Who was the World Heavyweight Champion when you started elementary school?

I know you didn’t ask me but ... (and I’ve told this here before)

My father and youngest brother and I went to a Mississippi casino to see one of Larry Holmes’ “second-generation” comeback fights.

We were wandering around and in a basically deserted hallway the day before the fight and who is coming our way but Larry himself! We said hi champ, we came to see you fight and he walked over and thanked us for coming and started chatting.

He was saying something about how he was having to fight these younger guys and him being old and he singled out my father, who was well into the backside of his 60s and said, ‘I’ll fight you. I want you next!!!” And started playfully jabbing in his direction. “I can take you, old man!” That sort of thing.

After a couple of minutes he said he had to go and thanked us again for coming to see him fight.

It made our day and certainly made our Pop’s day. We still bring it up at holiday gatherings.

 

Classy guy. I've found Larry is a lot more amicable than I used to think, from what I've read.

 

Ali

 

Liston

 

When I started Kindergarten, the heavyweight champion was Rocky Marciano. He was just about to have his rematch with Ezzard Charles.

 

Holmes

 

David Haye, Vitali Klitschko e Wladimir Klitschko .