Larry Holmes : “I Never Should Have Fought Mike Tyson !” 

Mike Tyson has had a lot of legendary fights in boxing. One bout in particular deeply wounded a former champion. In his prime, Larry Holmes was a formidable heavyweight who has publicly acknowledged that his 1988 comeback bout against Mike Tyson was a mistake.

Throughout boxing history, Mike Tyson was one of the most feared heavyweights. He made a spectacular debut in the professional ranks by winning 19 straight knockout bouts. He broke the record for becoming the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he defeated Trevor Berbick to win the WBC heavyweight title in 1986 at the age of just 20.

Tyson successfully defeated IBF champion Tony Tucker and WBA champion James Smith to unify the heavyweight division after this historic victory. As he ripped through the division, his reputation as an unstoppable force in the ring was cemented.

Larry Holmes speaks about fighting Mike Tyson

From 1978 to 1985, Larry Holmes, popularly known as “The Easton Assassin,” held the title of heavyweight champion. He defeated renowned fighters like Earnie Shavers and Muhammad Ali. But in 1988, Holmes unexpectedly returned to fight Tyson after quitting in 1986.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Holmes acknowledged that he had given that choice some thought.

“I shouldn’t have come out of retirement against him. I fought Mike Tyson and I lost. He stopped me. Tyson could punch, you can’t take that away from him.” “Money. It’s the money.”

Tyson won the bout via technical knockout in the fourth round. However, Holmes thinks that if they had fought while he was at his best, the result would have been different:

“He would stand in front of you, try and push you against the ropes, but he wouldn’t have been able to do that to me in my prime. I would have beaten him.”

Holmes’ reputation as one of the best heavyweights in boxing history endures despite the sorrow surrounding this specific bout.

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