On this day in 1982, one of the voices of boxing decided that he’d seen enough.
Larry Holmes was 48-0 before he suffered his first defeat, in September 1985. He also held the IBF and WBC heavyweight titles, as well as The Ring’s.
‘The Easton Assassin’ was still yet to face the likes of Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson during his reign as an undefeated champion.
Holmes, who was the only person to stop Muhammad Ali in his tracks, had already compiled an impressive résumé that puts him now into the GOAT discussion.
However, his title defense on November 26 of 1982 was far less glamorous than sharing the ring with ‘The Greatest’ two years prior.
Canelo Alvarez’s fate is similar to that of his in 2018, after he was found guilty of a prohibited substance.
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Howard Cosell said he’d never call another boxing match again during Larry Holmes vs Randall Cobb
Larry Holmes won the WBC and The Ring titles after beating Muhammad Ali.
On November 26 in 1982, Holmes’ next title challenger was Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb, a fellow American who had won three consecutive bouts to bounce back from consecutive defeats.
Cobb was outmatched by the champion when he shared the ring for 15 rounds.
His famously tough chin was the only thing that prevented the fight from ending sooner.
Photo by Heinz Kluetmeier/Disney General Entertainment via Getty Images
The one-sided beating took place only two weeks after Kim Duk-koo’s tragic death following his fight against Ray Mancini. That fight would have a massive impact on the sports.
Legendary commentator Howard Cosell was incredibly critical of Holmes vs Cobb and the referee’s decision to let it go the distance when calling the fight from the Astrodome in Houston, Texas.
Cosell was…
2025-11-27 01:00:00
