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The Real Deal indeed
Evander Holyfield, the man of prayer who twice beat Mike Tyson, struggled early but came on to knock down Michael Moorer a remarkable five times at the Thomas and Mack Center late last night en route to a heavyweight championship victory.
Holyfield now owns the WBA and IBF heavyweight crowns and is headed in the direction of pseudo-Canadian Lennox Lewis for a clash with the WBC champion next.
Holyfield was declared the winner at the end of Round 8 when Moorer did not appear able to fight for what would have been the ninth round.
Holyfield knocked Moorer down twice in the seventh round and twice in the eighth and each time it appeared the fight was about to end.
But Moorer, who has been thought to be of weak mettle, kept regaining his feet, somehow.
Until he couldn't anymore.
Holyfield first knocked Moorer down in Round 5, after four sluggish counter-punching rounds opened the fight.
Holyfield was actually cut above his left eye in the third round on an accidental butt of heads, but he never let the blood of the cut bother him.
"I wasn't worried," Holyfield said. "I had a good cut man in my corner.
"When you've gone through it before and it's not your first fight, you aren't going to panic."
When the bout ended, Holyfield led on all three scorecards, 78-69, 78-69 and 78-70. The scorecards were so one-sided because of all the knockdowns involved. In three rounds alone, the rounds Holyfield sent Moorer to the canvas, he managed seven more points than his opponent.
Holyfield first knocked Moorer down with just 22 seconds remaining in the fifth round with a straight right hand. He didn't have enough time to dispense with Moorer in that round.
In the seventh, the best round of the fight, Holyfield knocked Moorer down with 1:05 left with a right uppercut then sent him down again with 38 seconds left.
Moorer, however, kept getting up and actually waged a slight comeback at the end of the round.
In Round 8, there was little left for Moorer. A straight right hand off a combination floored Moorer and then a left hook, again off a combination, all but ended the fight in the final seconds of the round.
The result, on its own, was good for boxing, a sport in serious need of something good to happen.
The fact Holyfield can now go after Lewis was his most significant accomplishment last evening. And in being able to do so, he rid the sport of the reluctant Moorer, another paper champion, who has twice
And that, more than anything, is what Holyfield accomplished. He rid his sport of the reluctant Moorer, who has twice held a portion of the heavyweight crown, neither time distinguishing himself.
At least he distinguished himself against Holyfield with his ability to climb back on his feet.
Holyfield, who was paid $20 million for his work, entered the ring to blaring gospel music, singing all the way from his dressing room in the ring mode he has adopted since his first fight with Tyson.
Holyfield is now 35-3 as a professional while the defeat for Moorer was the second in 41 pro fights.
On a night of boxing that started late and ended too late, Fabrice Tiozzo of France upset WBA cruiserweight champion Nate Miller of Philadelphia with an inspiring 12-round victory on the undercard. It was the second title change of the evening. Imamu Mayfield of New Jersey captured the IBF cruiserweight title with a convincing 12-round decision over former champ Uriah Grant of Jamaica.
In a WBA featherweight title fight, Wilfredo Vasquez of Puerto Rico retained his title with a unanimous decision over Genaro Rios of Nicaragua.