This 1985 IBF World Heavyweight Title Fight between Lighheavyweit Cham Michael Spinks verses Heavyweight Champ Larry Holmes starts off with HBO’s Barry Tompkins narrating the history in boxing of heavyweight title fights between the heavyweight champ and the light heavyweight champ….which is absolutely awesome footage of great fights of this genre throughout history.
We said this before and we say it again….HBO Boxing telecasts during the Golden Age of Boxing (1964 – 1999)….were the gold standard for live boxing in prime time….as their who program was just pinpoint professionalism….with their legendary crew of Barry Tompkins, Sugar Ray Leonard and Larry Merchant….who in our opinion at ImaSportsphile…..never covered a fight that wasn’t interesting and informative….but also educated the fan about the beautiful science of boxing.
As the boxing world goes into this historic night where Larry Holmes could tie Rocky Marciano for most consecutive heavyweight victories of 49 and 0 losses….Spinks is realistic in his interviews…..and Holmes was emphatic that he didn’t want to be the 1st heavyweight to lose to the light heavyweight champion….and no one does a night of history better than how HBO did on this and every other HBO Boxing event in our library….which are many.
We have said this before….and we still stick by it today….we believe that in a title fight….the challenger must decisively take the title from the champ….by KO or TKO….and virtually never by decision….and Michael Spinks might have looked better in the fight….but he NEVER had Holmes in trouble….for the simple truth is that Larry Holmes got robbed that night. In the way we believe a challenger can only win by decisively defeating the champ….and I don’t care how many times you watch this fight….no, no, no, no, no….way. Larry should have won.
Anyway, this video like all HBO Boxing telecasts from the Golden Age of Boxing….is nothing but HISTORY….and a wonderful perspective of a historic night and outcome to follow.
