Larry Holmes was one of the most dominant Heavyweight champions of all time, straddling eras to take on some of the all-time greats.
His unstoppable left jab led him to 48 straight victories at the start of his career, leading Larry Holmes to become a world heavyweight champion from 1978 to 1985.
He fought numerous top contenders in his 20 title defenses, although the most impressive was against a Fighting Frenchman in the 1980s.
This fight came just months before one of his biggest, yet saddest wins inside a boxing ring, against the biggest icon the sport has ever seen.
Larry Holmes finished Scott LeDoux in 1980 to retain his World Heavyweight titles
In the summer of 1980, Holmes defended his WBC Heavyweight title for the seventh time, making him one of the most dominant champions of his era.
His opponent was a man known as “The Fighting Frenchman, American fighter Scott LeDoux. He was a tough, sturdy fighter who could take a hit and was used as a sparring partner by both Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis later in his career.
The fight went entirely in Holmes’ favor, as his quick left jab and superior movement kept him on top against the “Frenchman”. LeDoux was tough, but even he couldn’t handle the champion’s immense power.
LeDoux struggled to get any real hits on Holmes, who used his superior reach to keep him at arm’s length. He got some good hits on his opponent throughout the fight, with LeDoux struggling to get a foothold in the fight.
His eye was swollen shut, and blood trickled from LeDoux’s face before the referee made his call to end the fight. Holmes handed out what the commentators called a “hideous beating” that ended the fight in just seven fairly easy rounds.
Years after this loss in 1986, LeDoux swapped the boxing ring for the wrestling ring, as he competed in a series of matches with Larry Zbyszko for the AWA, the Minneapolis-based promotion.
However, Holmes couldn’t look that far ahead, for his next challenge jumped on the ring apron following the fight, as Muhammad Ali wagged his finger and challenged the champion to a fight he would later regret.
Three months later, Larry Holmes beat Muhammad Ali in a heartbreaking finish
In October of that same year, Ali came out of retirement to challenge Holmes for his world title.
The living legend was aiming to become a record-breaking four-time Heavyweight champion, although Holmes had no intention of rolling over for the People’s Champion.
The fight was a total domination from the start, as Ali was clearly past his prime as a contender. He was knocked around the ring for ten rounds, unable to do anything to hurt Holmes, who later admitted to feeling bad about his role in the fight.
Holmes was younger, faster, and stronger, while Ali was only a few years away from being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, which consumed the rest of his life.
The bout was thankfully stopped in the tenth round, as a dejected Holmes picked up the win at the expense of one of his boxing heroes.