Deflating His Ego Would Take Quite a Bonecrushing

Larry Holmes and James “Bonecrusher” Smith fought for the heavyweight boxing championship 15 years ago. On June 18 they are having a rematch in Fayetteville, N.C.

Holmes, 49, is not lacking in confidence.

“As much older as I’ve gotten, one thing I’ve noticed about myself is that I haven’t lost but one step,” he said. “The left hand is still as good as ever, and the right hand is about the same as it always has been. I amaze myself sometimes. It’s mind-boggling how I can still get up in the morning and go into the ring.”

Holmes won the first fight on a TKO in the 12th round.

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Trivia time: Who took the heavyweight title from Holmes?

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Family first: One of John Cook’s favorite stops on the PGA Tour is Memphis, Tenn.--he has won more than $440,000 in the FedEx St. Jude Classic--but he is skipping it this week.

Cook’s 18-year-old daughter, Kristin, is graduating from high school in Rancho Mirage.

“The Memphis tournament is usually an annuity for me,” Cook cracked.

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Who’s on first? Producer Larry Thompson, on why his TV biopic will be titled “Joe & Marilyn,” instead of “Marilyn & Joe:”

“Joe hit more home runs than Marilyn.”

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Shall we dance? Larry Stone of the Seattle Times, writing about baseball fights, recalled one story told by former Dodger Ron Fairly about Maury Wills and Dick Schofield mixing it up.

“A bad waltz,” Fairly said. “Both dugouts started laughing. It was too entertaining to stop.”

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Hard lesson: The Philadelphia 76ers’ Rick Mahorn explains how players in the NBA work their way toward the championship:

“You can make all the money in the world but you still want a ring. You have to [get close enough] to taste it first. We found that out when I was in Detroit. Then you get hungry. Then you get nasty.”

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Aloe there: Former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker wasn’t the driver in the two-man bobsled he rode in the 1992 Winter Olympics and he’s not driving the race car he owns in the United Speed Alliance Racing Hooters ProCup series.

Walker’s role is mainly as a spokesman for the health drink, Aloe-Lu-Ya, that is sponsoring the team.

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Shaq attack: Charismatic, who missed winning the Triple Crown last Saturday in the Belmont, could have been claimed earlier this year for $62,500. Alex Kaseberg told Tom FitzGerald of the San Francisco Chronicle, “That is roughly what Shaquille O’Neal makes in the time it takes him to miss a free throw.”

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Touche: After Dave Kindred wrote in the Sporting News that baseball was the national pastime, Bob Fidrych responded by writing, “You’re right. Baseball is the national pastime. It is definitely past its time.”

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Trivia answer: Michael Spinks, in 15 rounds at Las Vegas in 1985.

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And finally: When Swedish LPGA player Helen Alfredsson told Golf Digest of her relationship with Leo Cuellar, University of San Diego men’s soccer coach, she added, “Very illegal. Isn’t love more fun that way?”