The Crown Affair: Larry Holmes vs. Tim Witherspoon

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Undefeated champion meets undefeated challenger when Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes defends his title against Tim Witherspoon. They fight a high-level chess match for the first half of the bout before Witherspoon drags Holmes into a brawl throughout the seventh round. Witherspoon resumes his assault in the ninth and has Holmes badly hurt in the early going before the champion battles back, and both men look ready to go at any minute, holding each other up. Holmes recovers and regains control of the bout in the tenth before they make one last push over the championship rounds. After twelve, Holmes wins a split decision, but the crowd disagrees with the verdict.