BoxRec

lvlarc_uk wrote:That's pretty funny, a few on here didn't give Holy a chance of beating Bates. Holy got the job done. Again, almost everyone on here were saying Oquendo will win, most likely by stoppage.

Fres is a decent fighter capable of beating top 20 guys. This was a big step up for Holy and he passed, not once did Evander look like being stopped. Not many gave Holy a chance of beating Bowe or Tyson either.

Please, credit where it's due.

everyone thought holy was shot after the 3 wars with bowe, but it was bowe who, in the long run, suffered the aftereffects more! the only reason tyson fought evander was because he thought holy was shot---richard hallmark (or whatever holy's adviser's name was) recounted how he got a call from tyson's people IMMEDIATELY AFTER evander's lackluster showing vs blown-up middle bobby czyz asking for a fight!! the rest is history---1996-1997 was evander's 2nd wind & he hit an alltime low early in new millenium, losing to legendary laugher john ruiz...could this possibly be evander's unexpected 3RD WIND?!?

in any other HW era, i would say...NO WAY!! but in the barren landscape of 2006 HWs---ANYTHING is possible!!

lvlarc_uk wrote:Fres is a decent fighter capable of beating top 20 guys. This was a big step up for Holy and he passed, not once did Evander look like being stopped. Not many gave Holy a chance of beating Bowe or Tyson either.

Please, credit where it's due.

Yes, credit where it's due. I fully expected Holyfield to be well beaten by Oquendo. Some are questioning the decision*, but I honestly thought Evander would be beaten out of sight, so anything less than that is more than I thought possible.

In fairness though, Bowe and Tyson were both considered to be at the top of the division when Holyfield faced them. Oquendo was nowhere near that level, even in the piss-poor state of the division today. I have to respect Holyfield in a way, because I thought he was gone beyond belief, which he clearly isn't. But his winning a fight against Oquendo still says more about the terrible state of today's heavyweights than it does about Holyfield's ability to compete at the top-level, surely?

*Not saying it was the wrong decision, because I haven't seen the fight. But I have seen some say Oquendo was the winner last night. Not calling it a robbery, before anyone starts.

Just remember though some people were saying that Evander was 'back' when he beat Rahman a while ago and then he lost to Toney and Donald... this could really be anouther false dawn, Holyfield is a great fighter with marvelous heart and fitness so with all that he will still be competitive at a certain level, but as for winning a world title even today thats a different matter, aside from Briggs I cant see Holifield winning any of the titles unless he recaptures form that he hasnt had for the best part of a decade now...

steve689 wrote:

nickd wrote:Holyfield is shot to shit dont let the Bates fight fool you. Bates is absolute garbage.

Exactly what i was getting at!!

I was woefully wrong i admit, but still i am not excited at all by Holyfield's win and am still vehemently calling for his retirement...but credit where it's due he got the job done fair play to him.

steve689 wrote:

steve689 wrote:

nickd wrote:Holyfield is shot to shit dont let the Bates fight fool you. Bates is absolute garbage.

Exactly what i was getting at!!

I was woefully wrong i admit, but still i am not excited at all by Holyfield's win and am still vehemently calling for his retirement...but credit where it's due he got the job done fair play to him.

From what I've heard of the fight its as much to do with Fres being so bad rather than Holifield being so good... this really could be the nightmare scenerio of Holifield being 'good enough' to get back in with a title holder and then taking a pasting... remember even Ali at the end was 'good enough' to go 10 with Berbick.... I'd hate to see Evander being let in with someone like Klitchenko or even really the hapless but big punching Briggs... :x

True Holyfield upset the odds, but lets face it his dream of becoming champ a 5th time just isn't hoing to happen.

Sure Foreman won the title back at 45, but he was one of the most powerful heavyweights in history. The last thing a fighter loses with age is his punch.

Holy was never a big puncher, at 44 he is washed up and should still retire.
People don't want to see him get hurt.
Imagine what Klitschko would do to him!