9. Larry Holmes Vs. Gerry Cooney: Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, June 11, 1982
Monumental in the fact that this fight had very strong racial undertones. A huge angle that you wouldn't see taking place today. Don King promoted the event as Holmes vs. Cooney 'The Great White Hope'. Read into that what you will. Yet again, both men were undefeated with Holmes holding the top belt for the previous five years. Much was made of the fact that there had been no white world champion for 22 years, which gave King the grounds to promote the bout as white vs. black. The world became engrossed in this fight. So much so that White Supremacist groups had threatened to shoot The Easton Assassin, which saw security for the event led to snipers patrolling the roof of the casino. Despite this, the champ prevailed, stopping his opponent in the 13th round, handing him his first defeat in what was his 27th fight.
