Boxingtalk.com recently caught up with former Heavyweight Champion, Larry Holmes. Larry may be retired from boxing, but he sure hasn't slowed down outside of the ring. Holmes has been involved with a new television show called "What the Heck was he Thinking", and also has a new line of slot machines located in the casinos on most indian reservations. Larry also gives us his thoughts on all 4 Heavyweight Champions, and gives us his thoughts on all of their upcoming fights.

 

BT - What's up Champ, what's good ?

LH - What's up buddy, man I'm still just trying to pay the rent, how about you ?

BT - I'm great Larry. Larry what's this television show you are involved with, what is it about?

LH - It's about crazy ass people out there doing the wrong thing, and it's about basketball players doing the right thing. It's about everybody in the community thinking that they are better than other people. The show covers a lot of topics, and I am the type of guy that gets on everybody if they do wrong. If they do right, we give them a performance award each week. The show is called "What the heck was he thinking". The show is getting out there on a local level right now,people are starting to watch it. One day we hope to syndicate the show.

BT - Is there an ongoing effort to get this show syndicated ?

LH - We have been on the air for only 8 weeks, so it's an ongoing effort. You know how it is, it's kind of hard to get it syndicated, but it's doing real well around here.

BT - But can They Sing Larry ? (laughs). Larry did you enjoy doing that show on VH1 ?

LH - I had a great time doing that, but I'm not a singer, I am a fighter all of my life, my voice went to hell. You know what man? everybody should enjoy themselves and have fun, life is short today. I didn't go out there to win no prize, if I did then so be it. One thing, they can't tell me that I wasn't better than Gatti Jr (laughs).

BT - Larry you also have a new line of slot machines showing up at the casinos, talk about that.

LH - Well you know what? I am still living, It's not time for me to roll over yet, so Jay and I are trying to put my slot machines in different casinos. It's a process though, you have to be licensed, there is a lot to it. We hope we can get them into all of the casinos soon. Right now we have them in the casinos on the Indian Reservations.

BT - Larry let's talk about todays Heavyweights. Did you in your lifetime ever think that there would be 4 Eastern European Heavyweight Champions?

LH - First of all, I never thought there would ever be 4 Heavyweight Champions, Period. With all of these organizations popping up saying that 'I got a champion, I got a champion'. They don't got a champion, there is only one champion out there, the rest are just alphabets, they don't mean nothing. If you ask anyone who the Heavyweight Champion is, they couldn't tell you, so I don't really recognize them. None of them can fight on any given day, they all get lucky.

BT - Larry do you think any of the current Heavyweight Champions would be champions back in your day ?

LH - They all would be just sparring partners.

BT - Talk about the big fight coming up with Current WBO Heavyweight Champion Serguei Lyakhovich vs Shannon Briggs.

LH - I like Shannon Briggs, he's a good guy, he's personable. Shannon needs to keep his hands up and he just can't take no punches, and do what he has to do. These guys are going to try to take his head off, they aren't playing. They don't want Shannon Briggs anyway, Briggs is going to do what he wants to do. Shannon needs to fight every round like he wants it.

BT - Manny Steward told me that Shannon Briggs is the most dangerous Heavyweight out there within the first 4 rounds.

LH - He's a good puncher, a hard puncher. I kind of agree with that, but I give Shannon more like 6 rounds, and he may run out of gas a little. I told Shannon that he needs to go out there and fight, hit the body, and throw upper-cuts.

BT - What are your thoughts on Calvin Brock ? Calvin fights Klitschko IN November, do you feel Brock can win this fight ?

LH - Well yes, Calvin has a chance to win this fight, but these guys over there are big, and they are disciplined. It don't seem like we can adapt to their style, they can't fight, they are just strong.

BT - Monty Barrett has to go up against the 7ft Valuev, your thoughts on that fight ?

LH - Well the big 7ft guy can't fight. I don't care what Don King says, he can't fight. I don't think he can take a good punch either. I am going with Monty Barrett on that fight.

BT - What would do you think your jab would have done to these big Russian guys back in your day?

LH - Well they would have looked like a meat factory, I would have cut them up.

BT - Butterbean said he would love to fight you, what are your thoughts on that ?

LH - I don't blame him, Butterbean is about making money, and he should be, that's why fighters fight. I am too old to go back into the ring now though, I'm in my older age stage. I am not interested in getting back in there.

BT - What about George Foreman, if there is anyone that could get you back in the ring, would it be Big George ?

LH - Yes, he's the only one. George is a hypocrite, and a lot of people don't know how he really is. George is the kind of guy that will throw a rock, and then hide his hand. George isn't all what he makes himself out to be. George isn't that nice guy that people think he is. Yes, I would like to fight George just to beat him up so he can stop putting on that phony ass show that puts out there sometimes.

BT - I am guessing that you don't have any George Foreman grills in your household (laughs).

LH - They don't work! I want my steak juicy, and my burger juicy. I don't want my burger like he is going to give it to me.

BT - Larry if you could go back in time and fight one guy all over again, who would it be and why?

LH - I would like to fight Michael Spinks again because I think I could have knocked him out. I let it go, and accepted it the way it went down. I would like to get him in the ring again, so I could kick his ass properly.

BT - Is there anything that you would have done differently in your career if you could ?

LH - Well I would have kept my mouth shut more. I wouldn't have opened up my mouth as much as I did. People get tired of all of that, all that bragging.

BT - Other than your title, what are you most proud of when you look back at your career ?

LH - Well it would have to be winning the title, that was it. So many said that I couldn't do it, and I proved that I could. Not many gave me a chance to win the world title, and I proved them all wrong.

BT - Not to mention the amount of times that you defended your title. You don't hear of that these days that's for sure.

LH - It's mind boggling, but I had to do it that way to make money because they didn't pay us like they pay them now.

BT - How would you like to be remembered by your fans the most Larry ?

LH - Just as a great guy, and a guy that was mis-understood, a guy that fought anybody that there was to fight.

BT - What do you think the Heavyweight division needs to do to get back to where it used to be Larry ?

LH - I think it will change. I think if Bob Arum, and Don King get together and talk while they are still here, it can change.

BT - Is there anything that you would like to say to the fans in closing ?

LH - Yes, I want to say that I was the Heavyweight Champion of The World for 7 1/2 years, and I didn't duck anybody. I am consider one of the great fighters, and I have not forgotten where I came from, like some do. I want to say that I appreciate all of my fans, I appreciate them.

M

Send questions and comments to: bradcooney1@bellsouth.net