When did Larry Holmes stop being the world's number 1 heavyweight ?

he got controvertially beat twice of michael spinks in 85 and 86 and took a couple of years break - in this time Tyson came into the bigtime and koed everyone. Holmes and Tyson fought in 88 with holmes getting koed in round 4. So anytime from 85-88

 

Nothing controversial about the first fight.

 

I'd say 1986 ...

 

just depends on opinion - i know a few people who are convinsed holmes won, i thought it was fairly close and could have gone either way

 

When he lost to Spinks.

 

I had Spinks winning by 2 or 3 points, he earned it that night.

 

Spinks won the first fight. I'm a massive Holmes fan, yet wasn't even trying to give him rounds for the sake of it. He lost, fair and square.

However, he won the rematch.

 

When Michael Spinks out pointed him over 15 rounds. At that point he was no longer the best heavyweight. He was the second best heavyweight. He became the best heavyweight again when he was robbed in the rematch with Spinks.

 

After the first Spinks fight. Then Holmes regained the top spot in the eyes of fair minded fans after he got the better of Spinks in the ring...but lost to in the eyes of blind judges.

 

Agreed.

 

I favor Pinky Thomas over him in 84.

Thomas was a super fighter for a short period, he was in the pound for pound top ten for a brief time actually if I remember right.

 

I'll be honest, I've not yet sat down to watch the rematch. I have both on DVD, I thought Spinks won the first fight fair and square. He simply outworked the bigger man.

 

Holmes was flatfooted and only really threw left jabs while coming forward. Spinks landed combos and landed some jabs himself. I thought he really was an awkward customer for the slow Holmes that night.

Holmes was a different animal in the rematch. He was renergized and was getting the jap off more regularly. The right hand was back, which was virtually missing from the first encounter. Holmes also landed some wicked body punches on Spinks. A very bad decision indeed. Spinks came into the fight during the middle rounds but no way did he do enough to win.

 

thumbsup I agree I was waiting for someone to mention Thomas. Id say around the end of 84 when Holmes struggled with Bonecrusher or his next fight when he fought Carl Williams who I thought earned at least a draw.Pinklon was at his best around those years. I remember thinking that Pinklon would beat Holmes around that time. Holmes lost in the fight after Williams against Spinks and that fight was not controversial! SPinks won the first one very convincingly.