Does Larry Holmes deserve the bad rap for pummeling Muhammad Ali?

Previously I used to be angry and saddened by the Holmes vs Ali fight but the more I read into it I was only left with sadness. I would be more angry at those people who allowed the fight to happen that Larry Holmes himself. What was Holmes supposed to do? Not fight or let Ali win? I think Holmes was pulling his punches by the seventh round not wanting to hurt Ali any further but till this this day he is stilled hated by some boxing fans.

 

Holmes isnt hated for what he did to Ali. Hes hated because he's a piece of ****. Ali shouldn't have been in the ring so he has nobody to blame but himself.

 

There’s a better than even chance Larry is a better human being than keyboard warrior here.

 

Nah, Larry is a legitimately bad guy with enough evil committed on other human beings to run his cup over.

 

Larry holmes is a great guy and the greatest boxer, one of them anyways. If ali was stupid enough to get in the ring with him tough! I can see ali doing it, why not? Probably thought he had another one in him. He did pretty good with berbick.

 

I don't think most people hate Holmes for that.

I rank Holmes very highly. I have him #3 on my list at heavyweight.

However, Holmes is quite unlikeable in interviews. He once bragged in an interview about being the only man to stop Ali. That's an absolute joke. Holmes knows as well as anyone that Ali was so far past his best that the fight shouldn't even have been sanctioned.

Its as stupid as Lewis claiming Tyson was in his prime in 2002 when they fought.

I really dislike these kind of stupid comments when even the fighters (Holmes and Lewis) know that its blatantly false.

Holmes has never come across as likeable in interviews. I think that's why some people dislike him.

 

Holmes lived under Ali's shadow and wasn't really discussed as being a part of the upper echelon of all time great heavyweights. Because of that, he's extremely bitter and resentful.

His arrogant, butthurt and crass behavior amplified the dislike he garnered. Even as an old man you can sense the narcissism in him and lack of humility.

 

I think it's less about Holmes being unlikeable (a lot of people do actually like him) and more about Holmes being brash, confident, and having no filter. Some people like that, some don't.

The thing is Holmes doesn't go out of his way to act like that; at least from the interviews I've seen. He Only seems to get abrasive when backed into a corner. For instance, the infamous post Spinks press conference. That was literally months worth of pent up anger and aggression over what seemed like 90% of America hating on him for the fact he was about to break Louis and Rocky's records. Up to that point I don't think he said anything remotely negative about either guy. It was Weird because they were totally fine with Ali calling himself great, but when Holmes was confident and wanted his props, people started calling him arrogant.

I do agree that bragging about stopping a washed up opponent is dumb. If he meant it as a joke, it was in poor taste considering Ali's health.

Another funny thing about Holmes is that many times what he says is right on the money, which also rubs people the wrong way if they already don't like you. He predicted Tyson would wind up in jail and he did. He correctly pointed out that Foreman lost to every opponent who didn't stand right in front of him while debating the best heavyweights with Bert Sugar. He was right in saying Ali wanted to see people become great as long as you weren't above him.

 

Ali was his own worst enemy in taking the fight. Holmes was just doing what he was paid to do.

 

whats blatenly false about saying he k o'd ali? Lack of humility? Oh yea, ali had so much humility! Holmes is a good man, never heard a bad thing about him, class act, which is more than I can say for so many of his peers

 

The conversation was about Holmes's level of competition. Teddy Atlas was questioning Holmes's competition during his reign and Holmes responded with saying that he was the only man to stop the great Ali.

Holmes was actually stating that his level of competition was good because he beat a washed up Ali. That is absolutely absurd. Holmes knows as well as anyone that Ali should not have been sanctioned to fight. He was already struggling with speech before the Holmes fight.

 

no, u just said he stated in an interview he said he was only one who stopped ali, then said its a joke, blatenly false. Whats a joke is youre statement. Youre right about him being top 3 though. You know, I wonder if he felt he had to say alot of **** because he was used to hearing ali do it. He had a lousy role model

 

I said him pretending Ali was still a top fighter when he stopped him was blatantly false.

 

Didn't Holmes actually hold back against Ali, in my opinion he did. He did what he had to do and no more. He knew Ali was done so he basically stuck the jab in against him on the ropes.
From the second round on Muhammed was done and if anyone to blame its the ref and his corner.

 

I don't think so.. Ali signed to fight him. I never saw that as Holmes fault. If Delahoya comes back and fights anyone good like Spence and loses, whose fault is that?