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I just listened to a podcast by Tris Dixon who is a well respected boxing writer and he was interviewing old time commentator Colonel Bob Sheridan. They got onto talking about Larry Holmes and Tris mentioned that Holmes has just been diagnosed as having dementia. I can’t imagine he would say it if there was no truth to it.

Controversial wrote: ↑15 May 2023, 13:47 I just listened to a podcast by Tris Dixon who is a well respected boxing writer and he was interviewing old time commentator Colonel Bob Sheridan. They got onto talking about Larry Holmes and Tris mentioned that Holmes has just been diagnosed as having dementia. I can’t imagine he would say it if there was no truth to it.

I really hope this is not true

It’s almost unavoidable. George Chuvalo was able to duck Dementia up and till his early 80s but even he got it eventually. And Let’s be honest Holmes fought on far too long even though he was semi-successful. I still hope it isn’t true tho.

I very much doubt Dixon would say it unless it were true, he's very well connected in the industry

Sad to hear.

Sad to hear.

Larry always seemed to be in fine fettle, but you just never know what is around the corner.

Controversial wrote: ↑15 May 2023, 13:47 I just listened to a podcast by Tris Dixon who is a well respected boxing writer and he was interviewing old time commentator Colonel Bob Sheridan. They got onto talking about Larry Holmes and Tris mentioned that Holmes has just been diagnosed as having dementia. I can’t imagine he would say it if there was no truth to it.

Well he was in a profession conducive to it and fought a long time. Sorry to see it happen to him. He had 70 good years.

pound per pound wrote: ↑19 May 2023, 05:15 Well he was in a profession conducive to it and fought a long time. Sorry to see it happen to him. He had 70 good years.

At his age there are plenty of people who suffer from one kind of dementia or another, whether they have ever fought or not. My next door neighbour, for instance, does. If she had ever been a boxer, I'm sure people would attribute it to that.

wouter wrote: ↑19 May 2023, 06:17

pound per pound wrote: ↑19 May 2023, 05:15 Well he was in a profession conducive to it and fought a long time. Sorry to see it happen to him. He had 70 good years.

At his age there are plenty of people who suffer from one kind of dementia or another, whether they have ever fought or not. My next door neighbour, for instance, does. If she had ever been a boxer, I'm sure people would attribute it to that.

To be fair no one has said it’s due to boxing but I don’t think anyone can really deny that boxing can cause CTE or other issues from taking punches to the head.

Plenty of 74 year old men are being diagnosed with dementia who have never taken a punch. It's not conclusive that Chuvalo, Bugner and now, hopefully not but perhaps, Holmes have the disease because of boxing,

Holmes is posting on Instagram as normal btw.

Humans were simply not designed to be hit hard and often to the head. If we were, our brains would have far better natural protection.

I saw Holmes last October and while not the most talkative guy in the world, I didn't see or hear anything that would suggest he has it in any bad way. I've seen fighters with bad dementia and it's sad.

chrisjs1985 wrote: ↑24 May 2023, 10:30 I saw Holmes last October and while not the most talkative guy in the world, I didn't see or hear anything that would suggest he has it in any bad way. I've seen fighters with bad dementia and it's sad.

It is often mild at the start and maybe not even picked up by people, except those closest to them who might notice forgetfulness, odd behaviour, becoming more isolated etc.

chrisjs1985 wrote: ↑24 May 2023, 10:30 I saw Holmes last October and while not the most talkative guy in the world, I didn't see or hear anything that would suggest he has it in any bad way. I've seen fighters with bad dementia and it's sad.

Not being talkative for Larry is odd. I have spoke with him on numerous occassions and he can talk your ear off. He has never been shy to talk about his career with anyone who will listen

tiny_acres wrote: ↑24 May 2023, 11:12

chrisjs1985 wrote: ↑24 May 2023, 10:30 I saw Holmes last October and while not the most talkative guy in the world, I didn't see or hear anything that would suggest he has it in any bad way. I've seen fighters with bad dementia and it's sad.

Not being talkative for Larry is odd. I have spoke with him on numerous occassions and he can talk your ear off. He has never been shy to talk about his career with anyone who will listen

Being less talkative and withdrawn are some of the initial signs of dementia.

Syntax Error wrote: ↑24 May 2023, 11:54

tiny_acres wrote: ↑24 May 2023, 11:12

chrisjs1985 wrote: ↑24 May 2023, 10:30 I saw Holmes last October and while not the most talkative guy in the world, I didn't see or hear anything that would suggest he has it in any bad way. I've seen fighters with bad dementia and it's sad.

Not being talkative for Larry is odd. I have spoke with him on numerous occassions and he can talk your ear off. He has never been shy to talk about his career with anyone who will listen

Being less talkative and withdrawn are some of the initial signs of dementia.

Sorry it was kind of my point. I was at work making a quick comment and didn't elaborate

This is a video of a couple of months ago. He doesn't appear to be doing too bad.

wouter wrote: ↑17 Oct 2023, 06:05 This is a video of a couple of months ago. He doesn't appear to be doing too bad.

This doesn’t mean anything to be fair, you can be diagnosed with dementia and appear ok when the symptoms are mild. In the same way someone could be diagnosed with any serious illness but look fine to the naked eye. It’s a degenerative disease that often affects the part of the brain that controls short term memory. The decline is slow, it can take a few years before it becomes an issue but those closest to him would notice signs. I’ve had family members with dementia and they can seem fine in certain situations even when they are on a noticeable decline in other areas. Especially if it's just general chat or meeting people in social settings they can appear to be switched on. It’s when they start to forget the little things or start repeating themselves you begin to see the decline. My relative started asking me if I wanted sugar in my coffee, I hadn't had sugar for decades and they knew this so never used to ask. I'd say "you know I don't take sugar" and they would reply 'of course you don't silly me' but over time they would ask more regularly. Sometimes they wouldn't ask but put sugar in, other times they would remember I didn't take sugar. So good days bad days. The good days they can seem normal. As time goes on the good days get less and forgetfulness becomes more frequent and noticeable, maybe they start forgetting their keys and locking themselves out, forgetting the route to somewhere etc etc until at its worse they won't even recognise their own family members. As the original post said the journalist who said it is well respected in the industry so unlikely for him to mention the diagnosis if it wasn’t true. I’m listening to an interview with Jamie Speight who retired 3 years ago, he is 35 years old and said he retired after reading Damage because he recognised some of the symptoms of CTE in himself that were mentioned in that book. He sounds very switched on, bright and talks very well yet he also says he struggles to remember what he done yesterday and puts it down to brain trauma.

Agree with this. A person can seem "fine" at time. However, if you talk with them long enough, you will probably notice it. They may repeat themselves, or forget something like what they had for lunch, but can remember something vividly from 50 years ago. Went through this with my parents. It's frustrating at first, but you get used to it. Still sad.

You don't have been a boxer, but boxers are more likely than the average person.

Caractacus wrote: ↑01 Nov 2023, 18:21

Again this means little, people with early onset of dementia can speak !

He seems a little frailer than previously, but otherwise OK.

My father has early onset Dementia, but if you didn't know him, you'd think he was absolutely fine.

I have noticed the difference in him; he's a little frailer, bit quieter & he's always losing & forgetting things, but other than that, he's OK & can look after himself.

Holmes again seems fine, but those closest to him will notice differences that we won't necessarily see.

Syntax Error wrote: ↑02 Nov 2023, 08:58 He seems a little frailer than previously, but otherwise OK.

My father has early onset Dementia, but if you didn't know him, you'd think he was absolutely fine.

I have noticed the difference in him; he's a little frailer, bit quieter & he's always losing & forgetting things, but other than that, he's OK & can look after himself.

Holmes again seems fine, but those closest to him will notice differences that we won't necessarily see.

Exactly that. I remember a friend of mine meeting my dad a couple of years after he had been diagnosed with the early onset of dementia. My friend hadn't seen him for a number of years. I told my friend of the diagnosis but after meeting dad they said he was the same as they remembered and didn't think there was anything wrong with him. But of course they don't see all the little things and changes close family notice. It's a horrible illness.

Should have stopped after Tyson

That masters era was cringey

funso banjo baby wrote: ↑07 Nov 2023, 05:49 Should have stopped after Tyson

That masters era was cringey

Totally agree, even when he old-manned Mercer it felt like it was over.