To this day, when it comes to total, awesome, leave-your-defense-at-home heavyweight slugfests, the 1976 epic between George Foreman and Ron Lyle still tops most X-rated fans’ list of best films. Four Knockdowns, Five rounds of back and forth still send shivers down your spine, even after repeated viewings.

But 25 years ago, there was a killer “I punch you, you punch me” heavyweight fight that almost rivaled the sheer fun of the Foreman-Lyle affair. On November 6, 1999, Derrick Jefferson met Maurice Harris in a fight at Atlantic City’s Convention Hall, televised on HBO – and what a thriller it truly was.

Jefferson, who was 31 at the time and had a record of 21-01, against 23-year-old Harris, who had a fraudulent record of 16-9-2. Together these two gave us something so special. Larry Merchant was emotional as he confessed his love to the winner of the fight!

They both hit the deck in an incredible second round, Harris twice, Jefferson once. The fight could easily have been over by now, which is why both men were so stunned. But the war continued and the momentum kept changing. Jefferson, a bigger guy at 246 pounds to Harris’ 211, had trouble with some of the cute moves Harris was using. Then, after someone witnessed the furious trading, “Freight Train” Jefferson attacked Harris again, in round six, with body shots doing the damage. Once again, Harris, known as “Mo Bettah,” stood up.

But then, in the same round, in highlight-reminiscent fashion, Jefferson pinned Harris to the mat with a powerful left hook to the head, which caused Harris’s head to spin and a bomb to send his mouthpiece into orbit, with Harris lying flat on his back. What an amazing fight it was and what a breathtaking KO Jefferson finished it off. Ring Magazine awarded the winner the 1999 KO of the Year award.

Years later, both fighters were kind enough to recall the ESB fight.

“He showed heart in that fight,” Jefferson said of Harris. “When he went down twice, I thought he would stay down. But this [Harris getting back up] shows what condition it was in. I watched the fight maybe two days later and I thought, “Wow! We really wanted it. That’s when you see it, the action, the audience reaction and how much they like it. That’s when you know……. I think the fans appreciate our courage, our desires and our heart.

Harris also gained respect from fans.

“It was a knock-down and drag-out fight,” Harris said of the shootout with Jefferson. “We are both putting our souls on the line. I’m very joyful that I came out of that fight alive because he could have killed me – I could have killed him.”

Amen.

We can never know for sure, and we may have no reason to even ask, but it’s entirely possible that if heavyweight legend George Foreman hadn’t done what he did on that day a full 30 years ago – and that would have ruined the odds and would have done the same Michael Moorer’s defending heavyweight champion “Large George” would never, ever find complete peace after what happened to him in Africa some 20 years earlier.

We all joyfully celebrate the 50th anniversary of the events of October 30 in Zaire, when the incomparable Muhammad Ali shocked the planet by beheading the 25-year-old Foreman to regain what was unjustly taken from him in 1967: namely the heavyweight world championship. Ali’s majesty still resonates, and rightly so.

But now it’s George’s turn.

Wearing the same swimming trunks that his much slimmer body wore in Africa, and, crazy enough, Ali’s former – and only – trainer, Angelo Dundee, this time working on his side, the 45-year-old Foreman challenged the undefeated two-division champion southpaw, Michael Moorer.

Moorer, who forged much of his talent in the hallowed halls of the Kronk gym, defeated Evander Holyfield to become heavyweight king. Foreman won our hearts (again) by pushing Holyfield to the end in his previous attempt to regain the title; a once grim ghetto bad guy losing a 12 round decision. Moorer went one better, picking up a close decision victory over Holyfield in 1994.

Now, in a fight dubbed “One for the Ages,” Foreman has taken us all back in time.

Heavily overmatched, overshot and faster than the 26-year-old Moorer (“George’s sweatshirts are older than Moorer,” joked HBO’s Larry Merchant), Foreman nonetheless groomed this first, and perhaps still, hotshot for the fall. Foreman was certainly being overtaken, but Moorer was made to work difficult. And the defending champion was gradually being attacked by Foreman and his still deadly hands.

Moorer spoke before the fight about his desire to become the first man to knock Foreman out – to knock out the beloved folk hero. Ali did the job largely through attrition tactics, but Moorer wanted to beat Foreman into true oblivion. And this desire costs him. That and Foreman’s clever, always astute tactics.

Teddy Atlas screamed at Moorer to stay away from Foreman’s right hand, but Moorer wasn’t listening. Or he was, but he had his own plan in mind (remember, the stubborn Moorer, in his up-and-down war with Bert Cooper, as he later said, you might say, boasted that the tactics that gave him victory after he was dressed was his own, not Emanuel Steward’s).

In any case, Moorer made a perilous mistake by straying a little too far into Foreman territory; into his striking range. Foreman landed a stiff right hand to the head and then another, a ’70s bomb that George was holding, that landed a little lower on Moorer’s head. On the chin. And just like that, Moorer was lying on the mat and seemed to be looking up, trying to figure out what the hell happened.

“It’s happened,” roared HBO’s Jim Lampley. Foreman knelt in the corner, thanking his Master.

Today, 30 years later, fight fans remain grateful and moved by what Foreman gave us in Las Vegas. Ali came full circle by beheading Foreman in 1974, and then, 20 years later, Foreman himself came full circle by beheading Moorer.

The best memories.

Former heavyweight king Larry Holmes celebrates his 75th birthday today, and that all-important number has added significance because it just so happens that the “Easton Killer” boxed exactly 75 times as a professional. Holmes, who boxed from 1973 to 2002 and who retired from the sport with a final record of 69-6(44), ruled the heavyweight world from June 1978 to September 1985.

Holmes is today considered one of the best, most talented, toughest and bravest massive men in the history of the division. Holmes is also unique for his incredible left jab, arguably the BEST ever, and for his sometimes almost supernatural regenerative powers.

Holmes’ stab was a thing of beauty, and the weapon stunned and even charmed his opponent. Holmes’ ability to recover after raw, chin-slapping bombs from Earnie Shavers and Renaldo Snipes crushed him remains the stuff of legend. But it’s all true, Holmes somehow not only survived after top-scoring Shavers and Snipes, but rose to win by stoppage.

Holmes also gave us what probably ranks as the greatest round in heavyweight history, an epic one, and it all came in the 15th round of his war with Ken Norton. Yes, Holmes was special. Holmes never shied away from anyone, reigning for over seven years, and the fighter from Easton, Pennsylvania, racked up an impressive 20 world titles.

Among the great fighters Holmes defeated during his long career:

Shavers
Norton
Mike Weaver
Snipes
Gerry Cooney
Randy “Tex” Cobb
Tim Witherspoon
James “Bonecrusher” Smith
Carl Williams.

And of course, when Holmes finally lost both his grip on the heavyweight crown and his undefeated record, it came after his most controversial decision, a 15-round loss to Michael Spinks. The rematch resulted in an even more controversial decision, with Spinks defeating Holmes again. Retreating with a bad taste in his mouth, Holmes returned, his attacks coming at the peak of Mike Tyson. We all felt that was the end. But surprisingly, Holmes, a natural fighter, was back again, with no fewer than 24 additional fights under his belt after the Tyson disaster. Holmes earned the title back twice, winning hard-fought decisions in honorable performances against Evander Holyfield and then Oliver McCall.

Holmes’ last massive win came in 1992 when he upset Ray Mercer. Holmes was 42 years ancient at the time. Stopping only once, when he entered the ring rusty before the Tyson fight, Holmes had one of the best chins in heavyweight history. And that jab… and that ability to come back when she gets hurt… and that title defense… and that pretty amazing list of defeated opponents.

Yes, Larry Holmes is a very special player.