larry holmes is an egomaniac...

know what you're saying Janitor - and yeah there have been some guys who've done some badass things in there time (who hasn't) but for instance if you were to ask me who I like more and who I'd prefer to have a drink with because he just comes across as the better guy - out of say Tyson and Holmes I'd say Tyson for me is the better person - unfortunately it's the nicer guys who tend to finish last in this world and Tyson is an example whereas the assholes always somehow become successful - Holmes being a case in point for me - he strikes me as a self obsessed, smug, higher than everyone, never happy with anything - the guy even bought out most of his home town for christ sake - want a w*****r - arrogance beyond words - Tyson was a mess but for me he has retained more dignity and integrity through all the mess and if he may have ended up somewhat broke compared to where he may have been he seems to be finding his feet without the need for all the trappings whereas Holmes will probably still be an arrogant childish money mad **** when he's 80

 

That post there epitomizes the difference between how Holmes presents himself or is presented by the media, and how he really is.

If you want to have fun being around an ATG, you will never be disapointed by Holmes. He's hilarious (and no, not just taking shots at other fighters). Not knowing who he is, you'd think he was just an average fun loving guy.

As you may or may not know, I've gone to Larry's gym for the past 5 years now, and have only seen him act anything other than a nice guy was on two occasions, and both occasions were when he was dealing with an unruly gym member who was causing trouble.

About 2-3 years ago my dad and I walked into his bar/restaurant to see how it was because we'd never been there before. We walked through the door, and immediately Larry got up from his conversation, shook our hands, offered us wings on the house and introduced us to his daughter and her fiance. He just as easily could've just sat there and ignored that we were there and let the waitress take care of us.

And about him being a major real estate force in Easton...the damn nerve of him..buying places and fixing them up and improving the city. What a horrible *******. He's given Easton far more than he needed to.

He loses over $2000 on his gym per month, yet he keeps it open. Yes it has been "for sale" for the past 2 years now, but he purposely has it priced outrageously high and hasn't even put any effort into selling outside of the small "for sale" sign that is in the yard.

Aside from things like that, he's also helped Joe Frazier out financially, donated a lot of money to charity (namely for cancer), and frequently helps out Gerry Cooney's F.I.S.T. foundation. If Larry was as near the ******* as people make him out to be, why would he be such good friends with Gerry Cooney, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Saul Mambi, Tex Cobb, etc?

 

So Holmes talks smack about opponents (and what fighter save a few don't?) and is branded a complete *******. Carlos Monzon was a confirmed sociopath and murderer, and has been called here "fascinating" and "The King of Cool."

Got it. Just need to know where we stand here.



Maybe it really is true; we just need to base our opinions of fighters on their status inside those ropes. The rest of it frankly too confusing for me to figure out.

 

Sammy Scaff said that Larry Holmes ignored him, probably because he was white. I don't know if racism was the reason why Larry gave him the silent treatment, but Sammy was ticked off about it. (For those who don't know, Sammy was one of Tyson's early casualties)

 

Great story Bill

 

Thank you for this post. I asked a question earlier when someone said that Holmes isn't a good person "How much time have you spent with him?" because I hate it when people judge celebrities character and they don't know them. It's a very feminine trait, and not one of the better ones.

 

That post was nothing to do with how the media portrays him - it's just how he comes across - he comes across as not the sort of person I could be around for very long without wanting to leave - how are any of us to know your just not someone who is up his @rse at the gym - that fact that he made you feel welcome at a restaurant means jack - you know him - why wouldn't he?? I know plenty of scum of the earth people (and plenty of other people who are up their @rse) - also anyone with his kind of money damn sure better be donating to cancer research - that persa doesn't make him a good person either - many @rsehole corporations donate to charities too - doesn't mean on the flip side they are totally unethical and treat people like **** on a daily basis - a friend of mines parents who have a bit of money also donate to charity and they are also complete @rseholes - so yeah - know what you're saying - but the guy comes across as an annoying arrogant type of guy - I'm not saying I'm perfect but he just strikes me as someone who I wouldn't see eye to eye with at all - and also like I say - fact of life, way of the world whatever you wanna call it - people who manage to earn fortunes only do it by stepping on people generally - not the sort of people I like generally and he just seems to come across as that type - but hey I may be completely wrong - how would I know without knowing the guy personally - I know people who are real

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who other people say "oh yeah he's a great guy!!" and I'm like yeah whatever so unless any of us really know him personally we can only go on gut feelings from how he comes across really :hi:

 

Holmes never mentions the fact that Foreman wanted to fight him back in the 70s but his people declined. Holmes is a fool, he just talks to hear himself talk.

 

Not once did I ever aproach Larry in the gym or start a conversation with him. He has always been the one to start conversations with just about everybody in gym. I've watched him stand and sign every autograph and take a picture with every person when he was clearly a very busy person.

My main point was that you seem to think he's a ***** based on a few interviews, when in many of them he said the things he said after the interviewer asked him a question to get a reaction out of him. People always bring up his comment about Tyson where he said that Tyson would go down in history as an SOB and self destruct, but do not bring up the comment where Larry said it's great Mike is going into the hall of fame and is a good guy who surrounded himself with the wrong people.

I'm not saying you should like the guy, but it confuses me when most people who meet him say that he's a good guy, but then based on a few comments you deem him as a bad person and a ***** without meeting him or really fully knowing just how much he has done for others.

 

You mean in 1976 when Holmes turned the fight down when his hand was broken?

 

Why did Larry get kicked out of the Hall of Fame weekend?

 

He tried to use his time on the podium to call out Big George.

 

Holmes has his ego, but there was something about him in the interview in the "Facing Ali" video that I liked. I think it was the part where he seemed so sympathetic with how hurt Joe Frazier was by Ali's derogatory remarks. Something like "Joe just couldn't take it....and I don't blame him..."

I could just tell by his tone and attitude that he empathized with Frazier's pain. It was a very human moment.