Philippines, 05 Aug 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Kings of the Ring: A Conversation with Mike Tyson and Larry Holmes at Turning Stone

PhilBoxing.com




VERONA, NY (June 4, 2014) -- Turning Stone hosted "Kings of the Ring: A Conversation with Mike Tyson and Larry Holmes" today to promoted this week's ESPN Friday Night Fights (see fact sheet below), promoted by Iron Mike Productions, at the resort casino in upstate New York.

Longtime sports columnist for the Syracuse Post-Standard and Syracuse.com, Bud Poliguin, served as the moderator, asking the two Hall of Famers and world heavyweight champions a series of questions, before the floor was opened for the many fans in attendance to ask Tyson and Holmes questions.

Here are some of the highlights:

Poliguin opened by noting Tyson and Holmes had a combined career record of 119-12, including a total of 44 world title fights between them.

In 1988, Tyson, 21, stopped Holmes, 38, in the fourth round in Atlantic City for the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles

Holmes: "What I remember was Don King knocking at my door around 9 at night. I was retired two years. Don said he wanted me to fight somebody he said he knew I could beat. I asked him who and he said, Mike Tyson. I said I can't beat Mike Tyson. Don said, what if I give you 3 ? million dollars, and I said: 'Where's Mike at?' I'm just glad he didn't kill me. He knocked me down a few times but I didn't feel it because the first time he hit me I was numb. After the fight Mike said he loved me and I said, 'Why'd you knockout my ass?' Mike's a great guy."

Tyson: "It was a great opportunity to be in the ring with one of the great fighters of all time. It was a milestone in my career. He didn't have time to prepare. I never fought the great Larry Holmes. I had no delusions; by all means, I didn't fight the Holmes who fought Ali.

"I was very objective in the ring, nothing personal, but I'd have hit my mother. If I had mercy on him, he may have knocked my ass out. He didn't have enough time to prepare when he fought me. Don didn't give him the opportunity."

Holmes: "I'm glad Mike beat me that day or else I'd have nothing to talk about."

Highlight fight of their respective careers

HOLMES: "Kenny Norton because so many people said I couldn't do it, my legs were too small, and I was just a copy of Muhammad Ali. But I did the work and had the dedication."

TYSON: "Buster Douglas. I needed that fight to make me a better person and fighter and have a broader perspective of myself and boxing."

Concussions in boxing

TYSON: "I'm sure I had some concussions. When I signed my pro contract at 17 there was an unwritten clause that it was possible that you'd die. We knew and saw it but didn't think it could happen to us."

HOLMES: "I never thought it would happen to me. My style was to move here and there. I didn't get hit hard too often. Mike knocked me down, I got up, I thought the next was a slip, and he knocked me down again. I thought I'd get up and hit him with an uppercut but my arm got caught in the rope. I got hit hard by Ernie Shavers, too."

TYSON: "That was a feat of strength. He looked like he got shot by a shotgun. It was amazing.

HOLMES: "I was amazed, too."

Tyson as a promoter and a fighter to watch Friday night

TYSON: "We have a young kid from Pittsburgh, Sammy Vasquez. He's a sensational fighter and a war veteran. We've promoted two shows on ESPN and one on ShoBox. In those three we either tied or broke the record for viewers. I'm grateful to be on ESPN again."

Favorite Boxing Movie

HOLMES: "Rocky, the first one, but I don't like the guy playing him."

TYSON: "Raging Bull."

Sport they would have been in if not boxers

TYSON: "Just a fighter, I never wanted to be anything but a fighter."

HOLMES: "Fighter.....and running back for the Dallas Cowboys."

FACT SHEET

WHAT: "ESPN Friday Night Fights" professional boxing

WHO: Main Event - WBC FECARBOX & NABA Junior Middleweight Championships (10) - ESPN

YUDEL JHONSON (15-1, 9 KOs), Miami, FL by way of Cuba
vs.NORBERTO "Domonio" GONZALEZ (20-3, 13 KOs), Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

Co-Feature - Welterweights (8) - ESPN
SAMMY "The Who Can Mexican" VASQUES, JR. (14-0, 10 KOs), Monessen, Pennsylvania
vs.
"Smokin" JAY KRUPP (17-6, 8 KOs), Catskill, New York

Special Middleweight Attraction (6)
IEVGIN "The Ukrainian Lion" KHYTROV (4-0, 4 KOs), Brooklyn, New York by way of Ukraine
vs.
CHRIS CHATMAN (12-3-1, 5 KOs), San Diego, California

Light Heavyweights (8)
ISIAH THOMAS (12-0, 6 KOs) Detroit, Michigan
vs.
RAYCO "War" SAUNDERS (23-23-2, 10 KOs), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

WBC Latino Junior Welterweights Championship (8)
JOHNNY GARCIA (19-1, 11 KOs), Holland, Michigan
vs.
JOHN WILLIAMS (11-3-1, 5 KOs), Charlotte, North Carolina

Junior Lightweights (6)
DENNIS GALARZA (3-0, 2 KOs), Miami, FL
vs.
GADIEL ANDALUZ (4-6, 2 KOs), Chicago, Illinois by way of Puerto Rico

Lightweights (4)
RYAN "Blue Chip" MARTIN (5-0, 3 KOs), Cleveland, Ohio
vs.
IAN JAMES (2-7-1, 1 KO), Brooklyn, New York

Junior Welterweights (6)
SAM QUINONES, JR. (6-2, 2 KOs), York, Pennsylvania
vs.
GREG COVERSON, JR. (3-8-3, 2 KOs), Detroit, Michigan

Light Heavyweights (4)
LEO HALL (1-0, 1 KO), Detroit, Michigan
vs.
BOB WILDER (2-3, 1 KO), Akron, Ohio

WHEN: Friday, June 6, 2014

WHERE: Turning Stone Resort Casino, Verona, NY

TELEVISION: ESPN Friday Night Fights

PROMOTER: Iron Mike Productions

PRE-FIGHT POST CONFERENCE: 12 p.m. ET, Thursday, June 5, 2014 at Turning Stone (open to public)

OFFICIAL WEIGH IN: 5 p.m. ET, Thursday, June 5, 2014 at Turning Stone

TICKETS: $60.00, $35.00, $25.00 and $15.00 on sale at the Turning Stone box office, by calling (315) 361-7469, at any Ticketmaster outlet (800) 745-3000, or visit www.Ticketmaster.com

INFO: www.IronMikeProductions.com or www.TurningStone.com

OTHER: Doors Open 7:00 p.m. ET, first bout 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN FNF starts 10:30 p.m. ET.




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • HERNANDEZ STOPS GARNETT IN TENTH ROUND IN MAIN EVENT OF CHRISTY MARTIN PROMOTIONS’ “MAYHEM IN MUSIC CITY 2”
    , Tue, 05 Aug 2025
  • YOELVIS GOMEZ READY TO SHINE IN RETURN BOUT AGAINST EDWINE HUMAINE JUNIOR
    , Tue, 05 Aug 2025
  • Team USA’s Youth High Performance Team made a major statement in Germany
    , Tue, 05 Aug 2025
  • Adam wins 2nd BBG 300 Ultra Marathon
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 05 Aug 2025
  • Legendary boxing trainer John Brown honored by Kansas City Royals
    , Tue, 05 Aug 2025
  • All or nothing for Jerwin
    By Joaquin Henson, , Mon, 04 Aug 2025
  • Triumphant Return: Jerwin Ancajas Defeats Casero in Los Angeles, Good Job!
    By Carlos Costa, , Mon, 04 Aug 2025
  • IM Concio Sweeps Kamatyas Open
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 04 Aug 2025
  • OSCAR "LA MIGRAÑA" DUARTE STUNS HOMETOWN FAVORITE KENNETH “BOSSMAN” SIMS JR. WITH MAJORITY DECISION VICTORY
    , Sun, 03 Aug 2025
  • JERWIN ANCAJAS DEFEATS RUBEN CASERO IN CALIFORNIA
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 03 Aug 2025
  • The Bout Outside The Ring: Boxing and the Filipino Struggle for Legitimacy
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Sun, 03 Aug 2025
  • Filipino FIDE Master Roel Abelgas finishes second in Hongkong rapid chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 03 Aug 2025
  • Cañizales defeats Pradabsri and wins WBC title in Venezuela
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 02 Aug 2025
  • PH's Nouri snags blitz gold in Asian Amateur Chess Championship
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 02 Aug 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: The Boxer
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Sat, 02 Aug 2025
  • Duarte vs. Sims Jr. Title Eliminator Official: All Fighters Make Weight in Chicago
    , Sat, 02 Aug 2025
  • ALLEN v MAKHMUDOV, SUGAR NUNEZ IN MEXICO AND MORE AS MATCHROOM BOXING CONFIRMS HUGE AUTUMN LINE-UP – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Sat, 02 Aug 2025
  • Undaloc Jr. leads BBG 300 Ultra Marathon
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 02 Aug 2025
  • Round One: Dr. Bernard Remollino Brings Pancho Villa Back Into the Ring
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Fri, 01 Aug 2025
  • Panya Pradabsri, Carlos Cañizales Make Weight for WBC 108 World Title Rematch in Venezuela
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 01 Aug 2025
  • “NOWHERE TO RUN” OSCAR “LA MIGRAÑA” DUARTE VS. KENNETH “BOSSMAN” SIMS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 01 Aug 2025
  • Pabular to make 1st title defense on Aug. 12
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 01 Aug 2025
  • Tacurong excited to play in Buhangin slugfest
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 01 Aug 2025
  • Kenneth “Lover Boy” Llover vs Former Champ Luis “Nica” Concepcion August 17 in Manila!
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 31 Jul 2025
  • Xiao Time: Where History Pulls No Punches
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 31 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.