HOLMES, LARRY-JAMES "BONECRUSHER" SMITH II OFFICIAL PROGRAM (1999)

HISTORY: On June 18, 1999 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina former world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes fought James "Bonecrusher" Smith in the featured bout. Holmes stopped Smith in the 8th round. 

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes stopped James "Bonecrusher" Smith in the eighth round Friday 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 Nov. 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, on Friday night's undercard in the less-than-half-full Crown Coliseum. Witherspoon beat Page for the vacant WBC title on Dec. 12, 1984.

On Friday 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.

Smith, a North Carolina native, came up with the idea of the Legends series after he came out of retirement last year. Fighters ages 35 to 50 are eligible for the series and fans at Friday's event didn't seem to mind that the boxers weren't nearly what they used to be.

"I'm excited about anything," said 76-year-old Samuel Indovino, who sat in the front row with his daughter, Judy Stafford. "This is going to be in my memory for ever and ever."

"They won't have the snap and pop they had in their youth, but maybe it will wake up some of the old boxers," said Andrew VanAulen, who was attending the fights with his 9-year-old son, Dewey.

Longtime ring announcer Col. Bob Sheridan, who was handling the blow-by-blow for the pay-per-view audience, said promoters could've picked a better night to launch the enterprise and avoid competing against a Friday night card on ESPN2 and the U.S. Open in nearby Pinehurst.

But Sheridan said the series has potential.

"If the fight is performed extremely well, I think the Legends concept can go on. None of these guys are claiming they are at their peak," Sheridan said. "Anybody who is a boxing fan would like to see Larry Holmes one last time."

Offered here is a scarce, original, on site, official program for this event.

FULL DESCRIPTION: This is an original, on site, official program which names and pictures both fighters on the cover. 16 pages complete including the covers. Tight binding. Not creased or torn. Not scored. Clean inside and out. Minor edge wear. 8 1/2" x 11."