BoxRec

Which professional fight of Larry Holmes was the first to be televised(either regionally or Nationally)?
Also which is the earliest that there may be film of?
I can remember off hand which fight I first remember seeing Larry Holmes fight(pro) on national television, but wanted to check
the posters memories here too.

As far as a national hook-up, Holmes fought on the undercard of the Ali-Young title fight in April 1976. They televised it live, and I remember seeing Norton-Stander on the undercard, but I don't remember if they showed Holmes against Roy Williams. He was also on the undercard of the Duran-Leonico Ortiz fight in 1975, but I can't recall if they televised that one.

The first nationally televised professional fight I ever saw involving Holmes was the 8-round Tom Prater fight on the USS Lexington as part of the ill-fated U.S. Boxing Tournament in early 1977.

Of course, Holmes earliest TV fights were losses in the amateurs to Duane Bobick and Nick Wells.

Holmes fought Charles"Devil"Green on the Ali-Wepner at Richfield Ohio in 1975.
Ernie Smith on the Ali-Lyle card in Las Vegas.
and Rodney Bobick on the Ali-Frazier III in Manilla.
I wonder if any were televised.

Brutu wrote:Holmes fought Charles"Devil"Green on the Ali-Wepner at Richfield Ohio in 1975.
Ernie Smith on the Ali-Lyle card in Las Vegas.
and Rodney Bobick on the Ali-Frazier III in Manilla.
I wonder if any were televised.

The primary supporting bout for Ali-Wepner was a separate feed from MSG of the Norton-Quarry fight. Since I was at the Coliseum I'm not certain that the Holmes fight wasn't broadcast, but I doubt it, although it was probably taped. Of course that fight was a waste of video tape.

The first Larry Holmes fight I remember watching on television was his first fight with Earnie Shavers.

The first two I got are against Tom Prater and Yound Sanford/Fred Houpe.

The Tom Prater fight was on the flightdeck of USS Lexington, quite unusual place for a fight.

Woller

Woller wrote:The first two I got are against Tom Prater and Yound Sanford/Fred Houpe.

The Tom Prater fight was on the flightdeck of USS Lexington, quite unusual place for a fight.

Woller

The Holmes vrs "Young Sanford" fight.
That must have been on NBC'S NIGHT OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS.
live from Casears Palace Las Vegas NV Sept.14.1977.
A two and a half hour prime time show on a Wednesday Evening.
Jimmy Young vrs Jody Ballard and Ken Norton vrs Zanon.
I missed it,I think I came home late and only saw the Norton fight.

Larry Holmes fought Bob Bozic (w pts 6)
Sept.10.1973 MSG
Same evening and location as Jeff Merritt-Ernie Terrell and Ali-Norton II.

Brutu wrote:

Woller wrote:The first two I got are against Tom Prater and Yound Sanford/Fred Houpe.

The Tom Prater fight was on the flightdeck of USS Lexington, quite unusual place for a fight.

Woller

The Holmes vrs "Young Sanford" fight.
That must have been on NBC'S NIGHT OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS.
live from Casears Palace Las Vegas NV Sept.14.1977.
A two and a half hour prime time show on a Wednesday Evening.
Jimmy Young vrs Jody Ballard and Ken Norton vrs Zanon.
I missed it,I think I came home late and only saw the Norton fight.

That NIGHT OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS is one of my early boxing memories. Prime Time TV boxing! It opened with the Holmes bout, then Lyle-Ward, then Young-Ballard, and Norton-Zanon was the headliner. They had Ali, who was prepping for Shavers, from Deer Lake doing his ranting and raving routine.

The previous night CBS aired "Night of the Champions", again in prime time, featuring Carlos Palomino, Danny Lopez, Michael Spinks, and Howard Davis.