One of the most ferocious knockout finishers in the history of boxing, Larry Holmes came just two fights short of matching a historic unbeaten record in the sport’s antiquity.
Revered for his hellacious finishing ability, former IBF and WBC heavyweight kingpin Larry Holmes began his career in the vein of a devastating 48-0 run, including countless title fight wins, and memorable finishes.
Toppling the veteran Ken Norton to win his first world championship, Holmes would enjoy a stunning 20-fight stay as king at heavyweight, until he was met with an emerging star who would create his own piece of history.
Coming unstuck for the first time in his career, a whole different story of Holmes’ first loss in the ring has since been unearthed.
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Larry Holmes revealed that a deadly fear led to first loss to Michael Spinks
Searching for a historic twenty-one straight title defenses at the heavyweight limit, Holmes was pitted against a former light heavyweight champion, who had made inroads in his division in the form of Michael Spinks on this day in 1985.
Tasked with snapping the 28-0 record of Spinks, too, Holmes found himself on the wrong side of a debated unanimous decision loss to the former, who became the first light heavyweight champion to add heavyweight spoils to his mantle in boxing.
Reflecting on the Upset of the Year defeat to Spinks in his autobiography, Holmes made an admission on pre-fight fear, which contributed to his shock loss.
Dealing with a back injury in the form of a slipped disc and a pinched nerve, Holmes claimed he had been advised he risked paralysis for life if he utilized his right hand in the ring.
Affecting his performance greatly, Holmes admitted he was fearful of suffering a life-altering injury in his autobiography, Against The Odds.
“I found that not only was I flat and listless [against Michael Spinks], I was reluctant to pull the trigger on the right hand,” Holmes wrote in his autobiography.
Larry Holmes’ grudge fight with Mike Tyson
Failing to ever topple Spinks in the pair’s immediate rematch — another close loss, in fact, Holmes would take on the emerging Mike Tyson with WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight gold on the line.
Becoming another victim of the Catskills puncher’s enormous power, Holmes was knocked out in the fourth round by Tyson, who boldly claimed that he hoped to badly hurt ‘The Easton Assassin’ after viewing his stoppage win over Muhammad Ali just a year prior.
With his knockout win, Tyson became the first and only fighter to finish Holmes in the veteran’s incredible 75-fight career.