Texas A&M The Battalion Sports Page 6/The Battalion/Wednesday, May 25, 1983 Boxer Larry Holmes announces retirement United Press International NEW YORK — Larry Holmes is giving his wife a Christmas present that will be enjoyed by all challengers in the heavyweight division. Holmes, the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion who barely defeated un heralded Tim Witherspoon last Friday night to retain his title, said Tuesday he will retire by Christmas. Holmes is unbeaten in 43 professional lights and has held the heavyweight crown for five years. After surviviving a strong fin ish by Witherspoon to earn a split decision last week at Las Vegas, Nev., Holmes said on NBC’s “Today” show his Christ mas present to his wife would be his retirement from the sport. “I’ve done everything in box ing — 43 fights, 43 wins, five years of being heavyweight champion,” Holmes said. “I’m part of history. I want to get out of boxing with my faculties and some money and let my kids grow up and be proud of their father. “Yes, I’m going to retire this year — if there is another fight or if there is not another fight, I’m going to still get out this year. It might be Christmas, it might be before Christmas, but I’m definitely going to give it up this year.” Holmes, 33, earned nearly $10 million for stopping pre viously unbeaten Gerry Cooney in 14 rounds last June but has had to go the distance in his last three title defenses. He easily outpointed Randy Cobb over 15 rounds late last year, but looked out of shape and sluggish in a 12-round unanimous decision over Lucien Rodriguez of France in March and had to use all his ring experience to survive against Witherspoon last week. Holmes is now due for a man datory defense against No. 1 ranked Greg Page. “This fight hasn’t influenced my decision,” Holmes said. “It’s just that I’ve been very active. 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Chicken ’n rolls TB Holmes said he watched a tape of his bout against With erspoon and felt he had won the decision. “I watched the fight last night and I only give the guy three rounds,” Holmes said. “He fought a good fight and he’s strong and when he hit me, I came back and hit him. “The guy was a game fighter, stronger than a lot of people anticipated, stronger than I anti cipated. He fought a good fight but it shows you what a cham pion’s made out of. Bull erspoon’s a good fighter." Should Holmes relire i beaten, he would become a the second heavyweight cki pion in history to retire wid a loss. Rocky Marciano retS with a 49-0 record. Lakers hope ‘Cure’ton | works against Sixers T P***>6C Internafirxrml The Lakers are confident thei United Press International PHILADELPHIA — Earl Cureton has been a hard guy to find for the past three months, but the Los Angeles Lakers will make sure they know where he is when the NBA championship series resumes Thursday night. The Philadelphia 76ers will have the 6-foot-9 Cureton slotted for some playing time in Game 2 in place of Clemon Johnson, who is in Temple University Hospital with a urinary tract infection that could keep him out of the entire series. Cureton’s playing time has been cut since the acquisition of Johnson from the Indiana Pacers in Febriary, but putting him in the playoff pressure cooker doesn’t seem to overly concern Sixers’' Coach Billy Cunningham. “Earl has been through this many times in the past,” Cunningham said Tuesday. “You just don’t know what’s going to happen but one thing I know you will get is the effort and intensity.” Cureton’s speed is important against the fast breaking Lakers. He thinks he’ll be able to contri bute despite his limited playing time. “I’ve been practicing hard every day,” he said. “Our practices are almost like games so I’ll be ready.” HO Sunday and theiM; ^ gale t from a 113-107 defeat on , use history as evidence. They earned a split in the first two PhiladetJ^' 1 championship series games in 1980 and 19i their way to six-game triumphs. An advantage for the leakers will be the full days of rest they’ve had since Ganiel, ™ ,