How did Butterbean even get a 10-round fight with Holmes?

Because it was a novelty affair between a 52 year old retired former champion and the fattest man in pro sports. It was like Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul 22 years ago.

 

Neither man ever put a high premium on their dignity.

 

It was easy money. There was no title on the line and neither were even expected to be in good shape. It might as well have been an exhibition

 

Because his prime had passed.

 

The fact that Holmes was even competing at anything approaching a level where he could dominate a Butterbean type fighter at FIFTY TWO is actually impressive... Even Foreman's legendary comeback didn't extend to those lengths and by the end he was struggling with the likes of Crawford Grimsley, who despite a nice looking undefeated record wasn't actually a better fighter then Bean.

 

Because they figured Holmes was old enough to not pose enough of a threat for them to handle 10 rounds. Butterbean was almost like the Jake Paul of that era where he was basically a circus event for boxing to not take seriously.

 

Hey man the Bean foguht at WRESTLE-MANIA!!! It doesn't get any more prestigious then that.

 

Except it was a real fight. Holmes was (surprisingly given his age) still fully capable of fighting a hard fight, and Butterbean never stopped trying to take his head off.

As to how the fight came to be, Holmes wrote a book in which he insulted Butterbean (among others) and said he was garbage, Butterbean challenged him, fight got scheduled.

Bit of credit for an old man talking ****, being challenged on his **** talking, then actually backing up his **** talking and proving that, yep, he could in fact whip that guy.

 

Knocked out Bart Gunn in record time too!

 

Larry promoted it in his autobiography, calling Butterbean a clown. He utterly dominated for ten rounds, a ridiculous aerobic athletic achievement for an overweight 52 year old. The press panned him, but he went out a winner, something Foreman officially failed to do (although I agree George was robbed).

Easy money and good publicity.

He knew he couldn't beat a peak Mike Tyson with 18 months notice and no warm up bouts, "But Don King showed up at my doorstep with THREE MILLION DOLLARS!" Hell, I'd have gotten in the ring with Tyson for that, and I have cervical stenosis. (I'd have just taken a dive at Tyson's first pretense at a punch.)

Larry has remained friends with the 93 y/o King. Each has always understood where the other was coming from.

 

Jake never won a Toughman Contest.

 

The promoters were afraid that Butterbean was going to pull out at the last minute. A guy I used to spar with- to be accurate, a guy that used to beat me up in the gym- when he was a lightheavy, and before he fought for a world title, was a heavyweight at that time. He was past his best but he had fought some hw names and gone some rounds. He got trip to Norfolk and, he told me, a $50k check to be there, in shape, in case Butterbean pulled out.

 

the way i remember it bean dominated and was close to stopping larry a few times.

 

Butterbean would have flattened Jake Paul in two rounds.