| What do you make of Larry Holmes statements regarding Mayweather and Pacquiao?He article is on boxing scene just now.Another great boxer has something to say.
Former world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes must have felt like the guy who was called on stage to sing after Frank Sinatra just wowed an audience.
The "Easton Assassin" nobly ruled the (back then) most important weight division in boxing for seven, solid years but unfortunately his predecessor was the charismatic Muhammad Ali.
So, during his reign, Holmes never got the appreciation his exquisite ring skills merited.
Retired since 2002, the 61 year old Holmes, whose has only been living in the small Pennsylvania city since 1957, looks better with the passage of time.
But, at least, Holmes is getting his props, smelling the roses, while he's still above ground.
Holmes does not believe America's top boxer of today, controversial Floyd Mayweather Jr., will enjoy such reverence in his later years.
"I don't think so." Holmes told me in a face to face conversation. "This guy is a little assh----.
"I don't know what his problem is really but Mayweather has got a big chip on his shoulder. He conducts himself like an ass in public, flashing money and all that. These are hard economic times, lot of people can't find jobs and he's flashing all that cash?
"Could he as popular like Sugar Ray Leonard was? Yeah, if he didn't come as such an an assh---. He just comes off as a bad guy. The way he talks, all that b***h this and b***h that, I don't go for that, either. No one's going to call my sister a b***h, call her out of her name, at least not in front of me," Holmes said.
Holmes doesn't expect Mayweather to listen to him. He said that L'il Floyd doesn't even acknowledge that his boxing skills are mainly inherited from his ex-boxer father and former world champion uncle.
"Yeah, he's a good fighter but he got his ability in boxing from them, from his family. But you don't ever hear him speak on that. You got to be humble. You got to be someone who people can like, who they can admire."
Switch the topic of Manny Pacquiao and Holmes lights up.
"I'm proud of Pacquiao for all he's doing. I think Manny brings a lot of excitement to the ring and makes people want to see his fights. Best thing Manny ever did was getting connected with Freddie Roach as his teacher, his trainer."
Holmes said Roach laid the fistic foundation for Pacman just as his own early career tutors did for him.
"Freddie Roach...he's been there," Holmes said. "Freddie was trained by Eddie Futch. I was trained by Ray Arcel and by Freddie Brown. I also had Eddie in my corner sometimes. I had the greatest minds in boxing working with me. Richie Giachetti, he knew boxing but he couldn't demonstrate it like those other guys could.
"That's why we got no heavyweights in America now...we got no teachers like those guys. It's not just the fact that a lot of big guys are playing pro football or basketball."
Nobody taught Holmes how to take the hammer blows of Earnie Shavers, hit the canvas and rise again to fight on to victory.
With a 69-6, 44 KOs record, Holmes is the voice of authority.
He cheers Pacquiao and jeers Mayweather.
Is anyone surprised by that at this point?
@ Martin, nobody is an N word to me, that is an awful way to think about people.If my favourite boxer comes out and says "Floyd is the man, he is a great ambassador for the sport" it wouldnt make me like them any less, just question their thinking.My point is here is another boxer laying in to Mayweather. Larry Holmes is under-rated and I think he was a great boxer, always will do,.
PS @ Martin,what does anything of this actually have to do with colour? I give a quote and the first thing you think is "a black person said that,this guy must think this or that". I was just showing that an ex pro boxer and human being said something, I really dont understand your answer as I dont think of things in terms of race.
Asked By: Richard - 1/12/2011 |
That's what I always liked about Holmes. There's no sugar coating with him. I've said the same thing about Manny and Floyd, many times.
The reason Floyd hates Manny is because he knows he can never be, to the people, what Manny has already proven to be. As a rules, in life, it's very hard to bad-mouth a person who is well admired by everyone. You'd be hard pressed to say anything bad about Manny Pacquiao. I met him, in the Philippines, shortly before the Morales fight and I wished him luck. I felt he would win because, when asked, Morales said "I fight for me". Pacquiao said "I fight for my country". I've been there and I see what he means to the people of the Philippines and what they mean to him.
A man must have a purpose. Floyd, like Erik Morales, is very full of himself. Like Holmes said, Floyd won't even give credit to his father or uncle. It's all about Floyd. That only takes you so far and Floyd has run out of road.
Now, his only recorse is to wait for Pacquiao to ruin himself. Then, and only then, will Mayweather agree to fight. Only a fool will listen to the wolf tickets Floyd continues to sell. All that crap about cleaning up boxing and drug testing is rubbish. That debate is getting old.
Pacquiao vs Mayweather should have happened at least a year ago. Now, it doesn't matter who wins, it won't mean anything when you speak of each fighter's legacies. Manny has already paved his legacy and Mayweather's is near meaningless. His undefeated record means little because there is a long line of top fighters whom Floyd has avoided.
Floyd has the never to compare himself to greats like Leonard and Robinson and others. However, Leonard could have avoided the likes of Duran, Hearns, Hagler and others and he would also have remained undefeated. A record with defeats against the greats is FAR better than an undefeated record with C list fighters. Floyd has not ONE prime fighter on his resume.
Larry Holmes spoke the truth. He can be harsh at times but he has never sugar coated anything. I've met Larry a few times and he's a very nice and proud man. He never gave anyone hell. He just spoke the truth. Sometimes people can't handle the truth.
Answered By: galactus177 - 1/12/2011 |