The Fighting Life: Larry Holmes, "Cooney had me hurt, but didn't realize it" 

Best heavyweight jabbers ever #1 Larry Holmes #2 Wladimir Klitschko #3 Vitali Klitschko #4 Cassius Clay #5 Lennox Lewis

His jab was a power punch Best in the business

Foreman’s was more powerful, but Larry’s was much faster, more bizzy.

I’m not a boxing historian but from what I seen, that jab he had was the best ever

He gets his due from me and definitely perfected the jab. Got screwed out of tying, maybe surpassing Rocky Marciano's 49-0 record. #Politics #Politicking

@@DWeb0414 he definitely got screwed on that fight against Michael spinks.

Absolutely correct! Great fighter and a great guy.

I was born in 1973 so yeah...this dude was Champ like my entire grade school years, my dad watched all the fights and was a Holmes fan as was i.

@@seansimms8503 We’re a year apart so that sounds bout right. My family all sat around when a Holmes fight came on. He was big news back then.

Unlike Evander Holyfield. FIVE kids born out of wedlock to four women. I like Holyfield as a boxer but, not outside of that.

@@generic53 ...I liked middleweight/first moved up to Heavyweight Holyfield, manufactured Heavyweight they called him cause he packed on so much muscle getting to Heavyweight, his fight against George was legendary and I was pulling for George, the shots George took from him and didn't go down showed me how tough that old big out of shape guy really was, I swear Holyfield nailed him with some mean 5, 6, 7 shot combos and the SOB wobbled but refused to go down, amazing...mind you these combos were all flush landing and to George's face, he looked like $hit but made it.

Tommy got caught in the ropes Tommy beat razor Riddick all these guys were bad ass

Holmes' opponents knew they'd been hit when they fought Larry Holmes. He was a great champ.

@@r.o.y8940 Tommy was gonna get knocked out anyways… I can tell you’re white, by that excuse you used..

@Sheha Nagaraj you know the amazing thing is that Holme's best weapon, his jab, was shot. He beat Mercer with ring experience and ring savvy.

The depth of the Heavyweight Division in the 1970s was amazing.

Can you imagine Holmes and Wilder boxing?!?!

@@bayareaknight3134 That would be awesome. But of course my money is on Holmes.

@@GrubKiller436 I just put that out there. I don't think Wilder can actually box. Like Holmes said the jab isn't taught anymore and poor Wilder hasn't learned how to jab...smh.

Except for one, apparently. Mike used him like a heavy bag.

@@tonym2513 Get real. Larry was old and past his prime by then. My statement alluded to a prime Larry Holmes being a tough night for any heavyweight ever. I stand by that.

He actually had been knocked out, but was revived after he hit the ground.

Holmes was only Kod once by Mike Tyson and he was past it

@johntoomey4480 Well, he had come out of retirement and was much older by then. Remember though, his attempted uppercut was blocked by the ropes, as he aimed wrong.

I think people doubt Larry's chin because of the end of his career when he probably went on too long, he was well capable of surviving bombs from hard hitters like Shavers/Cooney etc.

I don’t know how he got up. Larry was great champ

IMHO, the best jab though was Big George Foreman. Someone said it was like getting hit with a tree trunk.

And a guy they called the bear😊

Jeb ? His jab was like a straight right man goodnight Irene.... Better than the man he learned it from Ali

​@@generic53I'll give you a thumbs up Boss but I have to disagree looks like splitting hairs but I remember watching homes jab just determined the whole outcome of the fight

A great era of boxing

And Ron Lyle wasn’t to bad either.

Norton vs Holmes for the title in an incredible fight. Watch it on youtube. Larry won a split decision in an extremely close fight. An all time great fight.

Also Bob Foster, Jerry Quarry, Ron Lyle, Jimmy Young, George Chuvallo,

Absolutely the Most Under- Spoken about as being one the best heavyweight Champions ever. Let ok at his record.

Larry Holmes is the most underrated Heavyweight Champion of all time.

Why does everyone say Holmes is underappreciated? I've never seen a top ten heavyweights of all time list without his name on it.

@@HopyHop1 Hopefully he's catching back up with the general public. Back then, though, public opinion was pretty set against him--though not the good sportswriters. Holmes made a lot of bitter remarks from not getting his due, especially after that debacle against Michael Spinkis.

Larry was an old school fighter. He wasn't out there to impress the press. He just didn't have the mouth that Ali had and they didn't know what to do with someone that wasn't even going to try. Any time I've ever seen someone interview him that wasn't antagonistic he's always class.

Larry is GOAT

Not just top 10. Top 5 for sure!

The problem was that he was coming to the stage on the heels of the greatest heavyweight boxing era in history, and he was the anti-Ali when it came to likability. Then he tried to be cocky and braggadocios like Ali but he came off arrogant and abrasive. On top of that the competition was nowhere near what it was the decade before, as it was for Tyson, and he fought a lot of the great fighters past their prime. There was just a myriad of circumstances that caused him to be underrated, but his talent was real. I would not say Top 10 though.

yea your are right, that head be moving like the cookie monster !lol but his jab was like a high powered rifle!

The "powers that be" won't let Rocky Marciano's record B broken w/o a knockout.

​@@1968doggdidn't Floyd break it

@@nippahut You got that right. He just frustrated the hell out of his opponents. They couldn't get close or he would tag them with that unstoppable snake of a jab, and they coudln't hit him because his head was never in the same place for more than a split second. His body was thick and he could take those body blows, and if you did get through his defense, he just tied you up with those strong arms...a simple combination, but really effective. He was still winning matches in his FIFTIES!

@@jw-vx8im No, we mean in heavyweight. There are records that are 49-0 in other weight divisions. But we're speaking specifically heavyweight.

I agree that he was one of the greatest. The reason many people think he's underrated and overlooked is because he had the misfortune to come between Ali and Tyson.

@@dustylover100 Yes but the career is just incredible. Holding the title that long with killers in the division. Shavers, Norton, Witherspoon, Cooney, on and on. Stylistically he would have beat Foreman like Ali and Jimmy Young did.

​@@kingtyomama6564Agreed. He wasnt blue blooded, or particularly charismatic or handsome as Ali, so I think that hurt him in terms of him getting the credit he deserved. And look, its impossible to compete with the days of Ali, Foreman, and Frazier in terms of depth of the heavyweight division, but I think some felt that division had fallen a lot, and that Larry wasnt tested as much as those other guys, to get to 48-0. Talking shit on Rocky Marciano doesnt help either lol.

I wouldn't say Larry was a class act but no modern era heavyweight could carry his jock other than Tyson.

@@Bklyn2SoCal Actually he was.......and still is. The only reason you'd say that is if you have some agenda.

@Galatian No agenda, just my opinion let me explain. I definitely have love for Larry & have always admired 'the greatest jab in the history of the division'. He was a beast. As an older, wiser Larry, I'd say he's a classic act now.... he has a great understanding of his journey, of how he stacks up against his peers & he seems like a genuinely, nice, warm dude. Ahaun IMO, it was a different story when he was fighting. I'm curious so please be real, we're you implying my agenda must be race? I can't imagine what else it could be.

@@Bklyn2SoCal You do realize the word agenda can mean many things, right? Funny, how race is the first thing you bring up. And yet, still no reason why Larry isn't a class act being listed by you. Also, Tyson was a flash in the pan who never won a big fight after the split with Kevin Rooney. Lewis and Holyfield were better fighters although Holyfield was dirty(headbutts). Tyson had the talent to be the best ever but pissed it away.

@Galatian Slow your roll Mr Agenda, the only reason I brought up race is because boxing fans are notorious for that sh_t. (Leftists are also but that's a convo for another video 😁). Again I like Larry & have been a fan for years but when he was a young cat Larry was a far cry from classy. It's clear you & I define class differently, so you do you & I'll kick you down just this: When Larry was young he was disingenuous & full of himself, but the tacky street dude grew up. (I can relate). Now I know class comes in different flavors (so restrain yourself from the need to straighten me out) & he has come a long way from being the young cocky boxer who beat an old Ali. On the Tyson thing, I hear the final bell ring on our bout so may the force be with you. ✌️

Would Give Fury serious competition

Holmes had great heart and will to win never gave up

Larry is a great and successful fighter but I would not call him humble.

@@briankaren604 Yes, at times he said some brash expressions in relation to being underestimated. He didn’t set out to world champion; he simply believed he had a chance to compete. He studied his craft and worked hard. He knew his worth and believed in himself, same as in business. You can hear his tone of true humility when he talks about his successes.

​@@briankaren604Haha, was thinking the same thing. That guy obviously doesnt know Larry Holmes. He does seem to have mellowed a bit in old age, because I dont think at the time, he would ever admit Cooney hurt him. Maybe I missed an interview then and he said so, but I doubt it.

I still don't know how in the hell he got up after that Shavers' blow. And to go on and beat him impressively. Amazing.

I don't remember anyone saying he was dumb

He said Shavers KO'ed him but when his head hit the canvas he came too. You can see how he fell he was asleep.

People forget he recovered from a shot from Renaldo Snipes that would put most men in the hospital as well!

I CAN'T SEE WHERE SPINKS BEAT HIM I THINK THE LOSS CAME FROM ANIMOSITY FOR THE REMARK HE MADE ABOUT ROCKY JUDGES DID"NT LIKE THAT

😂😂😂

No one is great at ANYTHING? What kind of stupid statement is that?

Yeah he got royally screwed over in both Spinks fights. Still burns me up when I think about it!

@@ncknight I don’t know about that. Jinx Spinks fought a weird fight and got to Larry, disrupted Larry’s rhythm. Larry could not get on track and The Jinx confused him. Real story behind it, Michael Spinks was pissed and wanted big revenge because Larry beat up Michael’s brother, Leon. And, they were close brothers. Michael was in Leon’s corner. So, he went at Larry with everything, fearlessly, reckless abandon. The judges had to give it to Michael. Spinks fought angry, and aggressive, and just a blown-up, lean, swift, light heavyweight. The fight that never was, Holmes v Foreman would have been amazing. Jeez, George was brutal, especially in his resurrection career. Tyson told Don King, “I’m not gonna fight that animal; you fight him” But, Larry was a great boxer in his time and in that era. And, he really knew how to box, the sweet science. Smart enough to jab and move, and not get hit. And, he looks great here at 65; never became “punchy.”

@Angelo Iodice I respectfully disagree. Both fights were close, but IMHO the judges gave the decisions to Spinks because Holmes was 48-0 coming into the first fight, and they didn't want to see Holmes (or anyone else) tie Marciano's record of 49-0. It was as simple as that. At any rate, you have your opinion and I have mine.

@@ncknight Sure, because Holmes disrespected the Marciano family, saying that Rocky couldn’t wash his jock strap. It got really ugly back then. Larry thought he was Ali with his mouth. But, Ali knew how to talk loud and nasty, but make it funny for the fans. I mean, he drove Frazier into a frenzy, where Ali’s talk, caused Frazier to shoot out Ali’s lights. Larry didn’t have the talk. But, he surely had the fight. But, let’s face it, if Larry truly beat up Spinks like he beat up a Randy Tex Cobb, it would be ridiculous to think they would hand the decision over to a clear loser to prevent a Larry from going to 49-0. Spinks disrupted Larry all night long, at least in the first fight. Larry had some beautiful classic boxing skills and was damned frickin’ strong and a powerful mindset. But, the awkward Jinx Spinks just fought a weird street fight, the classic smaller angry underdog. He got the job done. But, if you are saying that it wasn’t enough to take the crown from the reigning champion, I could see your possible argument. If it was Ali in the same position as Holmes that night, they would never take away the crown from a universally loved legend such as Ali was and is. But, Larry was not universally loved, yet you had to respect him.

@@angeloiodice9304 like I said, you have your opinion and I have mine.

Thank you