This ABC Wide World of Sports Special was televised the following week after the June 11, 1982 heavyweight title fight between # 1 ranked Gentleman Gerry Cooney, the challenger verses The Easton Assassin Larry Holmes, the champ…..as ABC devotes their entire Wide World of Sports program to an indepth review of the fight…..which included highlights of the fight….round by round official scoring on the 3 fight judge’s cards….along with live interviews with two of the judges…..plus live in studio interviews with Holmes and Cooney.
This significant post fight attention was partially because of the controversies that surrounded the fight and it’s scoring….but along the fact that Gentleman Gerry was the most capable Great White Hope to come along since Rocky Marciano ruled the ring in the mid-1950’s…..so, what makes this video awesome is that legendary boxing broadcaster, the one and only, Howard Cosell hosted this program….while providing the excitement that his approach to calling a fight brought to the table….with highlights of the fight having lots of footage on the low blows that cost Gentleman Gerry points…..plus a look at the official score cards of the 3 judges round by round….while interviewing 2 of those judges…..then comes insightful analysis by Cosell before he interviews Holmes and Cooney.
We at ImaSportsphile consider this video to be a “nugget of gold” in our treasure chest of vintage memories….cuz this fight was from an excitement standpoint from the lead-up to the fight….all through the aftermath of the fight…..for there has never been a more anticipated heavyweight championship fight than this one…..and to have the incomparable Howard Cosell calling the shots throughout this program…. simply makes this MUST SEE TV for any and all boxing fans.
