Challenger held at bay

Press, 18 March 1985, Page 40

Challenger held at bay

NZPA-AP Las Vegas Larry Holmes knocked down David Bey twice in the eighth round and then stopped him at 2min 58s of the tenth round to retain the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title in what may have been Holmes’ last fight. Holmes had Bey reeling from a series of head shots when the referee, Carlos Padilla stopped the bout. The win was Holmes’ fortyseventh. He has had no defeats. He could join Rocky Marciano as the only heavyweight champions to retire without having lost a fight. Holmes has said he probably will announce his retirement on June 9 but has held open the possibility of another fight June 9 would be the seventh anniversary of his winning the World Boxing Council title he relinquished in December, 1983. “ ‘This is it’ means I’ll retire if I don’t get an offer from Michael Spinks by the end of April,” Holmes said. “A reasonable amount — $4 million from Michael Spinks or $25 million from Gerry Cooney.” Asked if he was pricing himself into retirement, Holmes said: “Yeah, I am. I’m looking forward to my retirement on June 9, but if someone comes up with $3 million or $4 million dollars ...” Holmes, who had looked unimpressive in stopping James Smith in the twelfth round in Las Vegas on November 9, was controlling the fight at the Riviera with his left jab when suddenly in the eighth round he took complete control.

Holmes was in the middle of the ring when he unleashed a right and left hook to the head that dropped Bey. The 105.8 kg challenger got up immediately and wobbled about the ring as Padilla gave him the mandatory eight count. Holmes jumped to the attack and forced Bey to a neutral corner, where he landed two crashing rights to the head. Bey escaped to another neutral corner with Holmes in pursuit. Again Holmes pum-

melled the challenger. Bey escaped to the corner but went down from several punches as he was headed to his own corner. Again he got up immediately, but again he was obviously hurt But the bell saved him. Holmes controlled the ninth round with several snapping, jarring jabs and right hands to the head. Late in the tenth, he unleashed a dynamite barrage of punches that left Bey helpless and caused Padilla to halt the fight