Rare Footage of Larry Holmes vs Nick Wells!!!!!

Especially dangerous given it had less distance to travel, too.

 

Holmes carried a chip on his shoulder about this loss as you probably know, Larry spoke about how they said he lacked heart, that he quit and so on he always had something to prove to the peanut gallery… phenomenal fighter Mr “Big Jack” was special.

 

Wells could really hit. He was one of the most dangerous U.S. amateur heavyweights of the early ’70s. He went, supposedly, 189–18 with 110 KOs, 72 in the first round, and piled up titles—five-time Fort Worth Golden Gloves champ, two-time Texas State GG champ, three-time Texas State champion, National AAU champ in ’72, Western Hemisphere champ, World Military champ, multiple Air Force and Interservice titles.

In ’72 he actually knocked out Holmes twice—third round in the AAU finals in Minnesota, then first round in the Olympic Trials semis in his hometown Fort Worth. That set up the highly anticipated final with Duane Bobick, who came in 59–0 with 58 KOs. Early in the fight Wells broke Bobick’s nose and was matching him blow for blow, but he’d come in with a bad cut. By the end of the second round both were bleeding heavily, and the ref stopped it before the third. That cut cost him an Olympic berth.

He also had big international wins—first-round knockouts over England’s Les McGowan and the USSR’s Yuri Nesterov, plus a TKO of Poland’s Lucjan Trela. In 1973 he was ranked the #1 U.S. amateur heavyweight. His pro career never reached the same heights, but for a stretch in the early ’70s, Nick Wells was a southpaw wrecking machine and one of the most feared amateurs in the world.

 

What an animal…

 

Nick Wells is one of those guys who was a flat-out beast as an amateur but just never hit the same heights as a pro. This is a guy that won a pile of titles, and looked like a future star. He turned pro in ’76 but decided to stay in Fort Worth and work with his local guy Winky Groom instead of going with Lou Duva, which in hindsight probably limited his opportunities.

He started out alright, went 10–3, but in ’78 he took a full-time job with the Fort Worth Fire Department. That was basically the turning point — from then on, boxing was a side gig. First fight after joining the FD, he loses the Texas State Heavyweight Title to Roy Wallace. After that, he went 3–4, with stoppage losses to guys like Eddie “The Animal” Lopez and Tony “The Tongan Torpedo” Fulilangi. He hung them up in ’83 with a record somewhere around 13–8 (some sources list 15–8).

Wells had the tools, but he cut easy, didn’t have the sturdiest chin, and by splitting focus between a career outside the ring and boxing, he never really got the pro seasoning his amateur career suggested. Still, he had a long run as a fire captain in Fort Worth, worked security, and built a family life. In the end, he found his success outside the ring — but those who saw him in his amateur prime know just how dangerous he was.

 

First thing I thought of too. Tyson's finishing right hook and of the Shavers knockdown (still can't believe he got up) popped into my mind.

 

If you want to see someone seriously thin check out film of Shaquille O'Neil in his college days at LSU. Looks like a stick compared to present day.

Thanks foe this video.

 

I think it was tongue in cheek.

 

Thanks, He grant

 

With all due respect, IMJL, you really can't compare amateur careers to pro ones. I mean Randy Shields beat Ray Leonard in the ams for example.

 

Randy Shields KO 1 Marciano

 

Nice!!!

 

And also the pre requisite genetics

 

Galento would've retired Holmes.