Q&A: Larry Holmes!

October 5, 2006

By David Finger

Photo: www.larryholmes.com

You can't talk about boxing in the 1980s (or the 1990s for that matter) without mentioning the name Larry Holmes. Perhaps the most underrated champion in boxing history, Holmes reigned for an amazing seven years, making twenty title defenses before losing the belt in controversial fashion to Michael Spinks in 1985. But it always seemed like Larry never quite got the credit he deserved, despite the fact that he made more successful heavyweight title defenses than Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield put together. He always seemed for many to be a fighter who was just filling a void until something better came along, that was; until people started realizing that he the best fighter most of them would ever see in the ring. But a funny thing happened on the way to his retirement party; inspired by the money made by George Foreman, Larry embarked on an ill-advised comeback in 1991 that proved to be surprisingly successful, seeing him twice fight for the heavyweight title and finally earn the respect and admiration from boxing journalists, and more importantly, fans. The latter Larry featured frequent fights on USA's Tuesday Night Fights, coupled with a frequent, but ultimately unanswered, challenge to fellow golden oldie George Foreman, a fight that most fans of the era wanted very much to see, even if they couldn't bring themselves to admit it. Holmes, who is featured in this month's episode of CSI's Tuesday Night Fights Knockouts!, took some time to talk with Fightnews about what he's been doing lately and of his now infamous fight with journeyman Rocky Pepeli, which was featured on the show.

Larry, first let me say what an honor it is to interview you. On behalf of all of your fans, what have you been up to lately?

Well, you know we got a TV show going locally cable called "What the heck was he thinking ." We talk about athletes and what happens generally. What happens on our city and on the road, what happens on the football field. We've also got a slot machine coming out that will hit some of the Indian casinos.

Tell us a bit more about this TV show that you're producing?

We talk about everything, not just sports. We've got a half hour show, so we've going to hope to bring in different celebrities and get them on the show. Brent Meyers is one of the guys…Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins. Even our DA in Easton, John Morganelli, who's cracking down on illegal immigration.

Do you think you will step into the ring again?

No, because George Foreman is the only one who would make me do it. He should come out; I was the oldest guy when I quit boxing at 52. He should want to tie that record. You know George Foreman is scared. He's scared of me and always been scared of me.

It's been no secret that you wanted to step into the ring with George Foreman for the longest time. If that fight opportunity came forward do you think you'd jump back into the ring?

I'd meet him halfway. We'd fight him in between here and Texas in whatever parking lot he picks.

Early in your career you struggled to capture the imagination of boxing fans due to the fact that you followed in the footsteps of Muhammad Ali, but in your comeback fans seemed to embrace you with more gusto. Most notably when you fought Ray Mercer in his hometown, and had fans chanting your name. Did you find that your comeback in the 1990s proved to be rewarding to you in the sense that it allowed you to develop into a true fan favorite.

Oh yeah. I always had a lot of fans, even before that, but they were never strong until I started eating up Ray Mercer in Atlantic City. That's when they showed they were not afraid to come out and back me. I think my time just came, when I was fighting Ray Mercer, where a lot of people respected me.

Your relationship with the media has been checkered in the past, but in later years you seemed to win over even some of your harshest critics in the media. Did you find some of the younger guard of the media respected you more than the old guard?

Oh yeah, because when they was around when I got here with the other guys before me, it's like a different meal, when someone changes the meal to one you didn't like. They had guys they liked and when something different came on the scene they were not happy.

Do you see any heavyweights on the horizon that could emerge as dominant fighters, perhaps someone who could unify the title or emerge as a future hall of fame fighter?

No. They guys will be good fighters for a couple weeks, a couple months but they won't hold onto the title for any period of time. Then after six months they will give there title away. We don't even know our champions.

What was the most rewarding fight you ever had, the one that you'll always remember as being special?

June 9, 1978. Las Vegas, when I fought for Kenny Norton for the WBC title. And that will probably go down as one of my great fights because w3eithout that fight you'd probably wouldn't be talking to me right now.

In the 1990s your comeback was fueled by frequent fights on the USA network. It started with your second comeback fight against Eddie Gonzalez and continued all the way into the late 1990s with fights against Quinn Navarre and Garing Lane. What memory do you often associate with your many fights on Tuesday Night Fights?

Well, USA gave me a platform to stand on by letting me to fight guys to get myself to position myself to fight for the title. Even though I don't fight on TNF anymore, I still miss Tuesday Night Fights, it gave a lot of young guys an opportunity to be seen on Tuesday Night Fights. When I was coming up they had everybody, doing fights, NBC, CBS, ABC, and now you don't have any of that just PPV. I miss how they did it back then.

What did you think about a little known opponent of your named Rocky Pepeli, whom you fought on TNF in a fight now featured on CSI's TNF Knockouts series?

I watched it last night, talking all that bullshit, calling me a racist. He can't label me a racist because half of my family was white! I got to agree that I was kind of old, but I could still fight! I didn't think those guys could fight. This kid came out and was talking all this stuff about what he was going to do to me, beat me up…I had no hard feelings, it was all business. But as I said then I had no problem with him then, I have no problem with him now.

Did you enjoy watching Episode #5 of the Knockouts! Series and how did you like how it was put together?

It was good, but it they only showed two rounds of it (the Holmes-Pepeli fight). I like watching me because it brings back the memories and brings back what I said. Like I said to Rocky back then, I'm not a racist; I was there to kick his butt, that's it. If he knocked me out, he knocked me out. I wasn't a washed up fighter but he though and people though that I were.

It sounds like you enjoyed it, would you recommend it to boxing fans?

Yes, it brought back memories, I saw Michael Carbajal, hadn't seen him in years. It brought back memories. Some of these guys, like Hasim Rahman, he was on that episode! These guys are champions and we all came though USA.

www.larryholmes.com