While troublemakers saw this as a mismatch, LeDoux brought his trademark Minnesota grit. He forced Holmes to work every inch of the canvas before referee Davey Pearl waved it off at 2:05 of the seventh round.
LeDoux entered the ring with a respectable record of 26-8-4, endearing himself to the area for his rugged style and complete lack of fear. He earned a draw against Ken Norton and Leon Spinks, although he failed against top punchers such as George Foreman, Ron Lyle, and Mike Weaver. Sitting at number 8 in the WBC rankings, LeDoux got his chance after plans for the Holmes vs. Muhammad Ali in Brazil.
The event set a record gate gross of approximately $253,000, even though only 6,500 fans crammed into the 16,800-seat arena. Holmes earned a cool $1.2 million, while LeDoux walked away with the top payday of $350,000. Off the ropes, Ali himself stole most of the limelight, joking with fans and shadowboxing from ringside throughout the night.
Holmes established superiority from the opening bell. He pumped his left jab, spinning well and keeping LeDoux pinned on the outside. The competitor pushed forward with a lot of heart, but just couldn’t clear the distance. It was the opening stanza of the masters’ books.
LeDoux got his one moment of glory in the second round, landing a spinning right hand that caught Holmes cleanly. The champion didn’t blink, regrouping behind that piston-like jab to regain complete command.
Between the middle frames, the phase gap was undeniable. Holmes snapped LeDoux’s head repeatedly, blinding him with a jab before hitting a hard combination behind it. The champion mixed his approach well, punching on his toes before standing in the pocket to isolate the player. The endless punishment left LeDoux’s left eye badly swollen.
The fifth round turned out to be a complete crown. Holmes fired hard jabs and straight rights at will, pinning LeDoux against the ropes and forcing him to tap out. The challenger threw some desperate counters, but lacked the speed to trouble the champion.
It all folded for LeDoux in the sixth. Holmes rocked him early with a big right hand. LeDoux fired back with a heavy shot, showing great pride, but the champion kept coming.
Towards the end of the round, Holmes connected a vicious uppercut that sent LeDoux to his knees for the official knockout of the match. LeDoux complained bitterly to Davey Pearl, complaining that he had been hit in the eye with a thumb, but the referee saw it as good. LeDoux hit the count, but returned to his corner with his left eye completely closed and bleeding.
LeDoux answered the bell for the seventh round fighting with pure emotion, nearly blind on the other end. Holmes showed impeccable mercy, directing a sharp eye and sharp straight rights. As LeDoux took an unanswered penalty, Pearl stepped in to save the brave attacker.
Holmes was covering the entire gap at the stoppage, leading 60-53 on all three official cards.
Three months after setting Joe Louis’ stoppage record, Holmes defended his title by stopping a completely drained Muhammad Ali in ten rounds, a fight that remains one of boxing’s most uncomfortable. Holmes held the title until losing to Michael Spinks in 1985, cementing his legacy as the all-time champion.
The fight left an indelible mark on LeDoux. The damage to his left eye included retinal damage that changed his performance throughout his career. He suffered subsequent defeats to Greg Page, Gerrie Coetzee, and Frank Bruno before hanging up the gloves in 1983. He later worked as a wrestling referee, remaining a beloved sports figure in Minnesota until his passing in 2011.
History often overlooks LeDoux’s defense because of Ali’s subsequent fight, but this attack captures Larry Holmes at the height of his power.
