Comments Thread For: Holyfield: The Referee Made a Bad Call, Stopped The Fight Too Quick

[Tatabanya]

Interesting how Tyson, the supposed "ignorant thug" who had no future in boxing and life after the second Holyfield fight, is doing great these days. Running businesses, keeping himself in great shape, doing radio, TV and movies etc... AND fighting exhibitions without really looking as a failure.

Whereas Evander, the theoretical "example to follow" for all athletes in 1997, is now reduced to such a miserable position.

It took only 25 years to change things that much.

[The tucker]

Yes, Evander looked bad for the bit of time the fight was on, and age and all that people will say, but the ref stopped it too quickly.

The ref got overexcited or anxious thinking 'age age', and then stopped it like some nutty british ref. Disrespectful.

Holyfield didn’t even have to get hit and he looked awful. The ref probably was looking for any reason before the fight started to end the fight. No 60 year old should be taking blows to the head at all. Plus with that boxing death of that girl last week no ref wants that on their conscious.

[Luilun]

Bad call but Holyfield has no reflexes

[Larry the boss]

He actually stopped it to late..

[Coachcody]

Early stoppage, but who really cares

[4truth]

Bad call but Holyfield has no reflexes

I’d argue that once it was apparent that Holyfield had no reflexes or balance, the ref made the right call.

under normal circumstances I’d agree. It was very early and Holyfield wasn’t badly hurt.

[b Murphington]

Most usually put his fight against Stewart as their favourite Holyfield fight, but for me it's his fights against Bert Cooper and Mike Dokes. They're some of my favourite fights and I never get bored of watching them over and over. Sheer bloody entertainment. It's kind of sad they're not the first fights that come up on YT when you type Holyfield.

Was Cooper the one where Holyfield threw a series of hooks and uppercuts that were being unanswered? It was a sequence of punches that just went on for maybe 20 or 30 seconds. It was just pure onslaught by Holyfield.

I always liked the first Bowe vs Holyfield bout.

[Blond Beast]

That stoppage probably would’ve looked bad under normal boxing circumstances. But since everyone knew that they somehow allowed a near 60 year old who’s clearly damaged mentally and physically from years of boxing, it was the right call. Actually the right call would’ve been to never allow this nonsense event to have happened in the first place.

I think you said it all right there. It was an early stoppage if you didn’t know the situation. If it was a prime Evander and it was a championship fight, it’d be a huge debate. Still Evander missed a hook and fell flat on his face ( he did do that in his prime sometimes to be fair ) it was a real bad look. I don’t even know what Vitor hit him with to put him down? Was it an uppercut? Some push? His arms flailed like he was trying to get his balance. Still he turtled up against the bum rush after. I didn’t see much of anything land but saw the ref ready to stop it already. Then he took a clean uppercut and his head popped back. I don’t think it was too hard a shot but that’s all the ref was waiting for. I mean he was on the canvas twice, wasent throwing back, was 58yrs old. There’s no crystal ball to see how letting it go longer would have shaken out. One thing most older fighters do is turtle, and it’s the only thing they can do often. It doesn’t mean it’s not the right strategy at the time though. It does look really bad. Evander couldn’t pull the trigger often enough when he retired, no reason to except him to do it now. My brother said he’d look like like he was fighting under water. I expected ten punches thrown a round to be the over under for him. On the Silva vs Tito fight you had Silva face a bunch of unanswered shots in the corner. He was moving his head well as he does. But he got hit with a couple. He only threw back one or two misses before he landed that KO shot. Course he didn’t fall flat on his face and get dropped already which wrote the narrative for Holy. To me it looked like Anderson landed a shot right through Titos face and he was out and then his head fell sideways against the ropes to bounce back up and take one or two more shots from the from that sent him backwards? He was out badly. Zero expression on his face. Anderson’s power always comes across surprising on tv. It’s quick, clean and sharp. You need slomo replay to really see it. Someone fight Sergio Martinez. I’m going to keep saying it. Lol

[archiemoore1]

I saw the fight and I agree with Holy. Evander was just warming up. He was clear and was slipping shots. Its not like he was getting hit flush and the knockdown was a punch but it was while the feet were tangled. No way Belfort can beat Holy even at his age.

[hugh grant]

I like real deal but that was stopped to early or being stopped wasn't even in equation, if ref waved hands and got between fighters id have thought what happened has one of boxers laces come undone is there a bit of water on canvas needs wiping.?I
Aren't you allowed to show defense moves? Do you know how hard it is to ko a fighter who just tries defending, covering up? Didn't Willie pep win rounds by not throwing a punch?