1.
I never tried to be a mercenary or a killer but a hard working fighter.
Larry Holmes
2.
I came from a dirt farm, now I'm filthy rich.
Larry Holmes
3.
All fighters are prostitutes and all promoters are pimps
Larry Holmes
4.
Set a goal and make a commitment to meet that goal. Do the best you can, but never forget your roots, never forget where you came from. After you have succeeded, look back and see if there are others that you might help to achieve what you have accomplished.
Larry Holmes
5.
Mike Tyson would have been a good sparring partner for me and Muhammad Ali because Tyson was a fast fighter and he could punch and throw good combinations.
Larry Holmes
6.
This is the lying thieving mother who cut me $500,000.
Larry Holmes
7.
There is no quit in me.
Larry Holmes
8.
My dad used to tell me, 'Check the price, son.' Check the price, kids, check the price because there is a price to be paid for whatever you do in life, whether it is good or it is bad. Before you do something, ask yourself is it worth the price you have to pay?
Larry Holmes
9.
Mike Tyson always had a big heart, but one of his problems is that he's short. And he's got kind of a personal attitude. But that don't make him a great fighter.
Larry Holmes
10.
I achieved something once again, I think we all want to put a mark on life. I dream, and my dreams always come true. I dreamed I was the heavyweight champion of the world. I am the heavyweight champion of the world.
Larry Holmes
11.
Now I'm free of him and I'm light as a feather. There's no weight holding me down; I'm ready to spread my wings and fly.
Larry Holmes
12.
[My] worst habit: Drinking too much Budweiser when I get angry.
Larry Holmes
13.
George Foreman is easier and has the bigger name and have you noticed that Foreman never calls me out or ever mentions my name? He is afraid of me like most fighters are and most people want to forget about Larry Holmes, like he never ever existed.
Larry Holmes
14.
If you don't follow Don King, you get stepped on.
Larry Holmes
15.
It's hard being black. You ever been black? I was black once - when I was poor.
Larry Holmes
16.
People think that I reached the top overnight; well, it took me fourteen years. I was twenty-nine before I really made it. I've had my jaws and hands broken. One arm is out of place. I've paid my dues in this business.
Larry Holmes
17.
It wasn't about Larry Holmes, if I would have fought a brother I wouldn't have gotten the money I got. Give me 10 black guys and I make eight dollars. Give me Gerry Cooney and I make $10 million.
Larry Holmes
18.
I didn't fight this fight for the blacks, the whites or the Spanish, I fought th fight for the people. We're all God's children. I don't see color. I'm not a racist When I look at Gerry Cooney, I just see a man trying to take my head off.
Larry Holmes
19.
I won't say I won't fight again but I don't think anyone wants to fight me so I am finished and I will just continue with boxing exhibitions.
Larry Holmes
20.
I have a lot of friends and fans in Canada and as a matter of fact I met a fan from there that came down to my office. It was nice and we took pictures and had a nice talk.
Larry Holmes
21.
Kenny Norton hit me so hard that it still hurts. Now there was a case of two fighters who did not like each other.
Larry Holmes
22.
Everyone still wants to see [Floyd] Mayweather and [Manny] Pacquaio fight. When the talks start though, it always seem like it is all about Mayweather, and I think the people hate that.
Larry Holmes
23.
I don't owe Don King anything. I got things with my own sweat and blood. I don't know if I'll be associated with Don but I won't be a slave or puppet for him.
Larry Holmes
24.
Muhammad Ali could take a very good punch. He was slick, he could move, he could hit, make you miss, good hand speed and combinations and one of the greatest fighters of all time in my opinion.
Larry Holmes
25.
My fans know the name Larry Holmes and that he always gave it his all.
Larry Holmes
26.
Fighters today are much bigger, stronger and quicker and not only that but referees, judges and doctors back then were very strict and if your head got busted up the fight would be stopped.
Larry Holmes
27.
Everybody knows that I am one of the greatest fighters of all time and I would beat all those guys.
Larry Holmes
28.
Tyson is a lot better than I thought, a lot better. People can talk about Spinks all they want... Tyson is the true champion.
Larry Holmes
29.
Ali was a guy that had a lot of discipline. If you hung around him, you'd be able to get some of that discipline that he had. And I learned from that. He was a sweet man.
Larry Holmes
30.
With a record of 75 fights and 6 losses, some of the losses were very questionable including Brian Nielsen when we fought in Denmark. I knew I won but they didn't give me that fight.
Larry Holmes
31.
Don King doesn't care about black or white. He just cares about green.
Larry Holmes
32.
When Don King's fighters lose their titles they come back fighting on the undercard for peanuts. King owns all the top heavyweights and we spar against each other but we get charged for it and that comes out of our purses.
Larry Holmes
33.
My actions speak louder than my words.
Larry Holmes
34.
I'm happy with my career but I could have been happier if I could have been treated like a champion should have been treated because management and fighters take advantage of fighters.
Larry Holmes
35.
You can't put those guys like Marciano or anyone else in with today's class of fighters.
Larry Holmes
36.
When you constantly hear people talking about going the distance, going the distance, you can't help but wonder about it. I learned a lesson: next time I will fight my fight without that doubt.
Larry Holmes
37.
I don't see anything happening [in heavyweight division] when I watch these fights, they are very boring. Not only that, but you never heard of any of the fighters.
Larry Holmes
38.
Tex Cobb would call me every day after we fought, I got sick of talking to him. I liked him a lot as a fighter, and as a person, and feel that sometimes he was misunderstood.
Larry Holmes
39.
Oliver McCall was someone who I never really got to know too well, and he had some well-publicized problems.
Larry Holmes
40.
I'm tired. I am old and I have never quit pursuing my goals. I am heavily involved in real estate right now, but I am trying to get out of it altogether, I am just tired.
Larry Holmes
41.
I did a job, [Don King] took money, probably more than he should have. If I was supposed to get $10 million, I was lucky to get $6.5 million. It happens and you can't do much, you decide whether to take it or leave it. King was a promoter, and he was good at it.
Larry Holmes
42.
Don King ain't a bad guy. He cut my earnings, but I don't hold any hard feelings toward him.
Larry Holmes
43.
Mike Tyson does a lot of things that shows he wants to win. He might hit you after the bell, he might hit you a little low, but he wants to win the fight. I think if he controls himself, he's okay.
Larry Holmes
44.
I cursed [Larry Merchant] out once, and I told him that he was a phony.
Larry Holmes
45.
I don't like Larry Merchant. He thinks he knows everything about a sport that he was never in. He walks around with papers and studies what he writes, he just pisses you off.
Larry Holmes
46.
I think gambling can be a good thing if you don't take it too seriously. Take it and have fun with it, and don't lose what you can't afford to lose.
Larry Holmes
47.
That guy [Floyd Mayweather] is throwing his money around like there is no tomorrow.
Larry Holmes
48.
Don King is a hip exploiter, an intelligent flesh peddler
Larry Holmes
49.
Earnie hit me harder than any other fighter, including Mike Tyson. He hit me and I was face down on the canvas hearing saxophonist Jimmy Tillis.
Larry Holmes
50.
Yeah, I thought I could be heavyweight champion of the world when I was working with Ali and Joe Frazier and Earnie Shavers and all those guys. Because they were older than me and I was doing my thing.
Larry Holmes
