When Larry Holmes lost for the second time in a row to Michael Spinks in April of 1986, it was pretty much assumed that he would never fight again.
But in boxing, you never know.
By the fall of 1987, Larry was talking of making a comeback at age 38. When Mike Tyson easily knocked out Tyrell Biggs on October 16th, Holmes announced that he would be fighting Tyson sometime in early 1988. Larry said “My batteries have been recharged and I’m gonna get my title back.”
It would certainly be no easy task and when Don King refused to let Larry have a tune-up bout with Tyson look-alike Bernard Benton, Holmes later admitted he walked to to ring to fight Tyson knowing he would lose for the first time in his life.
The fight itself was short lived, with Larry trying to keep his left hand extended to keep Mike at bay. But in the fourth round, a cannonball of a right dropped Holmes. He courageously got up but was dropped again. At the close of the round he was knocked out with a Tyson right hand and the torch had been passed.
I watched the fight on HBO and felt sick in my stomach after it was over and wish it had never taken place.
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