What were your thoughts going into Ali-Holmes

I wasn't even born yet, but if I had to guess after people saw him in training camp they changed their original thoughts that day.

 

I admit I had a glimmer of hope; all the stories coming out of his camp indicated he was in good shape, and I thought he might pull off one more miracle. When he took off his robe, that hope started to fade - I can't explain it, but despite looking in shape, he just didn't look like he did when he was fighting; he looked like a shell of himself. After the bell rang for the first round, it just got steadily worse. Ali had NO response to Holmes, and survived only because of Larry's early caution and eventual consideration. I heard Holmes' corner told him the most merciful thing to do was get Ali out of there ASAP - that's when he started unloading, including that terrible ninth round. I was watching on closed-circuit in a civic center, and the audience of 3,000 went silent. Sylvester Stallone said it was like watching an autopsy on a man still alive - all too apt.

 

The hype as I recall was that Ali was at his lightest weight in years and had looked great in training.

I was a Holmes fan (rare at the time) and believed he would have too much for the old man, but Ali had worked magic before and I figured he’d be competitive. Alas, it was an illusion.

 

Holmes has been my favorite HWC since I first saw him shut out Shavers in there first fight. I knew Ali had no chance. As much as I dislike Ali I still blame his corner Dundee being the chief second as he told Greene when he stopped the fight was a disgrace. Should have been stopped after a couple.

 

I thought ali was going to get a terrible beating. I couldn't believe people actually thought ali had a chance at even being competitive. Beautiful job by Holmes

 

The hype was Ali was back in incredible form and the hype was all for money, Ali & everyone knew he took diet pills & was in no condition for the fight. Everyone was hopeful he could pull a Liston, Foreman upset but realistically after the 2 Spinks fights who could believe that. I was ringside for Ali-Shavers in MSG but I thought Ali was faking the staggering to lure Shavers in but Ali did get wobbled a few times. Ali made you believe he could do it & the suckers paid. Ali was shot.

 

I thought Ali would lose and possibly still get the decision. I didnt think he would be totally dead in there the way it turned out. Totally one sided.

 

Such was the magic of Ali ,despite the truth shouting in there face ,a good few believed that somehow the man could do it again .Remember my father at the time saying he'd put money on Ali to win by ko before the 10 th. He was sucked in like a good few others !

 

I figured Ali would have one great fight, and I didn't think much of Holmes. And Holmes turned out to be a better than I thought. I thought Ali was motivated to win one more time.

 

I still remember the Sports Illustrated with Ali on the cover looking beat to hell, and the words The Last Hurrah. I was at a barbershop with my dad reading about the fight, I was 9 years old.

 

Hi mate, I was 15 when this fight happened and a massive Ali fan since about 1972.

I had seen enough of Holmes to realise he was going to kill Ali so despite my Dad's offer to " you stay home from school n watch the fight if ya want " I went to school anyway.

When I returned from schhol that afternoon I could tell by the looks on my old man n younger brother's faces that it had been a pretty grim affair. The " No Mas " fight happened about a month later so it was a pretty horrible time to be a 15 year old kid who had idolised both Ali and Duran.

Cheers.

 

I remember reading the article in Sports Illustrated thinking that Larry Holmes must be Superman to have pounded the crap out of Ali. Of course being a 9 year old kid I didn't know **** about boxing, and didn't realize that Ali was a completely shot fighter at the time.

 

Anyone here remember the mustache that Ali had that he shaved shortly before the fight? Supposedly the reason he grew the stache was because he got a badly cut upper lip sparring with Jeff Sims, and didn't want the press to see it.

 

The hype was foolish. It is difficult to appreciate now but nonsports, never mind non boxing, fans had opinions on Ali both positive and negative. Non boxing fans and media gave Ali a chance because of his previous miracles.
I was 14 but knew since Evangelista that Ali was done. It was part of a dark period for boxing Duran v. Leonard II, Mancini v. Kim . . .