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Holmes win Legends' crown

Former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes stopped James 'Bonecrusher' Smith in the eighth round last night as part of the inaugural card of the Legends of Boxing series.

Holmes, 49, used powerful jabs to drive the 46-year-old Smith into his corner early in the decisive round. Smith escaped but Holmes trapped him again against the ropes in a neutral corner before Smith motioned to his trainer to stop the fight.

The fighters, faces swollen, embraced after the fight was stopped.

Holmes, a 49-year-old grandfather, stepped into the ring for the first time since 1997.

Smith, 46, hadn't fought since last November, when he knocked out David Slaughter in Australia. In July 1997, Smith dislocated a shoulder in a fight with Joe Bugner.

The 12-round bout was a rematch of their heavyweight championship fight on November 9, 1984, when Holmes stopped Smith in the 12th round to successfully defend his IBF title. Smith won the WBA title in 1986 by stopping Tim Witherspoon, then lost it to Mike Tyson the following year.

The 41-year-old Witherspoon, a two-time champion, lost to former heavyweight champion Greg Page, 40, last night's undercard in the less-than-half-full Crown Coliseum. Witherspoon beat Page for the vacant WBC title on December 12, 1984.

Last night, Page came out with a flurry and floored Witherspoon in the first round. Witherspoon recovered but later tore a back muscle and didn't answer the bell for the eighth round.

In other bouts, middleweight Billy Costello defeated Juan La Porte in a 10-round split decision.

AP