxing" Award. At the age of 19, he represented the United States in the Pan Am games in Caracas Venezuela , by winning a silver medal. The following year, he became a national Golden Gloves winner, and then represented the United States in the Olympic Games by winning the Bronze Medal. His professional career will go down as one of the best in history.

On November 9, 1996 Evander Holyfield joined the great Muhammad Ali and made history by becoming only the second person to become the three-time World Champion. Evander Holyfield is one of the classiest guys in the sport of boxing today. His career will go down as one of the greatest of all time in boxing. I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to the former World Champion, and this is what he had to say....

BC

Evander, first of all thank you so very much for taking out some time to talk to me. Evander, how are you, and what is the latest?

EH

I am doing good, I am looking to fight a Championship fight. I will see what the groundwork looks like after the 17th.

BC

Evander I am going to mix in some questions from our boxingscene.com readers as we go on. I will go ahead start with the first one. Kevin McKay of Bloomberg Michigan wants do know what your thoughts are on the new Boxing Commission that Senator McCain is leading, the USBC?

EH

I think its going to be good for boxing, I think it will give the fighters a better understanding of what is going on with the financial side of things. I think it will add structure to the game of boxing as well.

BC

Evander, with Lennox Lewis retiring, Mesi showing a suspect chin, Dominick Guinn's recent loss, and Brewster defeating Klitschko, does this provide you with more encouragement for a title shot?

EH

Well you know, my encouragement is not based on the results of other fights. Just because Dominick Guinn lost the fight doesn't mean he fought a bum or anything. Whenever you get two good fighters in the ring, someone is going to win, and someone is going lose. I don't think a lot of these rascals would be so fancy if everybody fought all the tough fighters. Instead of looking to impress people with 20 and 0 records built up by fighting people you are supposed to win against, they should make the fighters fight everybody, so that they have records like they did back in the day. Back in the day some guy could have 10 losses, and win the Title, because he fought all of the tough guys, and it took that many losses to mature to a Championship level of fighting. You will find that back then the guys that lost fights, and became Champs were Champs a lot longer, because they didn't duck anybody. But the some of the guys that become Champs now overnight are finding that don't stay long, because all the tough fighters are out there, and are coming to beat your bottom! (laughing)...

BC

Evander, that reminds me of Mosley giving Winky his shot....Mosley didn't duck anyone.

EH

Exactly...

BC

Evander, off of boxing for a minute... You are a very successful businessman, tell your fans about your company's, and what you have going on with them.

EH

Well .. you know, of course I love music... I guess in anything that you do, to become successful you have to start out at the bottom (laughing)...You know what I mean.. not just in boxing. But in the music business you have to start out at the bottom too. It is important to team up with the right people, so that you can be pointed in the right direction, and to make some money. I am doing pretty good with it.. I have my clothing company, and I also have a Television company called MBC Network... It is Myself, a guy named Willie Gary, Marvin Jackson, and Alvin James.... we own the company together.. that's a lot on the plate!..(laughing)

BC

Evander, is there a website so that your fans can find out more?

EH

Absolutely, it is www.evanderholyfield.com the website covers everything about me, and my company's.

BC

Evander, David Wilcox of Fontana California would like to know... With all of the great things you have accomplished in boxing, you will no doubt go down as one of the greatest fighters of all time...Why continue on, and risk injury?

EH

Well you know risking injury is life itself. I am not risking injury, I am miminizing my risk to injury in doing something that I do well, and I don't take it for granted.

BC

Evander, after the Mike Tyson incident I read that you pulled your team together after the fight, and you all prayed for him. Evander, how important has God been for you, and for your career?

EH

Well, my life is based on my belief in God....It is the most important thing. Successful was something I was going to be anyway ...in God. You know, if I would have chosen to be an airplane mechanic that I was going to be, I still would have trusted in God, and I would still be happy, and successful with whatever I do. God is the main ingredience of me being able to deal with me personally, myself..with whatever level I am at. God is the reason I am able to keep going on, it is my intimate relationship with him that does it for me.

BC

Evander, how long have you been a Born Again Christian?

EH

I came up in the Church...I gave my life to him a long time ago.

BC Evander, have you talked to Mike Tyson in depth at all since the ear biting incident?

EH

No not in depth.. I have spoken to him two or three times since it happened. My thing is that I have always found forgiveness in things like that. You have to find Christ to overcome those kinds of shortcomings.

BC

Evander... Martyn Elliot of England wants to know.. Are you interested in fighting Audley Harrison, and would you fight him in England?

EH

No, I wouldn't have no reason to fight him... He needs to find himself, I am trying to get a belt so I can go ahead and let people like him come after, and rule the boxing game.

BC

You are going in a different direction it seems?

EH

Yes, for sure.

BC

Evander, there have been a lot of great Heavyweights... where do you put yourself within them?

EH

Well, like you said there are many... but if you look at statistics and what I have done in the game, I am the only guy who has been Heavyweight Champion of the World 4 different times.

BC

Evander, you and Muhamad Ali are the only two in History to have acheived this 3 or more times...

EH

Exactly... you know it speaks for itself when you look at like that... Floyd Patterson is the first to do it 2 times, Ali did it 3... and 20 years difference within each time it has been done. I am honored, and happy to have taken it to the next level.

BC

Evander, that's pretty good company...(laughing)

EH

(laughing)...yeah...

BC

Evander, Leroy out of the UK wants to know...out of the following boxers, who hits the hardest. Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes, and Riddick Bowe?

EH

Well for one thing (laughing) all of those guys hit hard!...It is not neccessarily the guy who hit me the hardest, has the hardest punch...it is the punch that you don't see that hurts the most. But the guy person that hit me the hardest was Riddick Bowe.

BC Evander, Larry Kern of Camp Kern Boxing in Mississippi wants to know... What do you plan on doing after retirement...does Promoting, or Training interest you at all?

EH

No, I don't plan on doing either of those.. I will continue on with my businesses, music, clothing business, and my television business.

BC

Evander, if you could change one thing about boxing to make it a better sport, what would you change first?

EH

That's hard to say, there are a lot of good things, and a lot of little small bad things that you don't think are bad until it happens to you..so it is hard to say.

BC

Evander, Tracyee a boxingscene regular wants to know.. What is the latest with you and Don King?

EH

I just signed a contract, a promotion contract with him again.

BC

Evander, out of all your boxing accomplishments, and there are many... which one makes you the proudest?

EH

All of them... I don't think one stands out... I started boxing at the age of 8, so at that time being the Boys Club Champion was great, then to go on and make the Olympic Team and do well there was great, and then to turn Professional and win the Junior Heavyweight Championship of The World, then to be the undisputed Junior Heavyweight Champion of The World, then all of the sudden be the Heavyweight Champion of The World, then just when you think that is great news.. you become the Champ a second time, and then when everyone thinks you can't do it, you become it the third time, then 4 times.. (laughing) then for 5 ?... so it's all of these things... for as long you are alive you should strive for being better.

BC

Evander you started at age 8..what was it that got you into boxing in the first place?

EH

I was just interested in learning how to hit the speed bag. And it grew from there, sparring came next.. and the rest is history.

BC

When did someone notice that you were pretty good at this game?

EH

My boxing coach told me at the age of 8 years old, that one day I was going to be the Heavyweight Champion of The World... I was like "What..?? I am only 8 years old (laughing)... I am only 65 pounds (laughing). It took 20 years from that day.. and he was right! I became the Heavyweight Champion Of The World....

BC

Evander, your boxing coach should be mentioned here.. Carter Morgan was his name.. is he still with us?

EH

No, that man told me that when he was 70 years old...

BC

Evander, he saw something that is for sure... Evander, last question... Do you have anybody inparticular in mind who you want next?

EH

Just one of the Champions...

BC

Evander.. Thanks again for talking to me... I wish you nothing but luck with the rest of your career, and with your life. You have been a great Champion, and represented the sport of boxing with dignity.

EH

Ok then, and thank you.

Interviewed by Brad Cooney 4/12/04

Email Brad Cooney with comments
bradcooney1@bellsouth.net

***Very special thank you goes out to Mrs Travisa Thomas for her help in setting up this interview.