Larry Holmes, talking to James Slater, picks out some key moments from his Hall of Fame career
Who of your opponents had the best jab? Larry Holmes: ?Muhammad Ali jabbed real well. He didn?t have as much authority with it [as I did with mine] but his was pretty good. But everyone I fought, THEY had trouble with my jab. No-one could get away from it.?
Of all your achievements, which means the most to you? ?The night of June 9th 1978 when I beat Kenny Norton and became heavyweight champion. They all said I wouldn?t do anything, even after I won the title they still said that. [becoming angry] Dick Young said again and again and again that I couldn?t do anything. And [Howard] Cosell, he told me [after I beat Norton] that he never knew I could fight like that. But they were all critics. My next best night was when I beat [Alfredo] Envagelista, because I made $1.2 million that night. That was great, a dream come true. When I fought Norton I got a little over $100,000, no money.
Another guy you wanted to fight was George Foreman, and it nearly happened in the late 1990s. I wanted to fight him because I would have made around $10 million. I think I would have worn him down because he would have had to have fought me every single round. He would intimidate you with his size, but I wasn?t intimidated by any of that. I knew that my jab was sharp and as long as I was in shape I?d have won. But George is a good guy. I don?t want to take anything from anyone who works had with their talent. George?s talent could knock you out. Everybody has at least some talent. All I cared about was making money with my talent so I could feed my family.
Who hit hardest: Mike Tyson, Earnie Shavers, Gerry Cooney? ?Earnie Shavers, no doubt about it. He could knock the hell out of you!?
