Former WBC and IBF Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes has told of his lack of interest in the current heavyweight boxing scene, as the division’s top stars continue to swerve fights with one another.
The delay of the undisputed showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk has added to the disappointment of the ever-elusive battle between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, not to mention some of the other top contenders seemingly not being able to find opponents.
These modern complications of the heavyweight division have been apparent for years now, but not back in the days of Holmes’ reign – he fought at least three times a calendar in all but one of his six years as the WBC champion.
Wins over the likes of Muhammad Ali, Ken Norton and Earnie Shavers and losses to greats such as Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield show that attitudes were perhaps different in the days of the ‘Easton Assassin’ – or at least the business of boxing.
The now 73-year-old Holmes told Seconds Out that he has lost interest in the division.
“It’s not good. I’d rather watch soap opera on TV instead of watching these guys today, but it’s okay, they’ve got to learn, they’ve got to develop like I did, in the same way. “
There is no doubt that the activity of the champions is at a low. Fury has made just three defences of his WBC crown since winning the belt in 2020, whilst Usyk has fought just once a year since moving up to the heavyweight division in 2019.
This means that whoever wins in the undisputed clash between the two champions is unlikely to retain all four belts, with the IBF keen to ensure that Filip Hrgovic gets his shot at a world title in the near future, which could possibly open up a door for Anthony Joshua to become a three-time champion.