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Philippines, 19 Feb 2026 |
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LOOKING BACK: TYSON-HOLYFIELD I By Rene Bonsubre, Jr. PhilBoxing.com Mon, 06 Nov 2006 Sports fans will always tell you stories of certain events or ball games that somehow fired up their imagination. Boxing fans are no exception, as they have their own personal list of all time favorite fights. But there are sporting events that we remember because it struck a chord deep inside us. The first Holyfield-Tyson fight had a rather apocalyptic tone. The Bible Belter versus the Baddest Man on the Planet. Good vs. Evil was part of the hype. The majority of sportswriters and fans also thought that it was going to be a tragedy in the making. Evander Holyfield was the aging ex-champion whose physical health was the subject of rumors and speculation. Despite being cleared to fight by the prestigious Mayo Clinic, the concern was that his pride and courage would prove to be his undoing. He was already 34 years old at this point in time. He had gone 4W ? 3 L in his last seven bouts. One year earlier, he was knocked out in the eighth round by Riddick Bowe. He had looked average in beating a blown up Bobby Czyz. Mike Tyson was riding on the crest of a successful comeback after being incarcerated due to a rape conviction. At this point in time, he was 30 years old and was still able to paralyze opponents with his dark stare as well as his explosive punches. He had done so four times since his return to the ring. The whole world thought Evander would be run over by the Tyson juggernaut. The date was November 9, 1996. Hoylfield started as a 22 to 1 underdog but the odds dropped to 6 to 1 during fight time. He entered the ring with a purple robe emblazoned with a bible verse ? PHIL 4: 13?. It was the same label seen on his trunks. I had to look it up but I never really bought it at that time: ?I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.? Tyson wore his usual black trunks and shoes and the glare that would make most opponents crap in their trunks. But it wasn?t going to be that way that night. Tyson did come out swinging. But this time he faced a guy who held his ground and fired back. There was a lot of grabbing and holding done by both men, but it was Holyfield who showed that he was the technically superior boxer. Evander did a good job rolling with Tyson?s right and then countering and backing Tyson off. The Real Deal was sharper, quicker and surprisingly more powerful. He managed to nail Tyson flush on several occasions. As the fight progressed into the fifth round, the crowd knew they were going to see something special. The chants for Holyfield got louder. Tyson got confused and became desperate. Iron Mike did land but Holyfield absorbed his power quite well. In the sixth round, Tyson suffered a cut after a clash of heads. Referee Mitch Halpern brought Tyson to the ringside physician, who let the fight go on. A heated exchange of punches followed and Evander caught the defending champion with a hard left that sent him to the canvas. For the second time in his career, Tyson was knocked down. Tyson did beat the count but it was obviously the beaten man at this point. Holyfield reemphasized what Buster Douglas proved in that fateful night in Tokyo. Tyson was a bully that thrived on his opponents? fear. If he fought someone who actually stood his ground and refused to be cowered then the intimidator would wind up being intimidated. Tyson would later say that he had ?blacked out? and would not remember anything from the third round onwards. He and his cornermen never had an answer to Holyfield?s strategy. Holyfield continued his dominance in the succeeding rounds as Tyson looked drained and often was an easy target as he stood straight up without any head movement. The tenth round saw Tyson being saved by the bell after absorbing a barrage of punches. The end came at the 11th round as Tyson absorbed twelve straight power shots without firing back. The referee mercifully stopped the carnage. Holyfield was way ahead on the judges? cards when the fight was stopped. Dalby Shirley had it 96-92, Frederico Vollmer 100-93 and Jerry Roth 96-92. Holyfield and Tyson would face each other again in the infamous ? bite fight?. Evander would go on to become one of the greatest heavyweights ever and be ranked as high as number three on most ?all time great? lists for his division. Iron Mike?s career would continue on its downhill spiral. People still watch Iron Mike even if it is for the wrong reasons. Holyfield would make another comeback this year, still relying on his unshakable faith. He is scheduled to fight Fres Oquendo on November 10, 2006 in San Antonio, Texas. Their first fight is now part of boxing lore. One of the greatest upsets in the history of the ring. I remember it also for other reasons. I was always a cynical person. Maybe I am cursed to always notice the bad things going on around me, the evil that men do and all that, and it often gets to me. This fight had a miraculous aura surrounding it. It somehow refreshed my spirit and made me hope again. Hope and faith were the best gifts that the fight offered. Nice guys don?t finish last all the time. Ten years have passed. I would often drift back to skepticism and cynicism. Life isn?t just about one magical night. But I will always look back at that moment in time. If somebody told me ten years ago I would find myself volunteering my services as a physician in Africa I would laughed my head off. But here I am. Maybe there was something behind Philippians 4:13 after all. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..  |
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