BoxRec - User contributions [en]

John Ruiz vs. Kirk Johnson

2016-05-07T05:25:39Z

Boxsoup:

<fight>356577</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Duva Boxing]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Jimmy Lennon Jr.]]
*'''Doctors:''' [[Margaret Goodman]], [[William Berliner]], [[Todd Chapman]], Charles Signorino
*'''[[World Boxing Association]] Heavyweight Title''' (2nd defense by Ruiz)

== Notes ==
*Ruiz was a 2-1 underdog.
*The WBA rated Johnson as the No. 1 heavyweight contender.
*The fight was televised live on [[HBO]].
*[[Harold Lederman]], HBO's unofficial judge, had Johnson ahead 85-84 when he was disqualified.
*According to [[Compubox|CompuBox]], Ruiz landed 96 of 204 punches (47 percent), and Johnson connected on 100 of 386 (26 percent).
*[[Michael Katz]] called the bout "one of the ugliest heavyweight title fights in history." He reported the following in the July 29, 2002, edition of the New York Times:
:Early in the opening round, Referee Joe Cortez deducted the first of 2 points from Johnson for low blows. More warnings followed.

:In the fourth round, Johnson interrupted the wrestling with another low blow. Cortez did not take a point this time, but gave Ruiz time to regain his breath. As he stood in a neutral corner waiting, Johnson was told by one of his co-managers, Chris Seeger: "Stop throwing body punches. They're going to take this fight from us."

:Johnson nodded in agreement. The only other smudge on his 32-1-1 record is a 10-round draw in 1998 with [[Al Cole]], a former cruiserweight champion, when 3 points were deducted for low blows.

:But before he could worry about that, Ruiz, the first Hispanic to win a heavyweight title, went on the attack, forcing Johnson into the ropes and repeatedly head-butting him.

:Johnson, after Seeger's advice, used his superior foot speed to avoid Ruiz for the next two rounds, winning them on all three official cards. (Ruiz ended up ahead by 1 point on two, and by 3 on the other.)

:But in the seventh, Johnson said: "I grew impatient. I knew I could knock him out with a body shot." He landed another hook low, to Ruiz's right leg, and lost another point.

:Johnson won the eighth round, but in the ninth ran into a Ruiz right hand. He grabbed Ruiz, who threw him to the canvas. No knockdown, Cortez ruled. Johnson tried tackling Ruiz low, taking a knee -- which should have meant a knockdown, Johnson later agreed -- and was dropped by another right hand, but just after the bell.

:Then, at 2 minutes 27 seconds of the 10th round, Johnson, almost mercifully, landed another low blow and it was over.

:Johnson had no complaint about Cortez's call. "I've seen him on television; he's a very fair official," he said. "You've got rules to follow. If you break the rules, you lose. I broke a couple of rules. I lost."

==Article==
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/29/sports/boxing-winning-ugly-does-nothing-for-ruiz-s-reputation.html "Winning Ugly Does Nothing for Ruiz's Reputation" By Michael Katz, The New York Times, July 29, 2002]

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[John Ruiz vs. Evander Holyfield (3rd meeting)|Ruiz vs. Holyfield III]]|
title=[[WBA Heavyweight Title Fights|WBA Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 76|
after=[[John Ruiz vs. Roy Jones Jr.|Ruiz vs. Jones]]|
}}
{{end box}}

Larry Holmes vs. Leon Spinks

2016-05-06T23:26:25Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Holmes jabs Leon Spinks.jpg|right|450px|thumb|Holmes lands a left jab against Spinks.]]
<fight>691</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (10th defense by Holmes) 
*[[:File:HolmesSpinksPoster.gif|Fight Poster]]
*[[:File:HolmesLSpinks.JPG|Fight Photo 2]]

== Notes ==
*Holmes was a 4 to 1 favorite.
*Only about 12,000 of the 21,000 seats in Joe Louis Arena were filled.
*The fight was billed as a tribute to [[Joe Louis]], who died two months earlier.
*The fight was televised live in prime time on [[ABC (American Broadcasting Company)|ABC]].
*Holmes got $1.9 million, and Spinks made $490,000.
*In the third round, Holmes pinned Spinks to the ropes and pounded him with a barrage of right hands. Spinks went down but was able to regain his feet at the count of nine. Holmes then trapped Spinks in the challenger's corner and hit him with right after right until the referee stepped in and stopped the fight, just as Spinks' corner threw in the towel.
*While Holmes was doing a post-fight interview with ABC commentator [[Howard Cosell]], he spotted [[Gerry Cooney]], the No. 1 contender, being steered in their direction by an ABC aide. Holmes' eyes flared. When Cosell mentioned Cooney, Holmes said, "Howard, I'm going to slap his face if you bring him over here." Holmes then stood up and went after Cooney. During the melee, Holmes accidentally elbowed Cosell in the mouth, cutting his lower lip.
*[[Michael Katz]] of the New York Times wrote the following:
:Last night, Holmes was merely awesome, offensively and defensively, in stopping Leon Spinks at 2 minutes 34 seconds of the third round. "Holmes for Real" read the headline in a morning paper here. Detroit had not had a heavyweight title fight since [[Joe Frazier]] beat up [[Bob Foster]] 10 years ago, but this was Holmes's 38th pro fight, his 38th victory, 28th knockout and 10th successful defense of his World Boxing Council belt. It is not hyperbole to say that he has proved himself a great fighter. It is easy now imagining a Larry Holmes beating a [[Jack Dempsey]]. And his new trainer, [[Eddie Futch]], even indicated the other day that Holmes could have beaten Joe Louis. Futch, who grew up here with Louis, called Holmes as "great a boxer as [[Billy Conn]], and Billy Conn was a great boxer." He added that Conn, 10 pounds heavier, could have beaten Louis in their great fight 40 years ago. Holmes is 40 pounds heavier than Conn was that night.

==Articles==
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19810613&id=9qorAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PP0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6823,2970004 "Holmes KO's Leon in 3" United Press International, June 13, 1981]
*[http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/14/sports/holmes-draws-raves-for-routing-spinks.html "HOLMES DRAWS RAVES FOR ROUTING SPINKS" By Michael Katz, The New York Times, June 14, 1981]

File:Holmes jabs Leon Spinks.jpg

2016-05-06T22:57:38Z

Boxsoup: Category: Leon Spinks Gallery Category:Larry Holmes Gallery

[[Category: Leon Spinks Gallery]]
[[Category:Larry Holmes Gallery]]

Ken Norton vs. Larry Holmes

2016-05-06T22:54:49Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:LarryHolmesvsKenNortonPoster.jpg|290px|right|thumb|Onsite poster]]
<fight>388</fight>
*'''Unofficial AP scorecard:''' 143-142 Norton
*'''Promoter:''' [[Don King]]
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Norton)

== Notes ==
[[File:Holmes-Norton.jpg|290px|right|thumb|Holmes hits Norton with a right]]
[[File:Holmes-Norton 130918204046.jpg|290px|right|thumb|Norton lands a left against Holmes]]
*Norton, who was at the end of his prime during this bout, was a 6 to 5 favorite.
*Norton's purse was $2.3 million and Holmes' was $300,000.
*There was a sellout crowd of 5,600 at the [[Caesars Palace]] Sports Pavilion.
*The fight was televised by [[ABC (American Broadcasting Company)|ABC]] in prime time.
*When Norton defeated [[Jimmy Young]] in a 15-round [[WBC]] title eliminator in November 1977, he became the mandatory challenger for the winner of the February 1978 fight between [[World Heavyweight Champion]] [[Muhammad Ali]] and [[Leon Spinks]], which Spinks won in a huge upset. When Spinks decided to give Ali an immediate rematch, the WBC stripped him of the title and awarded it to Norton. When Norton lost the title to Holmes in his first defense, he became the only heavyweight champion in history never to win a world title fight.
*After winning the title, Holmes said he injured his left arm five days before the fight when sparring partner Luis Rodriguez hit him in the left bicep with an elbow. From then on, Holmes didn't spar. That raised questions. Trainer [[Richie Giachetti]] told the press Holmes wasn't sparring because he was too sharp. After the fight, Giachetti revealed the injury. Holmes was examined by a specialist and underwent therapy for four days prior to the fight.
*After defeating Norton, Holmes held the WBC title until 1983. He vacated the title after a dispute with the WBC and promoter [[Don King]] over a mandatory title defense against No. 1 contender [[Greg Page]]. Holmes then accepted recognition as champion by the newly-formed [[IBF]] and held their title until 1985.
*Holmes is the third longest reigning heavyweight champion in the history of boxing, behind [[Joe Louis]] (1937-1949) and [[Wladimir Klitschko]] (2006-present).
*Holmes vs. Norton was ranked as the 10th greatest heavyweight fight of all time by [[Monte Cox|Monte D. Cox]], a member of the [[International Boxing Research Organization]] (IBRO).
*The [[Ring Magazine: Holiday 1998|1998 Holiday Issue]] of [[The Ring Magazine]] ranked Holmes 5th and Norton 22nd on the list [[Division-By-Division - The Greatest Fighters of All-Time|The 50 Greatest Heavyweights of All-Time]].
*The [[Ring Magazine: March 2001|March 2001 issue]] of The Ring Magazine ranked the final round of Holmes vs. Norton 7th on the list [[The Ring Magazine - Miscellaneous Lists|The 12 Most Exciting Rounds In Boxing History]].
*In a 2009 interview with [[ESPN]] SportsNation, Holmes said his toughest fight was against Norton.

==From Sports Illustrated==

It was Norton's plan to make Holmes, who is essentially a stand-up counter-puncher who relies on his jab and quickness, overextend himself early and thereby tire himself out. "He claims he throws 100 punches a round," Norton said. "So if I can make him throw 150 I've done my job. I'll make him work harder than he wants to work."

And so, Norton started slowly, very slowly, and he would say later that it was his critical mistake. With Norton tucked into his turtle defense and punching hardly at all, Holmes won four of the first five rounds, largely on the strength of the persistent jab.

"Now it's my turn," Norton told Bill Slayton, his trainer, in the corner. In the sixth he shook Holmes with a powerful right to the head; in the seventh he hurt him with a right to the body followed by a left hook to the head. Midway through the seventh he banged Holmes on the left biceps with a looping right hand. For a moment Holmes thought the arm had gone dead.

Now Norton really poured it on, advancing relentlessly, chasing Holmes and finding him often. After losing four of the first five rounds on all cards, Norton won five of the next six. But the violent pace had taken its toll; both men began to show signs of exhaustion. His jab working effectively once more. Holmes took the 12th.

Then they exchanged two big rounds. Holmes dominated the 13th, staggering Norton twice with right hands. Both had to push themselves to come out for the 14th; Norton pushed himself a little harder. Twice he staggered Holmes, and just before the bell he ripped him with six straight punches to the head and body.

Norton, who was superbly conditioned, started strongly in the 15th—jabbing, hooking, pounding Holmes with overhand rights. Holmes threw four punches, then Norton was on him again. Blood was pouring from a cut inside Holmes' lower lip, which had been split in the eighth round. The next morning it would need 11 stitches.

"Move. You've got to move!" Giachetti screamed at him, and Holmes began to move. Ignoring the pain knifing through both arms, he also began to attack. They stood there toe to toe, no thought of defense, barely able to stand, but swinging. Then, punching furiously, Holmes took command and, just before the bell, staggered Norton with a right.

Only with a great effort of will did each make it back to his corner without falling. Then came the decision.

Judge Buck: 143-142 for Holmes. Judge Tabot: 143-142 for Norton. Judge Swessel: 143-142 for Holmes. "...and the new heavyweight champion of the world...."

== Articles ==
*AP "Norton Has Point To Prove In Friday Bout With Holmes" June 4, 1978 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c55PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xwUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3784%2C851231]
*UPI "Ken Norton: I'll kayo him'" June 6, 1978 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nXslAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LPUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4131%2C2335839]
*UPI "Holmes a 'minority of one' in selecting next champion" by Milton Richman, June 7, 1978 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VyUuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EDMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1595%2C3610932]
*AP "Norton slight favorite in 'grudge' showdown" June 9, 1978 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5QMMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=g1oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6376%2C230036]
*AP "Holmes gets boxing title" June 10, 1978 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1gcdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-J0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2555,2232253]
*UPI "Holmes Defeats Norton In Final Round" by Joe Sargis, June 10, 1978 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-RRSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UzUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4871%2C2648739]
*AP "Holmes discloses injury almost prevented Norton match" June 11, 1978 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19780611&id=2TFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3u0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6890,5436599]
*AP "Two of a kind" by Will Grimsley, June 13, 1978 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z_ceAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-pcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6692%2C2055112]
*[[Sports Illustrated]] "For Holmes, It Wasn't So Elementary" by [[Pat Putnam]], June 19, 1978 [http://www.si.com/vault/1978/06/19/822741/for-holmes-it-wasnt-so-elementary-larry-holmes-had-to-fight-the-hard-fight-and-rally-in-the-closing-seconds-of-the-final-round-to-wrest-the-wbc-title-from-ken-norton]
*Cox's Corner "The 10 Greatest Heavyweight Fights of All Time" by Monte D. Cox [http://coxscorner.tripod.com/10heavyweight.html]
*Bleacher Report "Boxing Round of the Day: Holmes and Norton in Greatest Round of HW History", July 25, 2011 [http://bleacherreport.com/articles/778297-boxing-round-of-the-day-holmes-and-norton-in-greatest-round-of-hw-history]
*Bleacher Report "Ranking the 10 Gutsiest Performances in Boxing History" by Briggs Seekins, May 17, 2013 [http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1641369-ranking-the-10-gutsiest-performances-in-boxing-history/page/3]
*WMFZ-TV (Allentown, PA) "Larry Holmes Celebrates Anniversary of Title Fight" June 6, 2013 [http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/larry-holmes-celebrates-anniversary-of-title-fight/-/132502/20460816/-/ivilq5z/-/index.html]

Larry Holmes vs. Mike Weaver

2016-05-06T22:46:37Z

Boxsoup:

[[file:Holmes_Weaver.jpg|310px|right|Holmes drops Weaver late in round eleven.]]
[[File:Holmes drops Weaver in the 11th.jpg|right|310px]]
<fight>460</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Don King]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' Bill Merriman
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (3rd defense by Holmes) 

== Notes ==
*There was a crowd of 14,136 at [[Madison Square Garden]].
*The gate was $771,982.
*The fight was shown on closed circuit television in 45 locations and on [[HBO|Home Box Office]], which had about two million subscribers at the time. HBO paid $150,000 to televise the fight after the three major networks—[[ABC (American Broadcasting Company)|ABC]], [[CBS]] and [[NBC]]—turned it down.
*Holmes said that he contracted the flu in the middle of training camp.
*The WBC rated Weaver as the No. 8 heavyweight contender.
*Weaver, a heavy underdog, gave Holmes a much tougher fight than expected.
*The following is from "Holmes-Weaver 30 years later" by William Dettloff:
:Holmes won the first three rounds with the jab. Weaver won the next two. By the fight's midway point the crowd was solidly in the underdog's corner.

:As [[Dave Anderson]] wrote in the New York Times, "As soon as Mike Weaver landed one of those big right hands, the people in the rafters started chanting 'WeaVER, WeaVER' for a heavyweight most of them had never heard of until the match was made."

:Back and forth it went over the middle rounds, not always pretty, but damned compelling. Holmes jabbed and tried to land rights. Weaver bombed him back with right hands and left hooks. Holmes claimed later not to be bothered by the crowd.

:"I heard them yelling for him but it didn't mean anything. At the time, he was beating the hell out of me. So they yelled for him. When I was beating the hell out of him, they was yelling for me," he said.

:The two pounded away at one another in the eighth and ninth rounds. At the start of the 10th, Holmes told Weaver, "I'm the champion. There's no way you're gonna beat me."

:Weaver replied: "I'm gonna try."

:They slugged away through the 10th and deep into the 11th. Both men were hurt more than once. With 12 seconds left in the 11th, Holmes willed everything he had left into a right uppercut that caught Weaver clean and dropped him hard.

:The rest between rounds wasn't enough. At the start of the 12th Holmes pinned Weaver against the ropes and pummeled him until referee Harold Valan stopped it. Finally it was over.

==Article==
*[http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/121341-dettloff-holmes-weaver-30-years-later "Dettloff: Holmes-Weaver 30 years later" By William Dettloff, RingTV.com, June 21, 1979]

File:Holmes drops Weaver in the 11th.jpg

2016-05-06T22:11:39Z

Boxsoup: Category:Larry Holmes Gallery Category:Mike Weaver Gallery

[[Category:Larry Holmes Gallery]]
[[Category:Mike Weaver Gallery]]

Larry Holmes vs. Earnie Shavers (2nd meeting)

2016-05-06T19:58:22Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:SI5115.jpg|right|325px]]
<fight>477</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (4th defense by Holmes) 
*'''See also:''' [[Larry Holmes vs. Earnie Shavers (1st meeting)]]
*[[:File:Holmes-Shavers II poster.jpg|Onsite Poster]], [[:Image:F477Po.jpeg|LeRoy Neiman Poster]]
*[[:Image:F477.jpeg|Photo #1]], [[:Image:F477b.jpeg|Photo #2]]

== Notes ==
*The fight was televised live in prime time by [[ABC (American Broadcasting Company)|ABC]], which paid $3.5 million for the fight.
*Holmes earned $2.5 million and Shavers received $300,000.
*Shavers earned his title shot by stopping former WBC heavyweight champion Ken Norton in one round on March 23, 1979.
*After dominating the first six rounds, Holmes was knocked down in the seventh round by a devastating overhand right. He hit the canvas with a thud, flat on his back. But he got up and survived the round.
*Holmes regained control after the seventh round, and in the eleventh round, with a battered and exhausted Shavers still on his feet, referee Davey Pearl stopped the fight. Shavers later said he'd been thumbed in the eye by Holmes.

==Article==
[http://www.si.com/vault/1979/10/08/106774400/holmes-sweet-holmes "Holmes, Sweet Holmes" by Pat Putnam, Sports Illustrated, October 8, 1979]

Larry Holmes vs. Renaldo Snipes

2016-05-06T19:51:48Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:SI5521.jpg|right|400px]]
<fight>767</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (11th defense by Holmes) 
*[[:File:Holmes-Snipes poster.jpg|Onsite Poster]]
*[[:Image:Holmes snipes.jpg|Program Cover]]

==Notes==
*The fight was billed as "Imminent Danger."
*Holmes was such a heavy favorite that there was no betting line on the fight.
*Holmes was paid $1.1 million, while Snipes got $175,000.
*There was a crowd of 14,103 at the Civic Arena.
*The fight was televised live in prime time on ABC-TV.
*Early in the seventh round, Snipes dropped Holmes with a right. Holmes got up quickly and fell face first into a neutral-corner turnbuckle.
*Forty-five seconds into the eleventh round, a Holmes right sent Snipes reeling sideways into his corner. Holmes moved to him quickly. Two rights and a hook to the body pinned Snipes to the corner. Holmes hammered three powerful rights to the head. As he was loading up to throw a fourth, Ortega stopped the onslaught.
*While Holmes and Snipes were being interviewed by [[Howard Cosell]] after the fight, Holmes' brother Jake got into a fight with Snipes' manager, who thought the fight was stopped prematurely. Snipes then went after Holmes, and Cosell ducked for cover. During the melee, which was joined by a host of security guards, Snipes was pushed back against the Rev. Jim Williams, his trainer, who wielded a pair of scissors he intended to use to snip the tape from Snipes' hands. Instead, the scissors accidentally opened a deep cut in Snipes' left forearm that required 40 stitches.

==Article==
*[http://www.si.com/vault/1981/11/16/826138/the-night-they-called-it-a-daze-larry-holmess-wbc-title-and-his-big-payday-with-gerry-cooney-are-still-safe-but-renaldo-snipes-nearly-knocked-both-for-a-loop "The Night They Called It A Daze" by Pat Putnam, Sports Illustrated, November 16, 1981]

Larry Holmes vs. James (Bonecrusher) Smith

2016-05-06T19:47:54Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Holmes-Smith 84389866.jpg|right|400px]]
<Fight>1423</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Don King]]
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Holmes)
*[[:Image:1423Poster.jpg|Fight Poster]]
 
==Notes==
*According to the Associated Press and [[Sports Illustrated]], Holmes earned $1 million and Smith $175,000.
*This was Holmes' first fight as [[IBF]] champion. He relinquished the [[WBC]] title on December 11, 1983, and accepted the IBF title following a dispute with the WBC and promoter [[Don King]] over how much money he would make for a mandatory defense against WBC No. 1 contender [[Greg Page]].
*This was Holmes' first fight since defeating [[Marvis Frazier]] on November 25, 1983. Holmes had been scheduled to face [[John Tate]] on April 6, 1984, but the fight was canceled after Tate injured his shoulder in training. Holmes was then set to meet [[WBA]] champion [[Gerrie Coetzee]] on June 8, 1984, but the match was canceled because the promoter, JPD Sports, had trouble coming up with funding. There was then a legal dispute over who had the right to promote a Holmes-Coetzee bout.
*In 2009, Holmes told the following to Michael Kay, host of the YES Network's "Centerstage":
:"I was trying to make a lot of money real quick. And 'Bonecrusher' popped in the picture. They gave me $3.5 million to fight him. And I shouldn't have fought James 'Bonecrusher' Smith because three weeks before that I had got a hemorrhoid operation. But for $3.5 million to go out there and fight James 'Bonecrusher' Smith? So I went out there and I fought him. I was bleeding after the fight, but I got $3.5 million. I put a patch back there and come on down."

'''From Sports Illustrated:'''

After winning the first four rounds and landing several straight rights that had little effect on Smith, Holmes got caught with a big right in the fifth after missing with one of his own. Immediately, Holmes hung on and walked the inexperienced Smith around the ring until his head cleared. Then toward the end of the seventh, Smith came out of a crouch after ducking a right hand and hit his head against Holmes's brow, opening a deep wound. Despite the efforts of cut man Percy Richardson, the bleeding continued almost unabated.

In the eighth Holmes was caught with a wicked right, and again he had to hold on. After the round, trainer [[Eddie Futch]] told Holmes to stop loading up with the right hand and to box. "Larry sacrificed some of his skills going for the knockout," said Futch. "I told him to move and jab more, and to throw the right hand from a shorter distance so Bonecrusher's counter would go over his shoulder."

Holmes took control, hurting Smith with a Futch-designed short right in the 11th that tore open Smith's left eyelid. Holmes continued to work on the cut in the 12th until referee [[Davey Pearl]] asked Dr. Donald Romeo to look at it. When the doctor informed Smith that the cut was serious and asked Smith if he wanted to continue, Bonecrusher said, "Call it off." The cut required 20 stitches.

==Articles==
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19841110&id=1e4vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n_sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6715,4031847&hl=en "Holmes takes 'Bonecrusher' in 12th round" By Ed Schuyler Jr., Associated Press, November 10, 1984]
*[http://www.si.com/vault/1984/11/19/667127/he-doesnt-make-any-bones-about-it "He Doesn't Make Any Bones About It" By Jaime Diaz, Sports Illustrated, November 19, 1984]
*[http://espn.go.com/blog/dan-rafael/post/_/id/241/holmes-takes-centerstage "Holmes takes 'Centerstage' " By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com, December 19, 2009]

Larry Holmes vs. James (Bonecrusher) Smith

2016-05-06T19:42:59Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Holmes-Smith 84389866.jpg|right|400px]]
<Fight>1423</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Don King]]
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Holmes)
*[[:Image:1423Poster.jpg|Fight Poster]]
 
==Notes==
*According to the Associated Press and [[Sports Illustrated]], Holmes earned $1 million and Smith $175,000.
*This was Holmes' first fight as [[IBF]] champion. He relinquished the [[WBC]] title on December 11, 1983, and accepted the [[IBF]] title following a dispute with the WBC and promoter [[Don King]] over how much money he would make for a mandatory defense against WBC No. 1 contender [[Greg Page]].
*This was Holmes' first fight since defeating [[Marvis Frazier]] on November 25, 1983. Holmes had been scheduled to face [[John Tate]] on April 6, 1984, but the fight was canceled after Tate injured his shoulder in training. Holmes was then set to meet [[WBA]] champion [[Gerrie Coetzee]] on June 8, 1984, but the match was canceled because the promoter, JPD Sports, had trouble coming up with funding. There was then a legal dispute over who had the right to promote a Holmes-Coetzee bout.
*In 2009, Holmes told the following to Michael Kay, host of the YES Network's "Centerstage":
:"I was trying to make a lot of money real quick. And 'Bonecrusher' popped in the picture. They gave me $3.5 million to fight him. And I shouldn't have fought James 'Bonecrusher' Smith because three weeks before that I had got a hemorrhoid operation. But for $3.5 million to go out there and fight James 'Bonecrusher' Smith? So I went out there and I fought him. I was bleeding after the fight, but I got $3.5 million. I put a patch back there and come on down."

'''From Sports Illustrated:'''

After winning the first four rounds and landing several straight rights that had little effect on Smith, Holmes got caught with a big right in the fifth after missing with one of his own. Immediately, Holmes hung on and walked the inexperienced Smith around the ring until his head cleared. Then toward the end of the seventh, Smith came out of a crouch after ducking a right hand and hit his head against Holmes's brow, opening a deep wound. Despite the efforts of cut man Percy Richardson, the bleeding continued almost unabated.

In the eighth Holmes was caught with a wicked right, and again he had to hold on. After the round, trainer [[Eddie Futch]] told Holmes to stop loading up with the right hand and to box. "Larry sacrificed some of his skills going for the knockout," said Futch. "I told him to move and jab more, and to throw the right hand from a shorter distance so Bonecrusher's counter would go over his shoulder."

Holmes took control, hurting Smith with a Futch-designed short right in the 11th that tore open Smith's left eyelid. Holmes continued to work on the cut in the 12th until referee [[Davey Pearl]] asked Dr. Donald Romeo to look at it. When the doctor informed Smith that the cut was serious and asked Smith if he wanted to continue, Bonecrusher said, "Call it off." The cut required 20 stitches.

==Articles==
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19841110&id=1e4vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n_sDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6715,4031847&hl=en "Holmes takes 'Bonecrusher' in 12th round" By Ed Schuyler Jr., Associated Press, November 10, 1984]
*[http://www.si.com/vault/1984/11/19/667127/he-doesnt-make-any-bones-about-it "He Doesn't Make Any Bones About It" By Jaime Diaz, Sports Illustrated, November 19, 1984]
*[http://espn.go.com/blog/dan-rafael/post/_/id/241/holmes-takes-centerstage "Holmes takes 'Centerstage' " By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com, December 19, 2009]

Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks (2nd meeting)

2016-05-06T18:47:59Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Holmes-Spinks II 84389863.jpg|right|370px]]
[[File:Holmes-Spinks II BE056564.jpg|right|370px]]
[[File:Holmes-Spinks II BE056566.jpg|right|370px]]
[[File:Holmes-Spinks II U86155124.jpg|right|370px]]
[[File:Holmes-Spinks II U86129042-7.jpg|right|370px]]
<fight>1946</fight>
*'''Unofficial AP scorecard:''' 143-142 Holmes
*'''Unofficial UPI scorecard:''' 143-142 Spinks
*'''Unofficial HBO Judge [[Harold Lederman]]:''' 144-141 Holmes
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Spinks)
*[[:Image:F1946b.jpeg|Photo 6]], [[:Image:F1946c.jpeg|Photo 7]], [[:Image:F1946d.jpeg|Photo 8]], [[:Image:F1946e.jpeg|Photo 9]], [[:Image:F1946f.jpeg|Photo 10]], [[:Image:F1946g.jpeg|Photo 11]], [[:Image:F1946h.jpeg|Photo 12]], [[:Image:F1946i.jpeg|Photo 13]], [[:Image:F1946.jpeg|Photo 14]]
*'''See Also:''' [[Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks (1st meeting)]]

==Notes==
*The fight was billed as "Vindication in Vegas."
*Holmes was a 7½ to 5 betting favorite.
*Spinks' purse was $2 million and Holmes' was $1.125 million.
*Tickets were priced at $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50.
*There was a crowd of 8,328.
*The fight was televised live on [[HBO]].
*"The last time, I worked on becoming a heavyweight," Spinks before the fight. "For this fight, I started as a heavyweight and just worked on improving what beat Larry the last time."
*Shortly before the fight, Holmes said the judges "must have been drunk" when they scored his first fight with Spinks.
*As ring announcer [[Chuck Hull]] read off the scorecards after the fight, Holmes turned to his trainer, [[Richie Giachetti]], and moaned, "Oh, no, I've got a big mouth."
*After the fight, Holmes said: "The judges, referees and promoters can kiss me where the sun don't shine—and because we're on HBO, that's my big black behind."
*Spinks landed 296 of 680 punches (43%) while Holmes connected on 293 of 724 (40%).

'''Spinks Earns Split-Decision By Wearing Down Holmes'''

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — Michael Spinks figured Larry Holmes would come out desperate for an early knockout, so he was ready. To run, that is.

Spinks threw only seven punches in the first round and ran from Holmes the first four rounds before coming on strong Saturday night to take a split-decision win and keep his portion of the heavyweight crown.

It was a fight Spinks won as much with his head as with his fists.

"I had to stay cool and calm, then break his morale," said Spinks. "Larry proved to be one hell of a champion. He was a die-hard out there tonight."

The fight was the second loss to Spinks in a row for Holmes, who had won 48 straight fights while dominating the heavyweight ranks for 7½ years. It also marked the end of an era, as a tearful Holmes said he would fight no more.

"It's over, this is it," the former champion said. "I don't need it, I don't need the aggravation."

The sold-out crowd of nearly 9,000 at the Las Vegas Hilton watched as Holmes built up a big early lead, but seemingly wore down as Spinks mounted his own attack from the fifth round on.

Holmes still had enough left to stagger Spinks in the 14th round with a right hand that caused the champion's knees to buckle. But it was a mark of his loss of skills that Holmes was unable to finish Spinks off.

It was that vaunted right hand that Spinks worked so hard to stay away from in the early rounds, and it almost cost him the fight. Spinks lost the first four rounds on all ringside scorecards to dig a hole he almost couldn't crawl out from.

But beginning with round five, it was a different story. The gangly Spinks started getting his unorthodox jab in and began connecting with his left hook. Holmes, who had seemed to be able to do what he wanted early, suddenly had trouble pulling the trigger.

Spinks dominated the middle rounds, changing the flow of the fight by backing Holmes up with left hooks that landed often. By the end of the 11th round, Spinks had pulled ahead on one scorecard and even on another. The fight was essentially a draw with four rounds to go.

"I looked up and saw the ring card for the 12th round and I said to myself, 'If you're going to win it, you've got to win it now,'" said Spinks.

That meant going in and trading punches with Holmes, still dangerous and throwing right hands despite a right thumb he said he fractured in the third round. Spinks said he knew the risks of the strategy.

He came out throwing punches in the 15th round and seemed in control of the possibly deciding round until a Holmes right with only a minute left stunned him again. But it was too late as Spinks not only lasted the round, but won it on two of the three scorecards. The fighters embraced with Spinks telling Holmes, "In my mind, you'll always be a champion."

One judge favored Holmes by three points, but the two other judges liked Spinks, by two and three points, respectively. It was a decision Holmes found tough to swallow, just like the first fight between the two.

"I think I won the fight more convincingly this time," Holmes told reporters gathered in his suite several hours after the fight. "How many times do I continue to have to prove myself?"

==Articles==
*[http://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/04/19/Michael-Spinks-fighting-the-way-Larry-Holmes-did-when/3251514270800/ "Spinks Decisions Holmes" By Dave Raffo, United Press International, April 19, 1985]
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19860419&id=gj1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4-kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1848,1388091&hl=en "Spinks beats Holmes again with a split decision" By Ed Schuyler Jr., Associated Press, April 20, 1986]
*[http://www.si.com/vault/1986/04/28/629153/battle-of-the-ballot "Battle Of The Ballot" By Pat Putnam, Sports Illustrated, April 28, 1986]

Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks (1st meeting)

2016-05-06T18:21:03Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks.jpg|375px|right|]]
[[File:Holmes-Spinks I 162403-004-28CFF658.jpg|375px|right]]
<fight>1726</fight>
:(Harold Lederman actually scored the fight 143-142 for Spinks. Lederman said, "I had it even going into the 15th, and Michael won the 15th.")
*'''Unofficial AP scorecard:''' 144-141 Holmes
*'''Unofficial UPI scorecard:''' 146-141 Holmes
*'''Unofficial [[World Boxing]] scorecard:''' 146-141 Spinks
*'''Promoters:''' [[Don King]], [[Butch Lewis]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Chuck Hull]]
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (4th defense by Holmes)
*'''See also:''' [[Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks (2nd meeting)]]

==Notes==
*Holmes received $3 million plus $500,000 in training expenses.
*Spinks received $900,000 plus $100,000 in training expenses.
*Holmes was a 6 to 1 favorite.
*Spinks, the undisputed champion at 175 pounds, bulked up to fight Holmes. [[Pat Putnam]] of [[Sports Illustrated]] wrote: "Spinks brought in New Orleans nutritionist Mackie Shilstone, 34, a former Tulane football player, who put him on a 4,500-calorie diet sliced into 65% carbohydrates, 20% protein and 15% fat. It was mostly made up of vegetables and grains. . . . The challenger also ran sprints instead of doing traditional nonstop roadwork—800s with a minute between, then 400s, 200s, 100s—as if he were training for the decathlon instead of 15 rounds with Holmes. He even went on a weightlifting program, which raised the scarred eyebrows of more than one boxing purist."

:Putnam quoted Shilstone as saying: "He put on 25 pounds but he's actually 1½ pounds leaner overall in fat content. His body fat dropped from 9.1 percent to 7.2 percent. That extra weight is all muscle. And he's faster."
*While training to fight Spinks, Holmes said that he felt pain shoot through his shoulder whenever he threw a right hand. A physical therapist diagnosed it as a pinched nerve, and he treated it with heat, massage and pain pills. When the pain persisted, Holmes was examined by a doctor, who recommended that he see a nerve specialist. The specialist told him that he had a slipped disc in his fifth vertebra.

:"If I were your doctor, I’d have you on the operating table within the hour—that’s how serious I think it is," Holmes quoted the specialist as saying in "[[Larry Holmes: Against the Odds|Against The Odds]]," his 1998 autobiography. "He said if I went ahead and fought Spinks it'd be like playing Russian roulette. I might be paralyzed for life any time I threw a punch with a right hand. According to him, the disc might rupture my spinal cord. . . . Well, we brought in other doctors. They said I could fight with the pinched nerve, no problem. They said the chance that I'd get paralyzed were practically nil." However, Holmes said the specialist's comments were always on his mind. "I found that not only was I flat and listless," Holmes said of his performance against Spinks, "I was reluctant to pull the trigger on the right hand." His trainer, [[Richie Giachetti]], said Holmes "fought scared."

:"Some people played a game with me," Holmes said before his rematch with Spinks, alluding vaguely to some who had worked his corner. "But they're not here to do it to me anymore."
*The fight was televised live on [[HBO]].
*A full house of 11,192 watched the fight in the Riviera's outdoor arena.
*According to HBO punch stats, Spinks landed 318 of 697 punches (46 percent) and Holmes connected on 248 of 567 (44 percent).
*Spinks became the first reigning World Light Heavyweight Champion to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
*Holmes entered the fight with a 48-0 record, needing just one win to tie [[Rocky Marciano|Rocky Marciano's]] all-time undefeated heavyweight record of 49-0. After the fight, Holmes said, "I'm 35 fighting young men and Rocky was 25 fighting old men. To be technical, Rocky couldn't carry my jockstrap." Holmes was heavily criticized for the remark, and he later apologized.
*Spinks' victory over Holmes was named [[Ring Magazine Upset of the Year|Upset of the Year]] by [[The Ring Magazine]].

==External Links==
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19850922&id=P0FTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UIUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6938,5656455&hl=en "Spinks Gains Piece Of Boxing History By Beating Holmes" By Ed Schuyler Jr., Associated Press, September 21, 1985]
*[http://www.si.com/vault/1985/09/30/627708/michael-played-the-heavy "Michael Played The Heavy" By Pat Putnam, Sports Illustrated, September 30, 1985]
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=dVr5RepSf6AC&pg=PA235&lpg=PA235&dq=larry+holmes+spinks+pinched+nerve&source=bl&ots=Hw5SKnA1AT&sig=0UsC1WGHHhNg2Z0FuSX2Jo3I8eo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EOhPVP3tJZaxyAS9ooCIBA&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=larry%20holmes%20spinks%20pinched%20nerve&f=false "Against the Odds" By Larry Holmes with Phil Berger, St. Martin's Press, 1998]
*[http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/180697-someones-o-has-got-to-go-10-notable-fights-between-unbeaten-boxers-part-i/4 "Someone’s ‘O’ has got to go: 10 notable fights between unbeaten boxers – part I" By Lee Groves, RingTV.com, September 10, 2013]

Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks (1st meeting)

2016-05-06T18:10:24Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks.jpg|375px|right|]]
[[File:Holmes-Spinks I 162403-004-28CFF658.jpg|375px|right]]
<fight>1726</fight>
:(Harold Lederman actually scored the fight 143-142 for Spinks. Lederman said, "I had it even going into the 15th, and Michael won the 15th.")
*'''Unofficial AP scorecard:''' 144-141 Holmes
*'''Unofficial UPI scorecard:''' 146-141 Holmes
*'''Unofficial [[World Boxing]] scorecard:''' 146-141 Spinks
*'''Promoters:''' [[Don King]], [[Butch Lewis]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Chuck Hull]]
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (4th defense by Holmes)
*'''See also:''' [[Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks (2nd meeting)]]

==Notes==
*Holmes received $3 million plus $500,000 in training expenses.
*Spinks received $900,000 plus $100,000 in training expenses.
*Holmes was a 6 to 1 favorite.
*Spinks, the undisputed champion at 175 pounds, bulked up to fight Holmes. [[Pat Putnam]] of [[Sports Illustrated]] wrote: "Spinks brought in New Orleans nutritionist Mackie Shilstone, 34, a former Tulane football player, who put him on a 4,500-calorie diet sliced into 65% carbohydrates, 20% protein and 15% fat. It was mostly made up of vegetables and grains. . . . The challenger also ran sprints instead of doing traditional nonstop roadwork—800s with a minute between, then 400s, 200s, 100s—as if he were training for the decathlon instead of 15 rounds with Holmes. He even went on a weightlifting program, which raised the scarred eyebrows of more than one boxing purist."

:Putnam quoted Shilstone as saying: "He put on 25 pounds but he's actually 1½ pounds leaner overall in fat content. His body fat dropped from 9.1 percent to 7.2 percent. That extra weight is all muscle. And he's faster."
*While training to fight Spinks, Holmes said that he felt pain shoot through his shoulder whenever he threw a right hand. A physical therapist diagnosed it as a pinched nerve, and he treated it with heat, massage and pain pills. When the pain persisted, Holmes was examined by a doctor, who recommended that he see a nerve specialist. The specialist told him that he had a slipped disc in his fifth vertebra.

:"If I were your doctor, I’d have you on the operating table within the hour—that’s how serious I think it is," Holmes quoted the specialist as saying in "[[Larry Holmes: Against the Odds|Against The Odds]]," his 1998 autobiography. "He said if I went ahead and fought Spinks it'd be like playing Russian roulette. I might be paralyzed for life any time I threw a punch with a right hand. According to him, the disc might rupture my spinal cord. . . . Well, we brought in other doctors. They said I could fight with the pinched nerve, no problem. They said the chance that I'd get paralyzed were practically nil." However, Holmes said the specialist's comments were always on his mind. "I found that not only was I flat and listless," Holmes said of his performance against Spinks, "I was reluctant to pull the trigger on the right hand." His trainer, [[Richie Giachetti]], said Holmes "fought scared."

:"Some people played a game with me," Holmes said before his rematch with Spinks, alluding vaguely to some who had worked his corner. "But they're not here to do it to me anymore."
*The fight was televised live on [[HBO]].
*A full house of 11,192 watched the fight in the Riviera's outdoor arena.
*Spinks became the first reigning World Light Heavyweight Champion to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
*Holmes entered the fight with a 48-0 record, needing just one win to tie [[Rocky Marciano|Rocky Marciano's]] all-time undefeated heavyweight record of 49-0. After the fight, Holmes said, "I'm 35 fighting young men and Rocky was 25 fighting old men. To be technical, Rocky couldn't carry my jockstrap." Holmes was heavily criticized for the remark, and he later apologized.
*Spinks' victory over Holmes was named [[Ring Magazine Upset of the Year|Upset of the Year]] by [[The Ring Magazine]].

==External Links==
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19850922&id=P0FTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UIUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6938,5656455&hl=en "Spinks Gains Piece Of Boxing History By Beating Holmes" By Ed Schuyler Jr., Associated Press, September 21, 1985]
*[http://www.si.com/vault/1985/09/30/627708/michael-played-the-heavy "Michael Played The Heavy" By Pat Putnam, Sports Illustrated, September 30, 1985]
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=dVr5RepSf6AC&pg=PA235&lpg=PA235&dq=larry+holmes+spinks+pinched+nerve&source=bl&ots=Hw5SKnA1AT&sig=0UsC1WGHHhNg2Z0FuSX2Jo3I8eo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=EOhPVP3tJZaxyAS9ooCIBA&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=larry%20holmes%20spinks%20pinched%20nerve&f=false "Against the Odds" By Larry Holmes with Phil Berger, St. Martin's Press, 1998]
*[http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/180697-someones-o-has-got-to-go-10-notable-fights-between-unbeaten-boxers-part-i/4 "Someone’s ‘O’ has got to go: 10 notable fights between unbeaten boxers – part I" By Lee Groves, RingTV.com, September 10, 2013]

Larry Holmes vs. Carl Williams

2016-05-06T04:02:32Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Holmes-Williams.gif|right|350px]]
[[File:Holmes-Williams 56535442.jpg|right|350px]]
[[File:Holmes-Williams 56401776.jpg|right|350px]]
<fight>1606</fight>
*'''Unofficial AP scorecard:''' 145-140 Holmes
*'''Promoter:''' [[Murad Muhammad]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Ed Derian]]
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (3rd defense by Holmes)

==Notes==
*The fight aired live on [[NBC]] in prime time. NBC had originally hoped to televise a fight between Holmes and [[Michael Spinks]], the undisputed world light heavyweight champion, but negotiations with Spinks' promoter, [[Butch Lewis]], collapsed on April 22.
*Williams was the IBF's eighth-ranked heavyweight contender.
*[[Ed Schuyler|Ed Schuyler Jr.]] of the Associated Press scored the fight 145-140 for Holmes. He gave Holmes rounds 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15. Williams was given rounds 2, 5, 6, 11 and 14.
*Some who saw the fight thought that Williams had won. The Toledo Blade reported: "A smattering of boos cascaded from high up in the Lawlor Events Center when it was announced that Holmes had retained his International Boxing Federation title with a unanimous 15-round decision."

'''Williams Presses Holmes, but Loses:Champion 48-0 After Unanimous Vote''' 
The Washington Post | May 21, 1985

Larry Holmes, 35, moved within one fight of matching [[Rocky Marciano]]'s record tonight by winning a unanimous 15-round decision over Carl (The Truth) Williams.

But afterward, all Holmes wanted to talk about was a long rest.

"We'll take a long look and see where we're going," he said. "Then I'll take a long rest. I've got to go home and think about it. They are getting younger and stronger. These young guys are really game. But a champion fights until there are no bells.

"This man was ready. He's been training with [[Marvis Frazier]] and I've been training for three weeks. I took this fight on three weeks notice."

Holmes, whose third fight in six months gave him a 48-0 record, left the Lawlor Events Center immediately after the fight accompanied by a doctor and headed to his hotel for medical attention. His left eye was swelled nearly shut.

"That's the most punishment Larry's taken since I've been with him," said trainer [[Eddie Futch]], who joined Holmes' camp four years and 11 fights ago.

Only Marciano, 49-0 when he retired at age 33 in 1956, has retired as undefeated heavyweight champion.

Williams appeared fresher at the end and was still doing a lot of talking, just as he had done in the days leading up to the fight.

"I've been saying all along I'm the uncrowned king and the heir to the throne," he said.

He said he thought he had won the fight and "I think the least I could have gotten was a draw. I fought a hell of a fight."

Many of the 6,046 in the 12,100 seat arena agreed, but two judges saw it 146-139 and the third voted 143-142.

But while the 35-year-old Holmes was a unanimous winner to retain his International Boxing Federation title, he was very tired at the end, and at times he appeared tentative against Williams, 25, who went into the fight with a 16-0 record.

Each fighter hurt the other but was unable to follow up. Williams, who is 6 feet 4 and weighed 215, showed a fine left jab and held his own with Holmes, 222 1/4, through the first six rounds.

In the ninth, Holmes closed strongly with jabs and hooks. But Williams, who was knocked down twice in the first two rounds of his previous fight -- a 10-round decision over [[James Tillis]] last Oct. 23 -- never was in danger of going down.

Holmes backed Williams up with a right early in the 15th, then hit him on the head and body. But he was too tired to take advantage and had to settle for a decision in Reno's first title fight since [[Jack Johnson]] knocked out [[Jim Jeffries]] in the 15th round July 4, 1910.

Holmes, who has 34 knockouts in his career, got $2.3 million. Williams, of White Plains, N.Y., who looked nothing like a 6 1/2-1 underdog, was paid $175,000.

In earlier heavyweight matches, Frazier won a 10-round unanimous decision over Tillis, and [[Randall (Tex) Cobb|Randy (Tex) Cobb]] was knocked down for the first time in his career and lost a 10-round unanimous decision to [[Eddie Gregg]].

In a scheduled 10-round lightweight fight, [[Bobby Chacon]], 33, knocked out [[Davey Montana]] at 2:19 of the ninth round.

==Articles==
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2245&dat=19850425&id=brAzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xjIHAAAAIBAJ&pg=5041,6452493&hl=en "Holmes to fight again" United Press International, April 25, 1985]
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19850521&id=uq5PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4gYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5269,2233924 "Holmes defeats Carl Williams" Associated Press, May 21, 1985]
*[http://www.nytimes.com/1985/05/21/sports/holmes-runs-record-to-48-0-on-unanimous-decision.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar "HOLMES RUNS RECORD TO 48-0 ON UNANIMOUS DECISION" by Michael Katz, The New York Times, May 21, 1985]
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19850521&id=LSgxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1gIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6800,7651470&hl=en "Holmes Keeps Championship" The Toledo Blade, May 21, 1985]
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1985/05/21/williams-presses-holmes-but-loseschampion-48-0-after-unanimous-vote/0c7bb2cc-8cf5-451c-bdd1-6d6b489ce6d7/ "Williams Presses Holmes, but Loses: Champion 48-0 After Unanimous Vote" The Washington Post, May 21, 1985]

Larry Holmes vs. Trevor Berbick

2016-05-05T06:12:54Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Holmes-Berbick 163935186.jpg|right|]]
<fight>661</fight>
*'''Unofficial AP scorecard:''' 147-138 Holmes
*'''Promoter:''' [[Don King]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Chuck Hull]]
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (9th defense by Holmes)
*[[:File:Holmes-Berbick poster.jpg|On Site Poster]]
*[[:File:Holmes-Berbick 163935148.jpg|Photo 1]], [[:File:Holmes-Berbick 157456628.jpg|Photo 2]]

==Notes==
*Holmes was a 50 to 1 favorite.
*The fight was televised live on [[HBO]].
*Promoter [[Don King]] said Holmes would earn a little more than $500,000, and Berbick would get between $100,000 and $200,000.
*This was Berbick's first fight in the United States.
*Berbick entered the fight as the Canadian heavyweight champion and the [[WBC]]'s fifth-ranked heavyweight contender.
*Entering the fight against Berbick, Holmes had won eight straight title defenses by knockout, tying the record of [[Tommy Burns]]—the 5'7" Canadian who held the heavyweight title from 1906 to 1908—for the most consecutive knockout victories by a heavyweight champion. Berbick became the first challenger to go the distance with Holmes, preventing the champion from breaking Burns' record.
*Judge Joe Swessel scored every round for Holmes. He was the only person among the official judges and ringside media to do so.
*Berbick said he broke his left thumb in the first round.
*Former World Heavyweight Champion [[Joe Louis]] was ringside for the fight. He died of a heart attack the following morning.
*The Associated Press reported the following on April 13, 1981:
:Holmes didn't have much difficulty in winning a 15-round unanimous decision over Berbick at [[Caesars Palace]] Sports Pavilion Saturday night, but very few people, including Holmes, expected the bout to go the distance. "You can't take anyone lightly," said Holmes, who weighed 215 pounds. "I didn't take Trevor Berbick lightly, and he gave me a good fight. This man was so keyed up, so ready to fight. He took all I had to give and more. I even felt it wouldn't go eight. We all got fooled. I wasn't disappointed. I tried to take him out, but he refused to go." Holmes, of Easton, Pa., called Berbick the strongest fighter he ever faced. . . . There were no knockdowns and neither fighter appeared to be hurt seriously or close to going down at any time. Berbick began the proceedings by taunting Holmes in the first round, and after the bell sounded, he seemed to unnerve the champion, who shoved him and turned to go to his corner. Berbick followed and accidentally pushed referee Mills Lane to the floor as the near-capacity crowd of about 4,500 roared. "I'm a professional, I didn't get upset," Holmes said when asked about the shoving incident. "I was playing the same game with him."

==Newspaper Articles==
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=19810411&id=BpobAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-1IEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2155,1377479&hl=en Associated Press "Holmes Defends His Title Tonight Against Berbick" April 11, 1981]
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19810413&id=ZQEhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_nQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1973,2693476&hl=en Associated Press "Holmes wins, but not without a fight" April 13, 1981]
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AZczAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WO4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1152%2C1273241 Canadian Press "Berbick beaten, but goes limit" April 13, 1981]
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19810413&id=9LVPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V1IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5689,1167076 United Press International "Holmes keeps crown" April 13, 1981]

File:Holmes-Berbick poster.jpg

2016-05-05T05:16:48Z

Boxsoup: Larry Holmes vs. Trevor Berbick Category:Larry Holmes Gallery Category:Trevor Berbick Gallery Category:Posters

[[Larry Holmes vs. Trevor Berbick]]
[[Category:Larry Holmes Gallery]]
[[Category:Trevor Berbick Gallery]]
[[Category:Posters]]

File:Holmes-Berbick 157456628.jpg

2016-05-05T05:15:31Z

Boxsoup: Larry Holmes vs. Trevor Berbick Category:Larry Holmes Gallery Category:Trevor Berbick Gallery

[[Larry Holmes vs. Trevor Berbick]]
[[Category:Larry Holmes Gallery]]
[[Category:Trevor Berbick Gallery]]

File:Holmes-Berbick 163935148.jpg

2016-05-05T05:15:13Z

Boxsoup: Larry Holmes vs. Trevor Berbick Category:Larry Holmes Gallery Category:Trevor Berbick Gallery

[[Larry Holmes vs. Trevor Berbick]]
[[Category:Larry Holmes Gallery]]
[[Category:Trevor Berbick Gallery]]

Larry Holmes vs. Alfredo Evangelista

2016-05-03T22:06:28Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:79Feb.jpg|300px|right]]
<fight>417</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Don King]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Chuck Hull]]
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Holmes)
*[[:File:HolmesEvangelista.jpg|Video Image]]

'''Holmes knocks out Evangelista to retain WBC title''' 
Associated Press | November 11, 1978

Larry Holmes peppered Alfredo Evangelista with hard left jabs and then knocked him out with a thunderous right hand in the seventh to retain his World Boxing Council heavyweight championship last night.

The scheduled 15-rounder at Caesars Palace was a mismatch from the start and the big right hand brought a merciful ending for the Spaniard.

Evangelista had gone 15 rounds in a losing title shot against [[Muhammad Ali]] May 16, 1977. But that Ali was out of shape at 230 pounds and mentally down.

Last night, however, Evangelista ran into a man who was in top condition and had something to prove. Holmes is trying to fight his way out of Ali's shadow.

"Either quit or fight me," yelled Holmes to Ali.

"I'm not going to wait for him or duck anyone else." Most boxing people feel the chances of Holmes fighting Ali, who is recognized as champion by the [[World Boxing Association]], are virtually nonexistent.

"I'll fight [[Ken Norton]] or [[Jimmy Young]] or anyone else," Holmes added, then said that his future plans will not be dictated by the media.

There is speculation that Young probably will be Holmes' next opponent and then Holmes might face the winner of a Norton-[[Earnie Shavers]] fight set for Feb. 18.

"It wasn't an easy fight. We trained hard," said Holmes of his first title defense. Holmes won the title at [[Caesars Palace]] last June with a split decision over Norton.

Holmes obviously trained hard, but it was just as obvious that the fight was an easy one.

"I used my left jab a lot," said Holmes. "I thought I might be able to stop him on cuts."

Holmes' jab was not just a thing of beauty for boxing buffs.

It was not designed just to keep the challenger off balance. It was meant to inflict pain. It was a mean jab and it made a mess of Evangelista's face.

At the end of six rounds, Evangelista's face was badly swollen and he was bleeding from beneath the left eye. He was a picture in frustration.

Then, as the fight passed the two-minute mark in the seventh round and as Holmes was backing away, the champion smashed home a right to the jaw that dropped Evangelista to the floor. Evangelista got to his knees almost immediately, then pitched to his face to be counted out by referee Richard Greene.

The victory, in Holmes' first defense of the title he won on a split decision from Ken Norton at Caesars Palace on June 9, was his 29th in an unbeaten pro career.

Evangelista, who weighed 208¼ to 214½ for Holmes, is the European champion, but his standing as a major factor in the heavyweight division may have disappeared.

The 23-year-old Uruguayan native, who is a citizen of Spain, never did any damage to Holmes. He hardly ever hit him as Holmes used his four-inch advantage in reach to perfection. Evangelista's only chance was to jump in and try to land to the head, but Holmes foiled him at every turn. - Associated Press

== Notes ==
*Larry Holmes 28-0 (19 KOs) vs. Alfredo Evangelista 23-2-1 (18 KOs)
*Holmes earned $1.5 million, while Evangelista made $150,000.
*Evangelist, a 4-1 betting underdog, entered as the European Heavyweight Champion and was ranked #4 by the WBC.
*The fight was the main event on a card that also included [[Ken Norton vs. Randy Stephens]] and [[Alexis Arguello]] vs. [[Arturo Leon]].
*There was a crowd of 5,300.
*The fight aired live on [[ABC (American Broadcasting Company)|ABC]].

== Quotes ==
*"He was no easy opponent. I wish it was easy. I wish every fight was easy. I feel he was a worthy opponent. The guy had an awkward style. I tried to confuse him by changing my style. I figured as long as I could keep hitting him with a left jab I was OK. I used my left jab a lot. I thought we might be able to stop him on cuts." – Larry Holmes
*"I would like to see Muhammad Ali retire . . . to go out like the legend he is." – Larry Holmes
*"I talked to Muhammad yesterday and he told me he'd quit when he's ready. I don't know what he's gonna do. Nobody knows what he's gonna do. But if he fights again, I feel his next fight should be with me. Either quit or fight me. I'm not going to wait for him or duck anyone else. I'll fight Ken Norton or Jimmy Young, or anyone else." – Larry Holmes

== Sources ==
*"Holmes, Evangelista prepared for bout" (1978, Nov. 7) ''Prescott Courier'' p. 9. [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mLhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=blQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2785%2C18261455| Article]
*"Holmes knocks out Evangelista to retain WBC title" (1978, Nov. 11) ''Montreal Gazette'' p. 73 [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I5YuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eKEFAAAAIBAJ&dq=larry%20holmes%20alredo%20evangelista&pg=6342%2C4544675| Article]
*"Holmes now willing to meet Ali" (1978, Nov. 11) ''Ellensburg Daily Record'' p. 9. [http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NXFUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KY8DAAAAIBAJ&dq=larry%20holmes%20ali&pg=6922%2C2881210| Article]

Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko

2016-05-03T07:22:17Z

Boxsoup:

{{punchstats
|BoxerA=Lewis
|BoxerB=Klitschko
|JabsLandedBoxerA=52
|JabsLandedBoxerB=77
|JabsThrownBoxerA=120
|JabsThrownBoxerB=240
|JabsPercentBoxerA=43
|JabsPercentBoxerB=32
|PowerLandedBoxerA=50
|PowerLandedBoxerB=79
|PowerThrownBoxerA=102
|PowerThrownBoxerB=192
|PowerPercentBoxerA=49
|PowerPercentBoxerB=41
|TotalLandedBoxerA=102
|TotalLandedBoxerB=156
|TotalThrownBoxerA=222
|TotalThrownBoxerB=432
|TotalPercentBoxerA=46
|TotalPercentBoxerB=36
}}
<fight>596265</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Gary Shaw]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Michael Buffer]]
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (2nd defense by Lewis)
*'''[[The Ring Magazine|''The Ring'']] Heavyweight Title''' (2nd defense by Lewis)
*[[:File:Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko (poster).jpg|Program Cover]]
*[[:File:Klitschko After Lewis.jpg|Photo: Klitschko's face after the fight]]

 
== Notes ==
[[File:Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko 634x428.jpg|right|380px]]
[[File:Lennox-Lewis-Vitali-Klitschko-cropped-138658.jpg|right|380px]]
*Lewis was originally scheduled to fight [[Kirk Johnson]], who pulled out of the fight on June 6 because of a partial tear of his left pectoral muscle. Klitschko, who had been scheduled to fight [[Cedric Boswell]] on the undercard of Lewis vs. Johnson, agreed to fight Lewis on June 9.
*Klitschko was the WBC's No. 1-rated heavyweight contender.
*Lewis was guaranteed $7 million and Klitschko $1.4 million.
*At 256½ pounds, Lewis was fighting at the heaviest weight of his career.
*Lewis was a 4-1 favorite.
*Total attendance was 15,939, and paid attendance was 8,490. The breakdown is as follows: 7,466 were sold at full price; 1,024 were sold at a discount; 4,868 were given away; and 2,581 were suite seats or part of a sponsorship package.
*The gate was $2,523,384.
*The fight aired live on [[HBO]]'s [[HBO World Championship Boxing|''World Championship Boxing'']] and was watched in 4.6 million homes. It was the network's highest rated fight since [[Oscar De La Hoya vs. Oba Carr]] on May 22, 1999.
*Klitschko stunned Lewis with right hands in the second round.
*A right hand from Lewis opened a grotesque cut over Klitschko's left eye in the third round.
*Dr. Paul Wallace, the ringside physician, told the referee to stop the fight after the sixth round due to the cut over Klitschko's left eye.
*Klitschko required 60 stitches to repair four cuts on his face and one cut in his mouth.
*This was Lewis' last fight. He announced his retirement on February 6, 2004.

==Quotes==
*"I was getting to him. Look at his face. Just look at the state of his face. It was only a matter of time. It was deteriorating. The referee saved his face." – Lennox Lewis
*"Right now, I feel like the people's champion. I did not want them to stop the fight. My strategy was to take it into the seventh and eighth rounds. My strategy was working. I knew his conditioning was not good." – Vitali Klitschko
*"I asked him to look at me and, when he lifted his head, his eyelid covered his field of vision. He had to move his head to see me. If he had to move his head to see me, there was no way he could defend himself. If he got hit with an overhand right, he might not be able to see it. It was a dangerous situation." – Dr. Paul Wallace on why he stopped the fight

==Articles==
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/sports/boxing-lewis-cuts-the-deepest-and-retains-his-title.html "Lewis Cuts The Deepest And Retains His Title" By Mike Freeman, ''New York Times'', June 22, 2003]
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/23/sports/othersports/23fite.html "Lewis-Klitschko, Part II, Could Generate Interest" By Mike Freeman, ''New York Times'', June 23, 2003]
*[http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jun/24/sports/sp-boxing24 "Paid Attendance Light for Title Bout" By Steve Springer, ''Los Angeles Times'', June 24, 2003]
*[http://www.si.com/vault/2003/06/30/345707/cut-short-vitali-klitschko-outslugged-lennox-lewis-but-a-bloody-gash-halted-his-title-challenge "Cut Short" By Franz Lidz, ''Sports Illustrated'', June 30, 2003]

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson|Lewis vs. Tyson]]|
title=[[WBC Heavyweight Title Fights|WBC Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 88|
after=[[Vitali Klitschko vs. Corrie Sanders|V. Klitschko vs. Sanders]]|
}}
{{end box}}

Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson

2016-05-02T05:16:33Z

Boxsoup:

{{punchstats
|BoxerA=Lewis
|BoxerB=Tyson
|JabsLandedBoxerA=109
|JabsLandedBoxerB=20
|JabsThrownBoxerA=205
|JabsThrownBoxerB=134
|JabsPercentBoxerA=53
|JabsPercentBoxerB=15
|PowerLandedBoxerA=84
|PowerLandedBoxerB=29
|PowerThrownBoxerA=123
|PowerThrownBoxerB=77
|PowerPercentBoxerA=68
|PowerPercentBoxerB=38
|TotalLandedBoxerA=193
|TotalLandedBoxerB=49
|TotalThrownBoxerA=328
|TotalThrownBoxerB=211
|TotalPercentBoxerA=59
|TotalPercentBoxerB=23
}}
<fight>323725</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Main Events]]
*'''Ring Announcers:''' [[Michael Buffer]] and [[Jimmy Lennon Jr.]]
*'''Pay-Per-View:''' [[HBO]] and [[Showtime]] (USA), [[Sky Box Office]] (UK)
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Lewis)
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Lewis)
*'''[[The Ring Magazine|''The Ring'']] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Lewis)
*[[:File:Lewis-Tyson on site poster.jpg|On-Site Poster]]
*[[:File:Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson (poster).jpg|Pay-Per-View Poster]]
*[[:File:Lewis-Tyson 685944.jpg|Photo 1]], [[:File:Tyson Lewis 1539498i.jpg|Photo 2]], [[:File:Lewis-Tyson 685973.jpg|Photo 3]], [[:File:Lewis-Tyson 685911.jpg|Photo 4]], [[:File:Lewis-Tyson 706211.jpg|Photo 5]], [[:File:Lewis-Tyson 706201.jpg|Photo 6]], [[:File:Lewis-Tyson 956311a.jpg|Photo 7]]
 
== Notes ==
[[File:Lewis-Tyson 119579909.jpg|right|310px]]
[[File:Lewis-Tyson 685922.jpg|right|310px]]
[[File:Lewis-Tyson 1000x8351.jpg|right|310px]]
[[File:Lewis-Tyson 51685269.jpg|right|310px]]
*Lewis was making his first defense of [[The Ring Magazine|''The Ring'']] magazine title. In 2002, ''The Ring'' once again started to award championship belts. The magazine started awarding belts in 1922, when it was founded, but stopped when the magazine came under new ownership in 1989.
*On January 22, 2002, there was a press conference in New York City to officially announce the fight. Tyson was introduced first. He strode onstage and then stared in the direction of where Lewis was supposed to appear. When Lewis came onstage, Tyson quickly walked toward him. A Lewis bodyguard stepped between them and pushed Tyson back. Tyson quickly took a fighting stance and threw a roundhouse left at the bodyguard that missed. Lewis raised his fists and threw a punch as dozens of boxing officials and members of both camps swarmed onto the stage. With all the pushing and shoving, both fighters went to the floor. While they were on down, Tyson, who suffered a cut on his forehead, bit Lewis' leg. [[WBC]] president [[Jose Sulaiman]] was knocked unconscious in the melee when he hit his head on a table. On August 1, 2002, he filed a $56 million lawsuit against Lewis and Tyson.
*Promoters had planned to stage the fight in Las Vegas on April 6, 2002, but the [[Nevada State Athletic Commission]] voted 4-1 to deny Tyson a license on January 29. Several other states—including California, New York and Texas—also refused to give Tyson a license. Washington, D.C., and Detroit were in the running to host the fight, but Memphis landed the match with a promise of a $12.5 million site fee.
*Both fighters were guaranteed $17.5 million.
*The contracts addressed the possibility of the fight ending with a flagrant foul. The fighter committing such an infraction would forfeit $3 million of his purse to the other man. Tyson also was forced to agree to pay Lewis $335,000 for biting his leg during the brawl at the press conference announcing the fight. Payment was due June 9.
*Lewis was under contract with [[HBO]] and Tyson was with [[Showtime]]. For that reason, many thought the fight wouldn't take place. [[Ross Greenburg]], president of HBO Sports, said the fight would be on HBO or it wouldn't happen, and Showtime senior vice president [[Jay Larkin]] said Tyson would fight on HBO "when pork chops grow on the palm trees of Tel Aviv." However, the two networks eventually agreed to work together. The pay-per-view commentators were HBO's [[Jim Lampley]] and Showtime's [[Bobby Czyz]]. Each network also had a team call the fight for a potential delayed broadcast. If Lewis won, HBO would televise the replay and pay Showtime $3 million. If Tyson won, Showtime would air the replay and pay HBO. [[Michael Buffer]] and [[Jimmy Lennon Jr.]] shared announcing duties. Buffer introduced Lewis, and Lennon introduced Tyson.
*Lewis was a 2-1 betting favorite.
*Before the fighters entered the ring, a dozen yellow-shirted security guards formed a barrier from corner to corner to keep them apart. The fighters received instructions in the dressing room from the referee and didn't meet at the center of the ring to touch gloves.
*Lewis vs. Tyson was the highest-grossing event in pay-per-view history, generating $106.9 million from 1.95 million buys in the USA. It was surpassed by [[Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.]] in 2007. It remains, however, the highest-grossing heavyweight pay-per-view event in boxing history.
*[[Thomas Hauser]] of ''SecondsOut.com'' reported:
:Initially, the promotion announced that all 19,185 tickets had been sold at prices ranging from $250 to $2,400. But soon, that pronouncement took on the look of a pyramid scam. Some folks on the inside got greedy, and it cost them. The Lewis camp engendered resentment among British fans by buying $4,000,000 worth of tickets and trying to resell them as part of expensive tour packages. Three thousand sales were expected. But the number wound up at four hundred, and suddenly modern-day Paul Reveres were shouting, "The British aren't coming! The British aren't coming!" Meanwhile, rumors began circulating that local promoters had held back several thousand tickets in the hope of scalping them. On May 29th, the sellout fantasy-bubble burst when 3,500 newly-released tickets went on sale to the public at the Pyramid. As the fight approached, ducats were selling at discount. By noon on June 8th, $1,400 seats were available on the streets of Memphis for $500, and $900 tickets could be had for $300. The final announced paid attendance was 15,327. Almost 4,000 seats were empty. The reported live gate was $17,500,000; still a record, but well below the previously trumpeted total of $23,000,000.
*Bill Pennington of the ''New York Times'' reported:
:It was a domination, as Lennox Lewis punished Mike Tyson tonight at The Pyramid, opening cuts over both eyes and bloodying Tyson's nose. This long-anticipated bout, years in the making, turned out to be a mismatch. As the eighth round drew to a close, Tyson -- who had been staggered by a series of uppercuts -- dropped to the canvas after a crushing roundhouse right hand to the chin. There were 35 seconds remaining in the round and Tyson made little attempt to rise before he was counted out by Referee Eddie Cotton. Tyson's right hand covered his face, and as the count reached 10, making Lewis's knockout official, Tyson put his right hand to his side to reveal a face smeared with his own blood. "This is my defining fight, the one the world wanted to see," said Lewis (40-2-1, 31 knockouts), who successfully defended his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles. "This guy bit me; he was going to get some discipline. After the fight, he apologized to me and said I was a masterful boxer and admired and respected me. Mike at the age of 19 ruled the world, but like a fine wine, I came along later on and I'm the ruling man." Tyson (49-4-2, 43 knockouts) embraced Lewis after the fight and kissed Lewis's mother in the ring. "I am happy for him," Tyson said. "I am thankful for the chance. He knows I love him and I hope he gives me the chance to fight him one more time." Lewis, who was ahead by 69-64 on all the judges' cards, said a rematch was a possibility -- if the public demanded it. Lewis's control of the fight was so complete -- Tyson probably took more punishment in eight rounds than he did in the rest of his career combined -- the attraction a rematch would hold is questionable. Lewis, 36, took control in the third round, when he first opened a cut over Tyson's right eye. Tyson was cut over his left eye, and blood flowed from his nose and mouth in the succeeding rounds as Lewis repeatedly lined up Tyson for sharp left-handed jabs and stinging uppercuts and overhand rights. Tyson, 35, started fast, winning the first round largely with aggressiveness and a lively left hook, but he had just about stopped punching by the fourth round. Tyson looked tired and was breathing heavily after the second round, when he landed his last power shot. Lewis nearly knocked out Tyson in the seventh and stalked him for the knockout in the eighth. Midway through the final round, the fight was stopped for a standing-eight count on Tyson after a right-left uppercut combination by Lewis. The end came after Tyson briefly tried to fight back. But Tyson left himself open for the roundhouse right hand by Lewis that caught him cleanly on the side of the chin. Tyson fell onto his back and eventually needed help to rise. Even then, as he was helped to his corner, Tyson was out on his feet.
*Three months after defeating Tyson, Lewis relinquished the [[IBF]] title rather than fight mandatory contender [[Chris Byrd]]. "Prior to today, my team and I had already determined that there was no public interest in a Lennox Lewis-Chris Byrd bout," Lewis said in a statement released on September 5. "My decision was also based upon the fact that I believe, as I have said repeatedly, that Chris Byrd offers no competitive challenge to me." Lewis also accepted $1 million and a Range Rover from promoter [[Don King]], who wanted to stage a fight between Byrd and [[Evander Holyfield]] for the vacant IBF title.
*The brawl at the press conference was named the 2002 [[Ring Magazine Event of the Year|Event of the Year]] by ''The Ring''.
*Lewis' knockout of Tyson was named the 2002 [[Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year|Knockout of the Year]] by ''The Ring''.

==Articles==
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=20020326&id=ffIzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KOwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4869,5897937 "Write it in pencil: Tyson to fight Lewis June 8" by Tim Dahlberg, ''Gainesville Sun'', March 26, 2002]
*[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/stories/2002-06-07-tyson-lewis-cover.htm "Tyson boxed in by his allure" by Dan Rafael, ''USA Today'', June 7, 2002]
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/09/sports/boxing-lewis-deflects-dominates-and-destroys-tyson.html "Lewis Deflects, Dominates and Destroys Tyson" by Bill Pennington, ''New York Times'', June 9, 2002]
*[http://articles.philly.com/2002-08-03/sports/25336738_1_melee-lawsuit-psychological-injuries "WBC's Sulaiman sues Tyson for $56M over melee" ''Philly.com'', August 3, 2002]
*[http://www.secondsout.com/columns/thomas-hauser/reflections-on-lewis-tyson1 "Reflections on Lewis-Tyson" by Thomas Hauser, ''SecondsOut.com'']

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis (2nd meeting)|Lewis vs. Rahman II]]|
title=[[WBC Heavyweight Title Fights|WBC Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 87|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko|Lewis vs. V. Klitschko]]|
}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis (2nd meeting)|Lewis vs. Rahman II]]|
title=[[IBF Heavyweight Title Fights|IBF Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 39|
after=[[Chris Byrd vs. Evander Holyfield|Byrd vs. Holyfield]]|
}}
{{end box}}

File:Lewis-Tyson 706201.jpg

2016-05-02T04:18:15Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 51685269.jpg

2016-05-02T04:13:06Z

Boxsoup: Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 706211.jpg

2016-05-02T04:12:49Z

Boxsoup: Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson on site poster.jpg

2016-05-02T03:56:21Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Posters

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Posters]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 119579909.jpg

2016-05-02T03:49:11Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 685898.jpg

2016-05-02T03:42:51Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 683083.jpg

2016-05-02T03:42:29Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 685943.jpg

2016-05-02T03:42:10Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 685911.jpg

2016-05-02T03:41:41Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 685973.jpg

2016-05-02T03:41:21Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 685944.jpg

2016-05-02T03:40:50Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]
[[Category:Eddie Cotton (Referee) Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 685922.jpg

2016-05-02T03:40:22Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tyson 683051.jpg

2016-05-02T03:39:52Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Mike Tyson Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Mike Tyson Gallery]]

Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis (2nd meeting)

2016-05-02T00:51:48Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:ISn1fUqVpv42L.jpg|right|425px|thumb|Lewis lands the knockout punch against Rahman.]]
<fight>206453</fight>
*'''Promoters:''' [[Don King Productions]], [[Main Events]]
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Rahman)
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Rahman)
*[[:File:Lewis Rahman BX004281.jpg|Photo 1]], [[:File:Lewis-hasim.jpg|Photo 2]], [[:File:Lewis-Rahman II 57227154.jpg|Photo 3]]
*'''See also:''' [[Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)]]
 
== Notes ==
[[File:Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman 2 (poster).jpg|right|255px|thumb|PPV Fight Poster]]
*After defeating Lewis to win the title, Rahman signed with promoter [[Don King]]. Rahman was given a $5 million signing bonus, reportedly in the form of a $4.5 million check and $500,000 in cash. Rahman's deal with King would have earned him $5 million for a title defense against Denmark's [[Brian Nielsen]] on August 4, 2001. A win over Nielsen would have set up a $15 million unification bout against the winner of a third fight between [[WBA]] champion [[John Ruiz]] and [[Evander Holyfield]], after which King would match Rahman against either Lewis for $20 million or [[Mike Tyson]] for $30 million.
*Rahman turned down deals from [[Showtime]] and [[HBO]].
*Showtime's deal, which included a non-refundable signing bonus of $3 million, offered Rahman $13.15 million to make his first title defense against Mike Tyson. There would be an additional five bouts with purses ranging from $6 to $10 million if he beat Tyson. If Rahman lost to Tyson, he would still be guaranteed at least one more fight on Showtime.
*HBO offered Rahman $14 million to make his first title defense against Lewis. If he beat Lewis, HBO would give him a six-fight deal with purses escalating from $5.5 million to $7 million per fight. If he lost to Lewis, he would still be guaranteed $3 million for two more bouts on HBO.
*Maintaining he had a rematch clause with Rahman, Lewis filed a lawsuit to force an immediate rematch. U.S. District Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum ruled in favor of Lewis, stating that Rahman had to either fight Lewis or not fight at all for the next 18 months.
*For the rematch, Lewis made $11 million and Rahman got $10 million.
*Lewis was a 5-2 favorite.
*Lewis knocked out Rahman in the fourth round with a monstrous right hand.
*Lewis landed 72 of 144 punches, while Rahman connected on 48 of 105.
*Paid attendance at the [[Mandalay Bay]] Events Center was $9,830, and the gross gate was $7,537,400.
*The fight generated 460,000 pay-per-view buys and $23 million in revenue.
*"Has-Been Rahman, that's my new name for him now. The [[James (Buster) Douglas|Buster Douglas]] of the 21st century," Lewis said after the fight. "I told you that punch was a lucky punch in South Africa. I had too many attributes for him."

==Articles==
*[http://onlineathens.com/stories/051001/spo_0510010092.shtml "Negotiations for Lewis or Tyson vs. Rahman continue" By Ed Schuyler Jr., Associated Press, May 10, 2001]
*[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2001-05-11-rahman.htm "Don King signs Hasim Rahman" By Dan Rafael, ''USA Today'', May 11, 2001]
*[http://articles.latimes.com/2001/jun/22/sports/sp-13374 "Rahman Decision Packs a Big Punch" By Steve Springer, ''Los Angeles Times'', June 22, 2001]
*[http://www.si.com/vault/2001/11/26/314451/payback-ending-hasim-rahmans-seven-month-joyride-as-the-heavyweight-champion-lennox-lewis-regained-the-title-and-a-measure-of-respect-for-his-career "Payback" By Richard Hoffer, ''Sports Illustrated'', November 26, 2001]

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)|Lewis vs. Rahman I]]|
title=[[WBC Heavyweight Title Fights|WBC Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 86|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson|Lewis vs. Tyson]]|
}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)|Lewis vs. Rahman I]]|
title=[[IBF Heavyweight Title Fights|IBF Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 38|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson|Lewis vs. Tyson]]|
}}
{{end box}}

File:Lewis-Rahman II 57227154.jpg

2016-05-02T00:31:01Z

Boxsoup: Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis (2nd meeting) Category: Hasim Rahman Gallery Category:Lennox Lewis Gallery Category:Joe Cortez Gallery

[[Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis (2nd meeting)]]
[[Category: Hasim Rahman Gallery]]
[[Category:Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category:Joe Cortez Gallery]]

Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)

2016-05-01T23:15:57Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Lewis Rahman UT0074331.jpg|400px|right]]
<fight>90089</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Cedric Kushner]]
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (10th defense by Lewis)
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (4th defense by Lewis)
*[[:File:Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (poster).jpg|Poster]]
*[[:File:Thunder-in-Africa.jpg|Program Cover]]
*[[:File:Lewis-Rahman I 1108881.jpg|Photo 1]], [[:File:Lewis-Rahman I 57227144.jpg|Photo 2]], [[:File:Lewis-Rahman I 1108561.jpg|Photo 3]]
*'''See also:''' [[Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis (2nd meeting)|Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (2nd meeting)]]
 
== Notes ==
*The fight was billed as "Thunder in Africa."
*Brakpan, Gauteng, South Africa, is 5,200 feet above sea level. Rahman arrived on March 27 so he would have time to adjust to the high altitude, but Lewis didn't arrive until April 10. Lewis trained in Las Vegas, Nevada, which is 2,000 feet above sea level. He trained in Las Vegas so he could also film scenes for a cameo appearance in the movie ''Ocean's 11''. After Lewis was knocked out by Rahman, [[HBO]] commentator [[Larry Merchant]] said, "He just drowned in ''Ocean's 11''."
*Lewis was a 20-1 favorite.
*Lewis weighed 253½ pounds at the official weigh-in. At the time, it was the heaviest he had ever weighed for a fight.
*The fight was named [[Ring Magazine Upset of the Year|Upset of the Year]] and [[Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year|Knockout of the Year]] by [[The Ring Magazine|''The Ring'']].

'''Knocked Out by Rahman, Lewis Champ No Longer''' 
April 22, 2001 | From Associated Press

BRAKPAN, South Africa — Hasim Rahman flattened Lennox Lewis with a stunning right hand near the end of the fifth round to capture the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation heavyweight titles today in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

The 28-year-old fighter from Baltimore chased the champion across the ring and, with Lewis smiling at him, unleashed a right cross that caught Lewis flush on the jaw and sent him sprawling to the canvas.

Rahman was dancing around the ring before Belgian referee Daniel van der Wiele went halfway through the count.

Lewis was unable to get up and, at 2:32 of the fifth round, the world of boxing had a new, totally unexpected heavyweight champion.

The signs that an upset was in the cards came early, when Rahman (35-2) clipped Lewis on the chin in the second round.

Lewis seemed intent on ignoring his left jab, and instead concentrated on throwing big right hands.

In the third round, Lewis landed a left followed by a left-right combination, but Rahman responded with a big right hand of his own.

"I kept my prayers going and did all my training. And I came up with one punch. One punch," Rahman said. "I told you all I was confident. Not one time since the fight was made was I nervous. He came out and tried to dictate the pace but I wouldn't let him."

Lewis (38-2-1) had Rahman in trouble early in the fourth but was rocked by a left hook and hundreds among the 5,500 in the crowd at Carnival City Casino began chanting "Hasim! Hasim!"

Lewis' stamina was questioned because he arrived in Johannesburg only two weeks before the fight, with little time to get used to the 5,200-foot altitude. That showed in the fifth round as he clearly began breathing heavily and the end came quickly.

Rahman, throwing punches on the run, had Lewis backpedaling and, although the champion grinned defiantly, the challenger ended the fight with a spectacular knockout punch.

"I can't believe that, I just can't believe it," Lewis said. "I felt fine in there. I was going about my work nice and comfortably and there was no way Hasim Rahman could beat me.

"This is just what happens in heavyweight boxing. He hit me with a good shot. That's the situation when you get two big guys in there with right hands. He just threw a big right hand and caught me right on the chin."

The 35-year-old champion was taking part in his 15th world title fight and had been unbeaten for more than 6½ years since being knocked out in two rounds by [[Oliver McCall]] in London on Sept. 24, 1994, when a right hand also floored Lewis.

He fought Evander Holyfield twice, scoring a draw and a decision victory, and had been hoping for a $100-million showdown with [[Mike Tyson]].

That fight had been put on hold because of a clash of TV contracts—Lewis is with HBO, Tyson with [[Showtime]]—and now may never happen after Lewis' stunning upset loss.

"No Lewis-Tyson! No Lewis-Tyson!" Rahman yelled in the ring after the fight.

Not long after the fight started at about 5:30 a.m.—the predawn local time put the fight on U.S. TV Saturday night—there were signs that an upset was in the cards, with Rahman (35-2) clipping Lewis on the chin in the second round.

While Rahman had been in South Africa for about a month to prepare for his title shot, Lewis was there only half as long after taking time off to film the remake of "Ocean's Eleven" in Las Vegas with Julia Roberts, George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Lewis has a rematch clause in his contract.

"I definitely want the rematch," he said. "Hasim Rahman is the champ today. The second time around Hasim Rahman is going to go."

==Articles==
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/18/sports/boxing-rahman-is-hoping-to-block-lewis-s-path-to-tyson.html "Rahman Is Hoping to Block Lewis's Path to Tyson" By Henri Cauvin, ''New York Times'', April 18, 2001]
*[http://articles.latimes.com/2001/apr/22/sports/sp-54261 "Knocked Out by Rahman, Lewis Champ No Longer" Associated Press, April 22, 2001]

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua|Lewis vs. Tua]]|
title=[[WBC Heavyweight Title Fights|WBC Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 85|
after=[[Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis (2nd meeting)|Rahman vs. Lewis II]]|
}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua|Lewis vs. Tua]]|
title=[[IBF Heavyweight Title Fights|IBF Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 37|
after=[[Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis (2nd meeting)|Rahman vs. Lewis II]]|
}}
{{end box}}

File:Lewis-Rahman I 1108561.jpg

2016-05-01T22:20:41Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting) Category:Hasim Rahman Gallery Category:Lennox Lewis Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)]]
[[Category:Hasim Rahman Gallery]]
[[Category:Lennox Lewis Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Rahman I 57227144.jpg

2016-05-01T22:20:19Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting) Category:Lennox Lewis Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)]]
[[Category:Lennox Lewis Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Rahman I 1108881.jpg

2016-05-01T22:19:54Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting) Category:Hasim Rahman Gallery Category:Lennox Lewis Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)]]
[[Category:Hasim Rahman Gallery]]
[[Category:Lennox Lewis Gallery]]

Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua

2016-04-30T22:40:54Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Tualewis.jpg|right|400px]]
<fight>38217</fight>
*'''Unofficial AP scorecard:''' 119-109 Lewis
*'''Promoters:''' [[Main Events]], [[America Presents Boxing|America Presents]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Michael Buffer]]
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (9th defense by Lewis)
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (3rd defense by Lewis)
*[[:File:Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua (poster).jpg|Fight Poster]]
*[[:File:Lewis-Tua 51569195.jpg|Photo 1]], [[:File:Lewis-Tua 55789163.jpg|Photo 2]], [[:File:Lewis sidesteps Tua 51971984.jpg|Photo 3]]
 
== Notes ==
*Lewis was a 3-1 favorite.
*Tua was ranked No. 1 by the [[WBC]] and [[IBF]].
*Lewis' purse was $8.5 million, and Tua's was $3.5 million.
*Paid attendance was 10,809, and total attendance was 12,085.
*The gross gate was $6,508,500.
*The fight generated 420,000 pay-per-view buys.
*Lewis landed 300 of 674 punches, while Tua connected on 110 of 413.
*[[Dave Anderson]] of the ''New York Times'' reported:
:In the opening round, Lewis's long jab kept Tua at bay, so much so that Tua hardly landed a punch. Lewis, ever cautious, resumed his jab-jab attack in the second but landed a low left hook that prompted the referee, Joe Cortez, to warn him to keep his punches up. Tua pounded Lewis with a left-right just before the bell.

:In the third, Tua stalked Lewis, landing an occasional left hook as Lewis remained cautious, obviously wary of Tua's punching power. As the fourth began, Tua threw a lunging left but Lewis escaped and kept pawing with his jab.

:Lewis opened up in the fifth, connecting with a hard right hand and later with a left jab-right hand combination. The sixth was delayed for maybe 30 seconds as the ring turnbuckle in Tua's corner had to be repaired, then Tua landed two big left hooks that Lewis appeared to shake off.

:In the seventh, Lewis kept jabbing, jabbing, jabbing and piling up points as Tua seemed to be squinting through puffed cheekbones. In the eighth, Tua kept coming forward but seldom hit the elusive Lewis, who threw quick combinations and danced away.

:Boos briefly serenaded the fighters in the ninth as Tua was unable to get under Lewis's jab, then Lewis exploded a hard left that spun the perspiration off the Samoan's face. As the 10th began, Tua appeared desperate, knowing he would need a knockout to win, but Lewis jolted him with two big right hands.

:In the 11th, Lewis, his right glove cocked, appeared to be looking to land a knockout punch as he danced away from Tua, who was frustrated at not being able to get under the champion's jab. As the final round began, Tua, who had never been cut, had a bloodied left cheek as Lewis, still dancing and jabbing, completed his dominance.

==Articles==
*[http://a.espncdn.com/boxing/news/2000/1111/873090.html "Lewis outboxes, outclasses Tua" Associated Press, November 11, 2000]
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/12/sports/boxing-lewis-toys-with-tua-and-wins-in-decision.html "Lewis Toys With Tua And Wins In Decision" By Dave Anderson, ''New York Times'', November 12, 2000]

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha|Lewis vs. Botha]]|
title=[[WBC Heavyweight Title Fights|WBC Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 84|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)|Rahman vs. Lewis I]]|
}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha|Lewis vs. Botha]]|
title=[[IBF Heavyweight Title Fights|IBF Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 36|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Hasim Rahman (1st meeting)|Rahman vs. Lewis I]]|
}}
{{end box}}

File:Lewis sidesteps Tua 51971984.jpg

2016-04-30T22:38:19Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category:David Tua Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category:David Tua Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tua 55789163.jpg

2016-04-30T22:38:01Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category:David Tua Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category:David Tua Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Tua 51569195.jpg

2016-04-30T22:37:41Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category:David Tua Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category:David Tua Gallery]]

Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha

2016-04-30T21:51:01Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Lewis-Botha 1048739.jpg|right|335px]]
[[File:Lewis-Botha 51954310.jpg|right|335px]]
[[File:Lewis Botha UT0035738.jpg|right|335px]]
<fight>24642</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (8th defense by Lewis)
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (2nd defense by Lewis)
*[[:File:Lewis-Botha 1048746.jpg|Fight Photo]]

==Notes==
*Lewis was a 15-1 favorite.
*Botha was ranked ninth by the [[WBC]], but he was unranked by the [[IBF]].
*This was Lewis' first fight in Great Britain since September 24, 1994, when he lost to [[Oliver McCall]] by a [[Lennox Lewis vs. Oliver McCall (1st meeting)|second-round TKO]].
*[[Dave Anderson]] of the ''New York Times'' reported:
:Francois Botha, who calls himself the White Buffalo, wore what appeared to be a white buffalo skin into the ring tonight. He should have been carried out on it.

:With a brutal left jab-right hand-left uppercut-right hand combination, Lennox Lewis retained his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation heavyweight titles tonight with a second-round knockout after Botha hardly threw a punch.

:"He caught me with a very good shot," Botha said. "He's a very worthy champion."

:According to the [[Compubox]] statistics, Botha connected with only 9 of his 37 punches, but none of those nine landed solidly. Lewis, in contrast, connected with 24 of his 47 punches, including an overhand right that staggered the South African near the end of the first round.

:"Lennox kept Botha in a zone where Botha couldn't fight and Lennox could fight," said [[Emanuel Steward]], the champion's trainer. "I was impressed with the way Lennox controlled the fight with his left jab."

:Lewis, who was cheered by the 10,000 spectators at London Arena for his "homecoming" in the United Kingdom as champion, is 37-1-1 with 29 knockouts. Botha is 40-3-1 with 24 knockouts but has been stopped three times -- by [[Michael Moorer]], [[Mike Tyson]] and now Lewis.

:Near the end of the cautious first round, Lewis staggered Botha with an overhand right to his blond goatee and mustache. Botha, who lives in Newport Beach, Calif., quickly regained his footing but was more intent on defense than on throwing any serious punches.

:Near the end of the second round, that left-right-left-right combination by Lewis put Botha through the ropes in Lewis's corner. Botha crawled back into the ring but the referee, [[Larry O'Connell]], waved his arms after 2 minutes 39 seconds of the round. Botha did not protest.

:O'Connell, incidentally, was the judge who scored the debatable [[Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield (1st meeting)|draw]] between Lewis and [[Evander Holyfield]] early last year at [[Madison Square Garden]] as just that -- a 12-round draw. When he was announced as the referee tonight, he was booed.

==Article==
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/16/sports/boxing-lewis-keeps-title-while-tyson-waits.html "Lewis Keeps Title While Tyson Waits" By Dave Anderson, ''New York Times'', July 16, 2000]

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Michael Grant|Lewis vs. Grant]]|
title=[[WBC Heavyweight Title Fights|WBC Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 83|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua|Lewis vs. Tua]]|
}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Michael Grant|Lewis vs. Grant]]|
title=[[IBF Heavyweight Title Fights|IBF Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 35|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. David Tua|Lewis vs. Tua]]|
}}
{{end box}}

File:Lewis-Botha 51954310.jpg

2016-04-30T21:44:13Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Francois Botha Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Francois Botha Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Botha 1048739.jpg

2016-04-30T21:43:34Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Francois Botha Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Francois Botha Gallery]]

File:Lewis-Botha 1048746.jpg

2016-04-30T21:43:14Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery Category: Francois Botha Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]
[[Category: Francois Botha Gallery]]

Lennox Lewis vs. Michael Grant

2016-04-29T22:08:48Z

Boxsoup:

[[File:Lewis-Grant 72561214.jpg|right|450px]]
<fight>15516</fight>
*'''Promoter:''' [[Main Events]]
*'''Ring Announcer:''' [[Michael Buffer]]
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Heavyweight Title''' (7th defense by Lewis)
*'''[[International Boxing Federation]] Heavyweight Title''' (1st defense by Lewis)
*[[:File:Lewis-Grant poster.jpg|On Site Poster]]
*[[:File:Leroy Neiman Lewis-Grant program.JPG|Program Cover]]
*[[:File:Lewis Grant BX004029.jpg|Fight Photo 2]]
 
== Notes ==
*On November 13, 1999, [[WBC]] heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis defeated [[WBA]]/[[IBF]] heavyweight champion [[Evander Holyfield]] by a [[Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield (2nd meeting)|12-round unanimous decision]] to become the first Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion since [[Riddick Bowe]] in 1992. When Lewis and Holyfield signed to fight, they agreed that the winner's next bout would be against the WBA's top contender. However, in February 2000, it was announced that Lewis would fight Michael Grant, the No. 5 contender, on April 29. The WBA agreed to sanction the fight on the condition that the winner agree to fight the top contender within 180 days. [[Don King]], the promoter of [[John Ruiz]], the No. 1 contender, filed suit to force the WBA to strip Lewis and allow Ruiz to face Holyfield, the No. 2 contender, for the vacant title. On April 12, 2000, a federal judge ruled that the WBA could not sanction the Lewis-Grant bout and that Lewis must surrender the WBA title if he fought Grant. Lewis went through with the fight against Grant and was stripped of the WBA title. "I don't care what they say," Lewis said. "I'm still undisputed."
*Lewis earned $7.5 million and Grant $2.5 million.
*There was a crowd of 17,324.
*The fight generated 350,000 pay-per-view buys.
*Lewis landed 47 of 80 punches, while Grant connected on 22 of 47.
*Grant was knocked down three times in the first round and once in the second round.

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield (2nd meeting)|Lewis vs. Holyfield II]]|
title=[[WBC Heavyweight Title Fights|WBC Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 82|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha|Lewis vs. Botha]]|
}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield (2nd meeting)|Lewis vs. Holyfield II]]|
title=[[IBF Heavyweight Title Fights|IBF Heavyweight Title Fight]] # 34|
after=[[Lennox Lewis vs. Francois Botha|Lewis vs. Botha]]
}}
{{end box}}

File:Lewis-Grant 72561214.jpg

2016-04-29T20:35:24Z

Boxsoup: Lennox Lewis vs. Michael Grant Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery

[[Lennox Lewis vs. Michael Grant]]
[[Category: Lennox Lewis Gallery]]