European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 9, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Holmes decisions befuddled Mercer the stars and stripes february 9,1992 c Page 24 prom wire reports Atlantic City . A Larry Holmes outfoxed and outfoxed Ray Mercer Early saturday and once again became a part of the heavyweight championship picture. A i will win Quot the 42-year-old Holmes shouted to writers from the ring just before the fight. A Knock him  the former heavyweight Champion could not Knock out Mercer but he did score a unanimous 12-round decision that could bring him a match with 43-year-old George Foreman and a who knows a maybe even another shot at being Champion As he was from 1978-85. A i think George would be a great fight a Holmes said. Promoter Bob arum said such a fight would be discussed. At the pos fight news conference Holmes was asked if his surprising Victory was a highlight of his career a the High note will be when 1 win the championship a the boxing Grandfather said. A i do think i can win the heavyweight championship of the world despite being 40-something.�?� there were a lot of Boos from Mercer a supporters when Holmes was introduced at the convention Center but As the fight went on the chant of a Larry Larry a grew louder. There was a rousing ovation for Holmes when the decision was announced a 117-112 by judge Phil Newman 117-111 by judge Eugene Grant and 115-113 by judge John Poturaj a All for Holmes. A everybody says you be got to Lay Down and die when you get Over 40,�?� Holmes said. A i did no to do  a lot of boxing observers were worried that Holmes might be embarrassed by the Nigger 30-year-old Mercer just the Way Holmes had embarrassed a 38-year-old blow by blow Atlantic City no. A a a Simonn of Punk Jim thrown to Friday s Light Browwn Liny Bqhm my w my car m pm Clad by comp Bot me punch Lanctot pc Bandad Jab mown Jab landed pet landed punches Power ended Rel. Tended knockdowns 401 936 68 265 168 68 208 146 72 0 857 247 38 301 108 35 358 141 40 0 the aging three time just the Way Muhammad a when he stopping the aging Champion after 10 rounds in 1$80. Holmes however instead resembled the Ali who beat Foreman in 1974. Holmes called on his vast store of boxing knowledge to confuse the relatively inexperienced Mercer who was fighting professionally for Only the 19th time. Holmes sometimes spent nearly an entire round in a Corner jabbing and counter punching. Sometimes he former heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes puts the leather to the face of Ray Mercer in the first round on Friday. Grabbed the ropes with his right hand which is illegal it something he got away with As he bought precious time for his aging legs. On some occasions he would measure Mercer with his left hand. Other times he would Volt Mercer a face. A the better Man won the fight a Mercer said. A it was a great learning experience for me but in a still the Man  Holmes looked like he might get beaten Early. He came out tentative and was nailed by a left Jab just past the two minute Mark a blow that sent him reeling into Mercer a Corner obviously Hurt. However Holmes established in the first round that he would not be intimidated. When Mercer grabbed him around the head with his left Arm and slammed four hard rights to the Side of the head Holmes reacted with a jarring forearm to Mercer a face. Holmes began taking control of the fight in the third round when he spent the entire three minutes in a Neutral Corner peppering Mercer with hard rights to the body. In the sixth round the con artist came out of Holmes. As he moved into Mercer a Corner he told a television cameraman who was on a platform near the ring apron to move Back. Then Holmes again told the cameraman to move Back. As Holmes said it a second time Mercer dropped his hands to his Side and Holmes turned quickly and hit him with a left right to the head. For Holmes who weighed 233 pounds it was his sixth Victory in a comeback which started last april 7. The win made him 54-3 with 37 knockouts. Holmes earned $1.1 million a and could make several times that amount by fighting Foreman. Mercer 2283/4, a 1988 olympic Gold medallist and former army Boxer stationed at Baum hold Germany is 18-1 with 13 knockouts. His guarantee was $1.2 million. A it Wii. End my career if 1 lose because there would be no sense in going any farther a Holmes said before the fight. But Early on saturday morning the old Fox showed that he a not at the end of the Road yet. Holmes won the world boxing Council championship june 9, 1978 with a 15-round decision Over Ken Norton. He gave up the wac title because of a dispute with wac president Jose Sulaiman in 1983, became the International boxing federations a first heavyweight Champion and held that title until losing a decision to Michael Spinks on sept. 21,1985. Holmes was 48-0 before losing to Spinks in an attempt to match Rocky Marciano a record for most victories without a loss among heavyweight champions. Holmes lost a rematch with Spinks by decision in 1986 and was knocked out in four rounds Jan. 22, 1988 by Mike Tyson in a bout for the undisputed heavyweight title. The Tyson knockout was in the same building that Holmes won in Friday night. Mercer last knocked out previously unbeaten contender Tommy Morrison in five rounds last oct. 18. Before that he won a ninth round knockout of Francesco Damiani on Jan. 11, 1991, and a 12-round decision Over Bert Cooper on aug. 5, 1990, in his other major victories new age games open with Doggerel Albertville France a the 16th Winter olympics opened saturday celebrating a new world where the Only cold War left to fight was on the ice and Snow of the French Alps. The games kicked off with opening ceremonies characterized by bad rhymes and rollerblade. Inside the Stark ceremonial stadium dancers wore roller skates and women wearing Snow filled bubbles escorted each of the 64 teams More olympic news on Page 18 into the stadium. As the athletes strode in announcers introduced them with couplets in French and English poetry marked More by stilted language Ana forced rhymes than Beautiful words. The american team the biggest in the games with 181 athletes was Ted into the stadium by Cross county skier Bill Koch. Koch 36, from Underwood wash., had hinted saturday morning that he might break with american team tradition and dip the Flag As he passed the stand where French president Francois Mitterrand Ioc president Juan Antonio Sam ranch and other dignitaries sat. But the Flag remained upright As Koch at the head of the column of fedoras Blue Coats and colourful scarfs stared straight  sports late goals lift Leafs Over wings a Page 22 Everett Breaks oldest indoor Mark a Page 22 Levi Azinger tied in Hawaii a Page 23 Geoff Bodyne Rolls at Daytona Page 23 Rodman rides boards to stars a Page 21