Larry Holmes and His Amazing Heavyweight Statistics

Robert Brizel Editorial: Larry Holmes and His Amazing Heavyweight Statistics

Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

 *Photo Credit: Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media

Larry Holmes of Easton, Pennsylvania, the former World Boxing Council World Heavyweight champion known as the “The Easton Assassin”, holds two unique professional boxing statistics which will likely never be broken in the future in the heavyweight division among the heavyweight champions of present and future. Lennox Lewis, the late Floyd Patterson and the late Muhammad Ali are rare as former world heavyweight champions who regained their title. Holmes, like James Jeffries, Joe Louis, Sonny Liston, James Corbett, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Wladimir Klitschko, Mike Tyson, Ingemar Johansson and many others, ranks worst among former world champions who were unsuccessful at regaining the world heavyweight title. Deontay Wilder challenges that obstacle this summer when he fights Tyson Fury for the third time.

 However, the unique statistical records Larry Holmes holds are quite different than any other distinction, and they do not appear in any record book. Ken Norton decisioned Jimmy Young, and was subsequently awarded the world heavyweight title outside of the ring. Holmes decisioned Norton to win the World Boxing Council version of the world heavyweight title. In doing so, Holmes won his share of the heavyweight title by defeating a champion who did not win his title inside the ring. Holmes then recorded 19 title defenses.

 Holmes, 69-6 with 44 knockouts between 1973 and 2002, then lost six consecutive title bouts to defending champions who had won their titles in the ring: Michael Spinks (twice), Mike Tyson, Oliver McCall, Evander Holyfield, and Brian Nielsen. His highly anticipated bout with George Foreman never took place. Holmes wisely chose to retire for good after getting knocked down late in the tenth round of a ten rounder he won by decision bout over Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch in 2002

Holmes is the only world heavyweight champion to have won 20 consecutive world title bouts, then lost six consecutive world title bouts. Holmes is also the only world heavyweight champion to have won 20 or more world title bouts after defeating a champion who did not win his title inside the ring, to have gone 0-6 against defending world champions who won their titles inside the ring. In essence, Larry was never able to beat an actual champion who won his title inside the ring in any weight class. It is true Holmes was fighting at an older age when those six losses occurred. The point of the notation is it does not as a general rule occur a heavyweight champion wins a share of the world title outside of the ring, or defeats a heavyweight champion who did not win their title inside of the ring to win the title. The world heavyweight title today still gets splintered into interim, regular and super titles.