Was throwing the towel really warranted? I didn't see Evander complain but Evander was still landing punches and I really didn't see him take such a beating to throw in the towel.
Toney was far ahead on the cards and enjoying target practice. Meanwhile, Hoylfield had no steam on his punches and his guard was being penetrated constantly. He would have been stopped within 1-2 rounds regardless unless the ref was incompetent. The corner made the right decision.
Evander was eating flush counter right hands all night. Not only should the fight have been stopped but so should his career. Years later James was in the same position and I was ringside for his 2nd to last fight when he was beat by a journeyman in front of maybe 100 people in St louis.
Taken in context, it was justified. Had that been David Tua or Kirk Johnson or somebody, you could make an argument for premature stoppage... But you could tell old man Holyfield was finally finished and had nothing on the bag. I forget if this was before or after the Chris Byrd fight, but both those fights put nails in holys coffin. I don't remember anything unjustified about the stoppage, would probably need to rewatch it though, I just remember it being a sad affair. Of course James Toney nearly assaulting Jim grey afterwards was classic!!
Toney beat the snot out of Holyfield. It took him a round and a half to figure him out and, from that point on, it was all one way. He was hurting Evander to the body- visibly hurting him to the body- from the second round on. Toney hit him with right hands whenever he felt like it, unless he was busy hitting him with left hooks or uppercuts. Sure, Evander was 41 but Toney was 35 and waddling around like a weeble. The difference in class was apparent and always would have been.
Definitely the right decision. Unbelievable that he actually went on to fight for a belt, twice after this.
Holy looked awful, his corner had warned him in advance they would stop the fight unless he started showing something which he clearly didn't so they stopped it. Holy obviously didn't want to be there so why prolong the agony for everyone?
Yes. He was getting his ass kicked. Toney dominated from the fourth round on and it was like target practice for him. Holyfield would actually land some nice left hooks from time to time, and Toney was going nowhere.
It reminds me I read that Sugar Ray had resorted to fighting in ball parks for small crowds at one point.
Fights like that one made me realise so much. It made me ask questions. Why wouldn’t Ezzard Charles be able to school Ali? - When I watched Conn vs Louis it was like taking the pill in the matrix. I still think Archie Moore would stop Evander and box Bowe’s ears off.
