Oliver McCall vs. Larry Holmes
Date | April 8, 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Venue | Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada | ||||||||||||||||||||
Title(s) on the line | WBC Heavyweight Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tale of the tape | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Oliver McCall vs. Larry Holmes, billed as "The Burden of Proof", was a professional boxing match contested on April 8, 1995 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.[1]
Background
After Oliver McCall stuned Lennox Lewis in the second round to become WBC Heavyweight Champion, he turned down a $10 million offer from Lewis for an immediate rematch. Instead he agreed to fight 46 year old former WBC, IBF and lineal heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, who was making his fourth attempt at regaining a heavyweight title after losing to Michael Spinks in 1985.[2]
On the undercard WBA No. 2 Ranked Heavyweight Bruce Seldon, who had his fighting heart and work ethic questioned, upset former champion and top ranked Tony Tucker to claim the vacant World Boxing Association title in the eighth round after the ringside doctor ordered the fight stopped because possible fracture of the eye socket of Tucker.
The fight
For most of the 12 rounds Holmes was often hanging on the ropes, allowing McCall to open a flurry, before countering with quick rights. McCall tried to jab with Holmes throwing right leads and connect with McCall's chin.
In the ninth round a McCall left barreled Holmes backward into the ropes, which were the only thing that kept him from falling. From then on, McCall's dominated the fight. There were no knockdowns, but McCall gave Holmes a severe gash on his left cheekbone.
Judges Barbara Perez and Tomi Tomihari gave the fight to McCall 115-114 and Chuck Giampa called it 115-112.[3]
Aftermath
McCall made his next defence against British veteran Frank Bruno, losing in a unanimous decision.
Undercard
Confirmed bouts:[4]
Winner | Loser | Weight division/title belt(s) disputed | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Luis Santana | Terry Norris | WBC World super welterweight title | 3rd round DQ. |
Julio Cesar Chavez | Giovanni Parisi | WBC World super lightweight title | Unanimous Decision. |
Felix Trinidad | Roger Turner | IBF World welterweight title | 2nd-round TKO |
Bruce Seldon | Tony Tucker | vacant WBA World heavyweight title | Unanimous Decision. |
Non-TV bouts | |||
Carl Daniels | James Mason | Middleweight (10 rounds) | 7th round RTD. |
Frans Botha | Willie Jake | Heavyweight (8 rounds) | Unanimous Decision. |
Henry Akinwande | Calvin Jones | Heavyweight (8 rounds) | 2nd-round KO. |
Tim Austin | Javier Diaz | Bantamweight (8 rounds) | 1st round Technical Draw. |
Nana Konadu | Robert Parra | Super Bantamweight (8 rounds) | 1st-round KO. |
James Stanton | Javier Diaz | Heavyweight (6 rounds) | 6th round PTS. |
References
- ↑ "Oliver McCall vs. Larry Holmes". BoxRec.
- ↑ Dufresne, Chris (8 April 1995). "McCall Versus Holmes (Yes, That Holmes) Heads Five-Fight Card" – via LA Times.
- ↑ "McCall wears down Holmes, wins decision". Baltimore Sun.
- ↑ "Event". BoxRec.