How many title defenses can we truly credit Larry Holmes with?

Nah, Johnson takes that cake hands down.

 

I dont know why people bash holmes's title run, i mean he had about 5 or 6 solid title defences. Most champions dont even defend thier belt 6 times, they usually lose after 1 or 2 defences.

Besides joe louis and ali, who else can claim to have a better title run? Tyson maybe.

 

Ali defended against Evangelista and Leon Spinks, do you count those? Cobb was a tough guy. IMO he's underrated. He managed to beat Shavers and Mercardo, and gave Norton and Dokes hell. Ali called Larry out did he not, and I know people would have bashed Larry if he didn't fight Ali, it was a lose-lose fight for Larry no matter how you look at it.

 

Although Tyson's comp wasn't that great either. He fought a lot of unmotivated guys, and Thomas was all screwed up from drugs.

 

Had Holmes fought Mike Weaver a bit later it would have been a good defense however at the time Weaver fought Holmes he did not yet have very good credentials and may have been outside the top 10.

 

How many title defenses can we truly credit Larry Holmes with?

20. Unless you only count the defenses after he won the lineal title from Ali.