Larry Holmes had made 2 lackluster title defenses in early 1980, and Ali started to talk more and more. Ali was still a huge name, and the most popular fighter on the planet, even after 18 months in retirement. Larry had been his sparring partner for years, and had handled Ali in the ring on many an occasion. Despite the fact that Ali had turned 38 in January of 1980, public sentiment was with him, and the fight was getting closer and closer to reality as the days passed.
When Holmes fought Scott LeDoux in July of 1980, Ali was at ringside hooping and hollering about his next opponent, as the fight had been set for October 2nd in Las Vegas. Larry pounded the overmatched LeDoux and stopped him in the 7th round. Ali yelled and talked of being a 4 time champion, but I knew he had no chance. He slurred his speech, was a shell of himself, and I hoped the thing would never take place.
Muhammad trained as best he could that summer, but I knew when the fight came, he would lose and possibly by knockout.
By fight night Ali had trimmed down to a svelte 217 lbs., fooling much of the public, and dropping the odds to a ridiculous 3-2 in favor of Holmes. It was all a mirage, and when the fight began it was obvious he was weaker and slower than the ever improving champion. The fact that it was later revealed that a moron of a doctor had put Ali on medicine for a thyroid condition he never had, was a mute point. He would have been knocked out either way, and when the referee stopped the fight after round 11, Muhammad had suffered the first KO loss of his career. It was a sad and pathetic night for boxing, and it was a fight that never should have happened.
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