Larry Holmes is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all-time, putting together a run of twenty-one consecutive victories in title fights that stretched his record to 48-0 in the 1980’s.
The boxing legend has now voiced his opinion on the current heavyweights in comparison to the men he faced.
During his time as champion, Holmes accumulated fifteen knockout victories across twenty successful defences, but was more known for the strength of his jab as opposed to a power-puncher.
The legendary jab of the ‘Easton Assassin’ is still recognised as possibly the best of all-time, throwing it with such force that it was as damaging as any other shot that the American threw.
Whilst his legacy lives on as one the most dominant champions in the history of the sport, Holmes claimed that the level of competition has regressed since his time in the ring and there isn’t enough threats to the heavyweight throne in the modern era of boxing,
When asked by iFL TV if Tyson Fury was the best heavyweight right now, Holmes said he was, but wasn’t complimentary about the current state of the division.
“Yes [Tyson Fury]. But he doesn’t have too much competition in this era.”
“It’s not as strong as it was when I fought, I had guys like Ken Norton, George Foreman, Muhammad Ali was out there, Jerry Quarry, a lot of fighters who were strong guys, determined, dedicated and disciplined.”
‘The Gypsy King’ holds the lineal title, which Holmes himself lost to Michael Spinks in 1985, in the first defeat of his career, and whilst there are challenges to the crown, fights between the biggest names in the division can’t seem to get made.
Fury’s chance to cement his own legacy in the sport appears to have diminished, at least for now, after the collapse of an undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk. The other key contenders in Anthony Joshua and Joe Joyce have been linked with a fight with the WBC champion for later this year, but Andy Ruiz appears to be the frontrunner for Fury’s next bout.