holyfield banned

Four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has been put on indefinite medical suspension by the New York State Athletic Commission. The move comes after the 42-year-old's unanimous points loss to Larry Donald at Madison Square Gardens on Saturday. "It's the commission's responsibility to save a boxer from himself," commission chairman Ron Stevens told the New York Daily News. "To my practiced mind, Holyfield shouldn't be fighting any more." Holyfield has a 38-8 career record, but is only 2-5 with two draws in his last nine bouts. If he wants to fight again anywhere in the United States, he will need to gain clearance from commission physician Barry Jordan, but Holyfield says he has no intention of quitting yet. "Why do they want to usher me out?" he said. "What have I done to this game that they don't want me in it anymore? "Do you really care about a person so much that you want to protect him from himself? "There isn't that much love in the world to go against a person's will," he insisted.

Comments (20)

KJ8687

he is so poorly conditioined that i dont understand why he fights at all i wonder if he had done any sparring at all as a reality check before the donald fight He is probably stuck in the past OR he believes in another miracle (you know: after the moorer fight; heart trouble; everybody written him off; miracly healed/misdiagnosed; more great fights).

21y ago

VPDJ

Maybe he needs to retire. He has already proven himself in the world of boxing.

21y ago

Nautilus

I guess we will be seeing him and Bowe on the Reservation Circuit. Since reservations are nations unto themselves, State Comission rulings don't apply. he is so poorly conditioined that i dont understand why he fights at all i wonder if he had done any sparring at all as a reality check before the donald fight

21y ago

vB_Martin

I guess we will be seeing him and Bowe on the Reservation Circuit. Since reservations are nations unto themselves, State Comission rulings don't apply.

21y ago

KJ8687

You're incorrect. It's the right of the boxing commissions to suspend a fighter's license, especially in a case of obvious detioration. Any judge who rules otherwise is incompetent. The detioration has to first be diagnosed and proven with widely excepted methods (else with a counter expert could fight the test results in court), I recon.

21y ago

whdempsey

Holyfield deserves repect! Don't tell me that you weren't rooting for him when he was fighting during his peak. This kid wasn't around when Holyfield was at his peak. Listen to the way he talks. He is the most ignorant, wrongest-headed poster on this site. Seriously, check out his other posts. It's like he had a retard do it in case anyone thought he might be smart.

21y ago

whdempsey

Legally I don't think that there is any way this can stand, but Holy really should hang it up!!! He is one of my all time favorites too, but it is sad to see him like this. You're incorrect. It's the right of the boxing commissions to suspend a fighter's license, especially in a case of obvious detioration. Any judge who rules otherwise is incompetent.

21y ago

whdempsey

How Many Times Is Someone Gonna Post Stupid Shit About Holyfield.who Cares About Him He's Done. Man...You bug the shit outta me. Have a little respect. We're watching the forced retirement of a ring legend, so shut your damn mouth. And for God's sake stop typing in small caps.

21y ago

Neuraxis

How much worse does it need to get? Does he really need to get KO'd by Brewster before he retires?

21y ago

KJ8687

He possibly (probably) will fight again... Holyfield and NYSAC Come To Terms http://www.boxingscene.com/index.php?m=show&id=272

21y ago

jabsRstiff

I think if he wants to continue to fight, he should be allowed to do so. But, it's up to the fans to ignore him. Believe me, Holyfield won't fight anymore if he's getting paid peanuts in front of small audiences. Let him fight, he's a man....but, just ignore him.

21y ago

Palma

How Many Times Is Someone Gonna Post Stupid Shit About Holyfield.who Cares About Him He's Done. Holyfield deserves repect! Don't tell me that you weren't rooting for him when he was fighting during his peak.

21y ago

jujitsujn

it's about time someone did something about him.

21y ago

tony

He needs saving from himself. Sometimes fighters can't see the woods through the trees. At least someone has stepped up and made the decision for him.

21y ago

TheFairPole

Legally I don't think that there is any way this can stand, but Holy really should hang it up!!! He is one of my all time favorites too, but it is sad to see him like this.

21y ago

KJ8687

Do you know what I find really sad about the whole Holyfield affair other than the potential to really hurt himself - the damage he is doing to his legacy, he is in danger of being remembered for the guy who lost to a load of bums when he was almost taking his pension as a pse to the guy who at the peak of his career was a real quality boxer who could mix it with anybody. I remember some of his best fights and they were great and he was great in them but even now you say Evander Holyfield to me and I can't get past what he has turned in to. Its a real shame. I concur on that.

21y ago

KJ8687

He Needs To Quit Or He's Gonna End Up Like Ali. With the parkison hand/movement speed Evander will, like Ali, be able to drink beer all night.... ...on one glass of beer. ;)

21y ago

pinkpanther

21y ago

Deejay

I'm a huge holyfield fan but I think it's the right decision. He hasn't been competitive for ages. If he finds a way to fight again then the only way he'll get the hint, is if someone puts him in hospital in brutal fashion, which I'd hate to see.

21y ago

muay

Was it just me or did i actually hear Larry Merchant's voice crack with sadness during his interview of Evander Holyfield. I really think he should hang up those gloves. He's not even a shadow of his old self.

21y ago