Very interesting stuff. [YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vqMMTDZ1Btc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vqMMTDZ1Btc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT] Unusually level headed stuff from Larry. Fresh after the fight he gives his opinion on the power between the likes of Shaver's and Tyson. He echos most of our thoughts "Shaver's harder, Tyson sharper". Enjoy.
That was probably the most honest and humble interview i've ever seen Holmes give. I like that he is interviewed by Leonard and how he offers him a drink at the end. I can't help but find it funny that it takes a peak Mike Tyson's destruction to get him level-headed, though.
Eh, Larry might just be out of his element outside of the game. Maybe he's most comfortable in and around the ring. *Shrugs*
but larry also confirms that tyson didn't have power in the same league as more than a handful of fighters like shavers. i too believe he was honest here and he came right off of one of tyson's best displays of power. he still said that the other guys hit "much much" harder.
I find it telling that he referred to Tyson as " The champ ", despite Michael Spinks. Should put to rest the claims about Patterson being the youngest champ. God, I haven't seen that interview since I probably saw that fight live when I was maybe 13 years old. Larry Merchant looks young.....
that's technically true. practically, tyson was champ since 1986 (i.e. the others belt holders were lame ducks). technically, there was still "question" until tyson unified the belts in 1988 against spinks. with patterson, there were no abc titles so technically there was no question as to who held all the belts - he did. this is all trivial anyway. nevermind years or or months, the fact that tyson or patterson or ali were so good at such young age is very very impressive!
Doesn't make a difference, he still hit hard enough to be the only person to ever stop Larry. No point having all that power if you can't finish someone when they're hurt.
It's interesting that Merchant says "...... and we may not even have seen the best of him [Tyson] yet". Which incidentally is true, although the 91 seconds we did see the absolute best of him seem to pass by in an eye blink.
Tyson was really the best opponent Holmes ever fought....Holmes style would offer problems to a fighter like Tyson but Tyson's right hand would have always been a problem like Larry
Yeah, Tyson would always tag him with that right sooner or later. If it happened after round 5 a prime Larry's survival instincts and recuperative power could overcome Tyson's finishing, but if Tyson gets him good before that, I think he finishes him off.
Vintage Holmes. He hasn't changed a bit. By the way, I agree with Holmes that Tyson did tired out a bit and lose steam after round five.
