Good, bad, worse: The Evander Holyfield-Vitor Belfort debacle
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Evander Holyfield (right) had no answers for Vitor Belfort. AP Photo / Rebecca Blackwell
The only good thing about Vitor Belfort’s knockout of 58-year-old Evander Holyfield is that it was quick.
Belfort, the former UFC champion, didn’t have enough time to deliver a beating that might’ve caused significant damage to Holyfield in the Triller Fight Club main event Saturday in Hollywood, Florida. It was painful to watch but it lasted only 1 minute, 49 seconds.
To say Holyfield was a shell of the all-time great fighter he once was would be generous. He looked like Evander Holyfield, fit and trim, but he was slow and had problems with his balance.
The latter was obvious as he stumbled a few times and then went flying into the ropes when he missed a wild left hook. Moments later, Belfort landed a left uppercut that put the old man down. The 44-year-old Brazilian followed with a flurry of unanswered shots, prompting referee Samuel Burgos to stop the “fight.”
Holyfield complained about the stoppage afterward – “The guys’ strong, but I wasn’t hurt,” he said – but it was clear that he couldn’t adequately defend himself. Burgos did the right thing.
The lessons here should’ve been obvious beforehand: 58-year-olds don’t belong in a boxing ring, at least not in a fight in which the parties are trying to hurt one another. Fortunately, good sense superseded bad judgment once the opening bell rang, which allowed us to see that this was a bad idea without Holyfield getting seriously injured.
Kudos to the California State Athletic Commission, which refused to sanction the bout. Shame on Florida officials for giving their OK. The same goes for Triller, which should’ve canceled the event or found a younger opponent when Oscar De La Hoya had to pull out after contracting COVID-19.
I certainly don’t blame Belfort, who did his job. And I don’t want to be too critical of Holyfield, who, like Mike Tyson and others, wanted to make some money off his name.
Maybe next time – if there has to be one – he’ll do it wearing oversized gloves in an exhibition against another geezer in what would amount to a light sparring session. The fighters would make their money, the fans would get to see their heroes and no one would get hurt.
I hope everyone involved in the promotion learned a lesson.
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BAD
One of many disturbing elements to the fight on Saturday was the subject of our concern, Holyfield.
“The Real Deal” was among the best fighters pound-for-pound over the past 35 years or so, alongside the likes of Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. The 1984 Olympian was arguably the greatest cruiserweight champion ever and went on to become a heavyweight titleholder a record four times even though he was undersized for the division.
I’ve always believed that if he were a few inches taller and maybe 20, 25 pounds heavier, he would’ve been the greatest heavyweight of all time.
I don’t want to be overly corny but it was honor to cover his fights during my career as a boxing writer.
That’s why it was particularly difficult for me to watch on Saturday night. A once-great fighter, whose skills are long gone, was reduced to a punching bag against an opponent he would’ve annihilated even a decade ago. Sad.
I hope that image doesn’t remain in my mind for long. I want to remember Evander Holyfield who medaled in the 1984 Olympics, ruled the cruiserweight division and accomplished so much in the sport’s glamor division.
I want to remember the dynamo who knocked out Buster Douglas to win his first heavyweight title, had an epic trilogy with the much-bigger Riddick Bowe, stunned the world by knocking out Mike Tyson and remained competitive for years after that.
I don’t even want to think about the pathetic figure I saw step through the ropes on Saturday.
***
WORSE
The past week was one of the worst for the sport in recent memory.
The powers that be, who are supposed to protect the welfare of the fighters and the sport, allowed a 58-year-old and a champion boxer who tested positive for a banned substance to fight on consecutive nights.
Perhaps the negative fallout from the Belfort-Holyfield fight will result in a change for the better. I’m not as optimistic that the situation involving WBC 130-pound titleholder Oscar Valdez will lead to reform.
Valdez tested positive for a weight-loss drug that is banned by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, which did the testing for the fight, yet was allowed by the commission and WBC to defend his title against Robson Conceicao anyway.
The obvious question: Why bother with drug testing if there are no consequences for violations?
Clearly, the debacle was a step backward in efforts to maintain – or, more cynically, create – a clean sport. Indeed, a reasonable person might think that drug testing in boxing is nothing more than a façade.
And, unfortunately, you can bet officials will continue to bend the rules they establish to prevent fight cancelations that affect their bottom line.
Valdez, perhaps distracted or drained from the controversy, did just enough to retain his title against the capable Conceicao by a unanimous decisions. Afterward, he said, “I’ve been through a hard week.”
It’s been hard for everyone.
