Crazy Thursday, Part 1: Power jabs and killer quips with Larry Holmes
Thursday was definitely among the craziest days I've had in a long while. But then, any day where you meet both a heavyweight champion boxer and a porn star, it's gotta be fun.
I spent lunch seeing Larry Holmes, who was speaking at work as the subject of “Muhammad and Larry,” a documentary for ESPN's “30 For 30” series. He spoke off the record, so I can't really write what he said, but from touring with Kool and The Gang to sparring with Muhammad Ali to why George Foreman is crazy to fighting great-white-hope Gerry Cooney, what a man.
How badass is Larry Holmes? Fought in 75 fights, won 69 of them, back when they fought 15-round fights. But he's often thought of as the most underrated heavyweight boxer ever because he followed Muhammad Ali's departure. It never pays to be The Guy Behind The Guy. Grew up in Easton, Pa., and never left it; owns a bunch of properties there and pretty much runs the town.
He never sat in his chair when he spoke, and when he got on a subject that really got him going, he'd walk around. He even unleashed his famous power jab - BAM! BAM! BAM! - that would've destroyed any of us in that room.
I then got to talk to him and get my photo. This is a rare thing at ESPN, since company policy forbids us from asking for photos/autographs when guest visit and do shows - gottta stay professional - but this wasn't him doing a show. As people pulled out their cameraphones, I whipped out the Leica and said, “If you're interested, I have a real camera!” and I took a bunch of people's photos. Just fucking awesome!
I never got to ask him if he knew Easton's other most famous person, porn girl (well, woman, since she's in her fab 40s) Lisa Ann. Maybe next time.