LOOKING BACK: TYSON-HOLYFIELD I

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.