Larry Holmes on Beating "Great White Hope" Gerry Cooney, Racist Overtones (Part 5) 

Larry Holmes is one of the great heavyweight boxers of all time. He is very underrated as a fighter. He was all business. He was like a reliable workman who came to work everyday and did his job well. There was no flashiness to him, but he was and is a solid human being. Love this guy. He's a man's man.

Never knew Holmes was so humble.....Whole new respect for you brother, GOD bless you!!

Once again Larry Holmes shows he's a class act...an underrated champion and human being.....

Happy to hear of Larry's friendship with Gerry. Cooney didn't seem to buy into that White Hope negative narrative. Holmes a legend and a good guy.

The day still has not come where Larry feels appreciated. Larry i appreciate you. YOU WAS THE 80'S AND early 90'S in the Heavyweight Division. Let's forget about Ali & Tyson for a minute. GET MY POINT YOU ARE THE & . Ali, Frazier , Foreman , Norton...... HOLMES........Tyson. Thanks for all the GREAT fights Larry That JAB was ONE OF A KIND

Larry Holmes, one of my favorite fighters and among the greatest heavyweights of all time! Much respect Larry Holmes! Great to see you and Gerry Cooney are friends. The Easton Assassin!!!

Listening to Larry speak or any old black man, always make me proud of my race.

I don't know who this interviewer is, but he should change the title of this video. The title immediately gives the impression that either Larry or Gerry Cooney is a racist. The content of the video however suggests that if there were any racism, it wasn't either boxer ! I ate at Larry Holmes restaurant in Easton, PA with my family and some close personal friends, about 10 years ago. I was privileged to meet the former heavyweight Champion of the world and he certainly comes across as a complete gentleman and a warm, friendly, gracious man. It was a complete honor for me to meet him and have a short conversation with him. The service at his restaurant was excellent, the food was very good and the portion sizes were astounding ! A great experience in every way !!!

This why I can't stop watching vlad interviews.. He interviews EVERYONE lmao I'm a huge boxing fan and I loved this one

Met Gerry Cooney at a Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Larry is spot on about Gerry. He's is a nice guy.

One of the best to ever do it! Best Jab ever

Love that he has a photo with Gerry Cooney in the back. For all the stuff that was made about that fight, Cooney is a good dude and has helped a lot of Black fighters. He was made to be the Great White Hope and all the racist stuff about their fight was Don King and Cooney's manager Dennis Rapaport.

Tupac: Larry Holmes all flabby and sick Me: Larry Holmes alive, flabby & looking good in 2020

Many people today don't know what a high-level fight the Holmes/Cooney fight was. They were both at their peaks.

One of the greatest days of my life when Holmes beat Cooney. Some kids at my elementary school were getting out of hand. There was actually Cooney chants! Lol Holmes shut that up! Thank you Larry! Thank You!

Larry has aged like fine wine. Good for him and God bless him. Great fighter, who never got the respect he deserved.

"Whooped the shit outta him".. Damn I love this man. What a amazing grandfather he'd be to have.. Also, love that old school respect these guys had for eachother. Gotta love a man who not only beats his opponent, but obvious modern day racism. In my now 21 years of boxing, I've learned something about a lot of things. One of the most important is Theres No Room In Boxing For Racism (or anywhere else for that matter). If you listen to this amazing man, and the love and respect he has for Gerry Cooney his "buddy". Even after the complete biases of the nation, including the President. Its NEVER the fighter, we know when you look across the ring. At a man who wants to knock your head off, it dont matter what damn color he is! Pain is pain, and loss is loss. Its never the fighter, t's the fans, who start talkin that racial shit. Anyway, much love to Holmes & Cooney!

"If you really wanna get tech-ncal about da whole thang... Rocky couldn't carry my jockstrap." - Larry Holmes

This man had them hands 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

Loool. This the most open I ever seen Larry Holmes in an interview lol. Him talking about spinks and Berbick lmfa

Mr. Holmes is a legend.

The Easton Assassin!!!🥊

You can tell he was a champ. Has the mindset. He knew he’s very confident in his accomplishments, but he’s humble at the same time. Im too young to remember his days fighting, but Interested in watching the fights

The problem for Gerry Cooney there was no way to prepare for Larry Holmes, the stepping stone did not exist. Larry was so much better than the contenders, Cooney could not get a feel for the level Larry was on until you faced Larry.

Best jab in boxing ever !!!!!!!!! Guy was sparring with Ali at 18 , at 20 he was kicking his butt. Ali said he would be the next great one. Amazing how non boxing fans do not know these facts. Holmes was one of the best in the last 40 yrs. LEGEND !!!

Holmes never got his due as champ. He was what Evander Holyfield was in the 1990's coming after Tyson. Fighting in the shadow of the most beloved fighter and by far the most watched fighter of all time (for context, Ali's last win, the rematch over Leon Spinks to win the heavyweight title for the 3rd time, was watched by over 90 million people live on ABC. That was more than 10 of the 12 Super Bowls that had been played at the time), he couldn't win. That he was a lunch pail fighter with his great jab, straight right hand, and great ring generalship...there was always going to be SOMEONE he had to fight. Except he beat all of them.

I love this Larry Holmes. Gracious, honest, and respectful of "some" of his major opponents. In Larry's prime years, his left jab was the best in the business! He could put punches in clusters on an opponent. While Larry was fighting though, he stayed angry all the time. He publicly denigrated the great Rocky Marciano in front of Rocky's brother, at a sports interview. Later, Larry apologized, but the damage was done, and very distasteful to many fans of boxing. Larry was angry after both Michael Spink fights. Both fights were close, the second fight,! Larry got robbed. I understood his frustration after that fight, but Larry was angry way before these fights ever happened. This interviewed Larry Holmes definitely boosted his reputation with boxing fans. I salute Larry Holmes, great former Heavyweight Champ!

My Whole Life I admired Mr.Larry Holmes !!!

There’s a little white boy that was rooting for you in Florida Larry over any Opponent. My dad and I watched everyone of your fights and we always cheered for you still to this day my dad and I’s favorite boxer is Larry Holmes!

Everthing was set up for cooney to be champion in 1982 ( the judges even gave him many rounds not deserved to win on points ) but Holmes didn't allowed it and blew up the whole plan...

Gerry n him friends now.....CLASSIC

Holmes is very humble. Cause everybody disrespected him except Cooney. He could've easily punished Cooney for the shit they pulled.

Larry Holmes, the consummate gentleman and champion.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🥊🥊

Yes sir Mr. Holmes, when a man disrespects your wife, which is the same as disrespecting you, hurt him, badly.

Man ,Larry Holmes has the best outlook on life ,cheerful man indeed .

Larry Holmes look like the old man that holds the line up at the gas station playing numbers

Love it. Larry homes was a great great HW Champion fighter and also a nice guy. Good for him to be respectful of Gerry Cooney that was also a good fighter, but not as good as Larry Homes. That doesn't make Gerry Gooney a bum or a terrible racist. Good for Larry Homes - we need to inspire our youth Black, White and other to aspire to be great, but also good sportsman. God bless.

No Vlad, the Champion is not usually introduced first.

I remember seeing this match when it first happened. It was a damn good fight. There was so much electricity surrounding it. Definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it yet.

Larry Holmes beat the living 💩 out of Jerry Cooney which is one of the best fights I've seen in my life.

Larry Holmes is still one of the best

Vlad did you go to Easton PA for this interview???? Larry is the hometown hero.

Vlad: did you ever meet the president ? Larry Holmes: i didnt like him.

Vlad never does his research. He should know that the champ always gets announced last. 5:20

Holmes seems to mix up his Berbick fight with Spinks…at 0:55 he says “Berbick” when they were clearly talking about Spinks

Tommy Morrison was the legit great white hope for a minute in the early to mid 90s. That left hook was nasty

Those last few words of Larry Holmes, they mean everything. Him and Gerry, absolutely class acts the both of them…and great boxers!

Damn I love Larry such a nice and kind soul. So honest!

I adore Larry Holmes. He's a true champion, in and out of the ring. He's confident yet humble. The man is a class act.

Probably the most underated boxers ever at least he stills has a brain and good bank roll. Number rule boxing hit and don't get hit.

My all time favourite heavyweight. Just loved the guy. What a boxing era that was with Larry as Heavyweight champion and Marvin Hagler the middleweight champion. Tommy Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard as the rival Welterweight weight champs man just out of this world. That’s my child hood right there. I’m now 47 and it feels like yesterday. Loved the 1980’s ❤️👌🥊

Very humble man but dont get it wrong a head buster if you cross him

He was a damn good boxer

Met Gerry multiple times, a really nice guy and a lot bigger than many would expect.

anyone who truly knows boxing understands LARRY HOLMES gifts to the sport and words of wisdom /w never be matched ever again in this lifetime peace and love to you and your family you are a true AMERICAN TREASURE AMEN

Media and fans still does it. Look at Garcia and Davis recent fight. It was built as Black versus Brown.

Larry Holmes is one of the first famous people I ever touched. After the Ali fight he came to our boys club in Newark. He was signing autograph and my brother and I reached up and squeezed his massive bicep. He was a nice man.

I'm Dutch, living in the Netherlands, and saw the fight live on German television. It was extreme late, daylight already set in, and at fight time I'd run out of beer. Never, and never again, felt as nervous as in this fight. Later on I learned how close the judges had it. Without the point deductions for low blows Cooney might have gotten the decision. In that case, I would've turned my back on boxing to never see a fight again.

Holmes understood the world better thank you for been humble

What a great interview!! Holmes was not just a great fighter he is a great interview. One of the all time greats.

Wisdom of the ages right here

Great interview!!!

This was an early version of proto-wokian 'anti-racism by being racist' nonsense. A certain kind of media would over-exaggerate 'white supremacy' (which was absolutely not most fans or boxers) and the same sorts would instigate this racist slur "great white hope" into something important. Cooney himself was an excellent contender and very worthy challenger in a very strong HW world. He didn't deserve to get downplayed or insulted as some beneficiary of imaginary 'white privilege'. Holmes never talked 'race' and Cooney didn't and that's why I see these two greats as above it all. Great men and not just because of boxing triumphs.

Met Larry once he's a great guy and I also met Gerry. Larry is definitely one of the greats

Watching this makes me miss my grandfather.

Larry Holmes is probably the most underrated and unappreciated heavyweight chamption of all time. He came as close as possible to beating Rocky Marciano's undefeated record of 49-0 getting all the way to an amazing 48-0 before suffering his first loss to Michael Spinks. Something that goes unnoticed is that he was Mohammad Ali's sparring partner during prepartion for the "Rumble in the Jungle" where Ali stunned the world and regained his heavyweight title by defeating George Foreman.

1:38 "He was my great white hope, hoping I didn't kill ass" 🤣🤣

Larry Holmes, it appears to me, never gets enough credit for his 48-0 record that he had prior to the loss to Michael Spins. He may actually be the greatest boxer ever, certainly in the top 7-8 of all-time !!!

This fight way back in the 1980s is a prime example of how the media tries to keep blacks and whites feuding all the time

Larry is a class act. The gracious way he speaks about Cooney even though he could have hated him with good reason, Read his biography against all odds it is a good read. Should have been one of the greats but that Don King ruined his chances to be better than he was.

Ironically , America has been waiting for a great black hope for 20+ years

A man's man right there! True LEGEND 👍 🏆

Great interview! My all time favourite boxer!

Larry Holmes is easily top 3 heavyweights of all time....that jab would just break his opponents will. Vastly underrated, a total boss in the boxing ring.

This man defended his title 17 times. GOAT in my books.

Oh, that is where the idea of "The Great White Hype" 1996 movie.

This man held the Title for 7 years!!!

Wonderful interview. God Bless!

Larry Holmes was one hell of a warrior and an all round wonderful human being.

I think Larry Holmes is so under-appreciated, He was a great Champion in his time, One of the best, HALL OF FAMER ALL THE WAY.

CLASS ACT!!!! Mr. Holmes... probably the last true gentleman Champion!

Know you cold when you tell a nigga “watch the tape”

I read a boxing publication from 1979 and Larry was asked about potential challengers and he mentioned to the press that Gerry "could fight" and had a great "left hand". So Holmes knew Cooney could fight years before they met.

I like Larry Holmes, he's a class act.

Larry Holmes talking about his experience, the straight up disrespectful racism he experienced, but just talking about it so calmly, I’m so glad he has piece of mind about it. He rose above it. But it says so much about society that they even did this to him to begin with.

Wow. I like Larry Holmes. He is a sincere and honest man; you can tell. He is also quite funny. I respect him and ask God to bless him with a long life.

He kinda sound like Mike Tyson when he speaks, that slow slur undertone

Glad to hear Larry and Jerry are friends. Jerry is a real gentleman.

tell Mr. Holmes is ex girlfriend GINGER JONES passed away April 16, 2020 from Covid

I hope Larry is well . Was one of the most underrated fighters ever

Man i was a kid when this fight happened and I think i remember it on wide world of sports.... thats when i became a Larry Holmes fan when i was a kid.

A class act inside and outside the ring. Great fighter. Good man.

This dude is an all around classic.

One of the deadliest jabs in the history of boxing in any weight class. It was literally a cobra strike.

This was like the fight in Harlem Nights!! 🤣🤣

What a nice man. Love the inside tidbits of the dudes he fought. Very cool stuff...

:))))))) Glad to hear this interview

I'm just s glad both fighters looked past that race bullshit and kept it real to the end. Larry Holmes was the most underrated ,under appreciated fighters in history. His jab was second to none and he would make an absolute fool out of todays heavyweights.

Sir you in my mind are the greatest of all times. Your record proves it. No joke the best of the best. Look at who he fought. Everyone. The area of all the best.

I saw that fight as a kid... I did not buy into the racial sensationalism... Holme's boxing acumen and skill level stood out..what I learned about Mr. Cooney came years later and was perhaps the biggest lesson, and that was....human beings can come from very dire/difficult situations and still be decent and good people... kudo's to both men.