Larry Holmes was the only man to ever take the championship from Ali and keep it, defending his title an incredible 19 times. The Easton assassin cried after his over Ali victory, upset at having to hurt his hero, who was at that point deep into his physical decline. In part because he’d beaten Ali and in part because he wasn’t Ali, Holmes was never really given a fair shake by the public or the press. Which is a shame, as he’s one of the most skilled heavyweights in history with one of the most unique, interesting, and powerful styles ever seen in the ring.
Ironically, Holmes fought much like Ali, with a bit of Foreman thrown in. Holmes had head movement and footwork reminiscent of Ali and guard manipulation tactics reminiscent of Foreman. And while Holmes similarities to Foreman are almost certainly coincidental, Holmes similarities to Ali are most certainly from his long time spent as his former sparring partner.
At the same time, Holmes was very much his own fighter, creating fascinating new tactics out of the old that better fit his own proclivities. In this way, he kept to the principle; Keep what is useful, discard what is useless, and create what is essentially your own.
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