Larry Holmesis an American former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, the "Easton Assassin"... (wikipedia)
All fighters are prostitutes and all promoters are pimps
I don't really make plans and I just want to be happy and continue with my business and take care of my wife and kids. I want to sit back, relax and enjoy life.
With a record of 75 fights and 6 losses, some of the losses were very questionable including Brian Nielsen when we fought in Denmark. I knew I won but they didn't give me that fight.
I was probably the best that ever walked this earth. And I could take a punch. I could deliver a punch. I didn't have the hardest punch in the world but my punches were sharp and they were crisp. And if you took too many of them, you would be knocked out.
I never tried to be a mercenary or a killer but a hard working fighter.
It's hard being black. You ever been black? I was black once - when I was poor.
Mike Tyson would have been a good sparring partner for me and Muhammad Ali because Tyson was a fast fighter and he could punch and throw good combinations.
Muhammad could take a very good punch. He was slick, he could move, he could hit, make you miss, good hand speed and combinations and one of the greatest fighters of all time in my opinion.
I came from a dirt farm, now I'm filthy rich.
I think Ali was a fan of mine, even though he never said it. A lot of fighters thought I was pretty good. Nobody every really spoke different on that. But a lot of fighters thought I was good so.
I would think about the outcome. Visualize sometimes. Because it never comes out the way you want it to. Fight the way I know how to fight. Whatever comes up, comes up.
Everybody knows that I am one of the greatest fighters of all time and I would beat all those guys.
You can't put those guys like Marciano or anyone else in with today's class of fighters.
We put our life on the line to fight for them, put on a show and these guys take our money so whatever happens to Bob Arum, Don King or anyone else is fine with me.
Ali was a guy that had a lot of discipline. If you hung around him, you'd be able to get some of that discipline that he had. And I learned from that. He was a sweet man.
I always felt good about myself. I was just an average person. I always felt I could do anything anyone else could. If an average person makes up their mind to do something, they can.
I have a lot of friends and fans in Canada and as a matter of fact I met a fan from there that came down to my office. It was nice and we took pictures and had a nice talk.
Those guys were made for me and Muhammad because they come straight in and don't back up but you had to watch out for his punching power but if we could have neutralized that then we would have been fine.
Fighters today are much bigger, stronger and quicker and not only that but referees, judges and doctors back then were very strict and if your head got busted up the fight would be stopped.
I am still quick at 250 to 260 lbs and I am smarter.
I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.
I still feel that I am in my prime right now but I think my best fights were in my thirties.
I think George Foreman must have gained about 350 lbs and is slow as ever.
My fans know the name Larry Holmes and that he always gave it his all.
One of the best ones out there was a guy named Howard Cosell. He was the best.
The guys today are just too strong and back then they would take many hard punches to land one.
When I was over there they tried to poison me and I wasn't feeling good anyway but I really felt I beat him but didn't get the decision.
I didn't want to go after him until the fifth or sixth round, after I had taken away some of his strength, ... But I had to open up a lot sooner than I wanted.
I don't feel that I ever got the chance to show my very best. I felt like I was lacking something. I don't think I showed my best.
Many activists around the country have been discussing this date.
The police are finding more and more excuses to inhibit, prohibit demonstrations, build pens that you can't even see over to put demonstrators in.
no way Holmes can win this, Mercer is going to knock him out. Look at those hooks!
This anniversary of the war is a provocation for us.
I'm not in the K-1 tournament. We thought about it but they really don't want me as they feel I might get hurt so that's fine with me but I do see a lot of guys out there that I feel I can take.
I don't want you guys to write, "Larry Holmes fought one too many.
I'm happy with my career but I could have been happier if I could have been treated like a champion should have been treated because management and fighters take advantage of fighters.
Don King was good to me through my years as champion, but I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. He's a wheeler dealer and you've got to be careful. He's a great con artist.
Yeah, I thought I could be heavyweight champion of the world when I was working with Ali and Joe Frazier and Earnie Shavers and all those guys. Because they were older than me and I was doing my thing.
Don King is a hip exploiter, an intelligent flesh peddler
Joe Louis was a good Heavyweight, good boxer but he was kind of in the same boat as Marciano, weighing about 190 to 200 lbs.
Bob Arum and Don King can do their thing but if I fought for those guys and they put the money up like they are supposed to then I don't have a problem.
Muhammad Ali could take a very good punch. He was slick, he could move, he could hit, make you miss, good hand speed and combinations and one of the greatest fighters of all time in my opinion.
Earnie hit me harder than any other fighter, including Mike Tyson. He hit me and I was face down on the canvas hearing saxophonist Jimmy Tillis.
Now I'm free of him and I'm light as a feather. There's no weight holding me down; I'm ready to spread my wings and fly.
Tyson is a lot better than I thought, a lot better. People can talk about Spinks all they want... Tyson is the true champion.
When you constantly hear people talking about going the distance, going the distance, you can't help but wonder about it. I learned a lesson: next time I will fight my fight without that doubt.
My dad used to tell me, 'Check the price, son.' Check the price, kids, check the price because there is a price to be paid for whatever you do in life, whether it is good or it is bad. Before you do something, ask yourself is it worth the price you have to pay?
George Foreman is easier and has the bigger name and have you noticed that Foreman never calls me out or ever mentions my name? He is afraid of me like most fighters are and most people want to forget about Larry Holmes, like he never ever existed.
Don King doesn't care about black or white. He just cares about green.
There is no quit in me.
I won't say I won't fight again but I don't think anyone wants to fight me so I am finished and I will just continue with boxing exhibitions.
I didn't fight this fight for the blacks, the whites or the Spanish, I fought th fight for the people. We're all God's children. I don't see color. I'm not a racist When I look at Gerry Cooney, I just see a man trying to take my head off.
It wasn't about Larry Holmes, if I would have fought a brother I wouldn't have gotten the money I got. Give me 10 black guys and I make eight dollars. Give me Gerry Cooney and I make $10 million.
If you don't follow Don King, you get stepped on.
When Don King's fighters lose their titles they come back fighting on the undercard for peanuts. King owns all the top heavyweights and we spar against each other but we get charged for it and that comes out of our purses.
I don't owe Don King anything. I got things with my own sweat and blood. I don't know if I'll be associated with Don but I won't be a slave or puppet for him.
This is the lying thieving mother who cut me $500,000.
People think that I reached the top overnight; well, it took me fourteen years. I was twenty-nine before I really made it. I've had my jaws and hands broken. One arm is out of place. I've paid my dues in this business.
I achieved something once again, I think we all want to put a mark on life. I dream, and my dreams always come true. I dreamed I was the heavyweight champion of the world. I am the heavyweight champion of the world.
Set a goal and make a commitment to meet that goal. Do the best you can, but never forget your roots, never forget where you came from. After you have succeeded, look back and see if there are others that you might help to achieve what you have accomplished.