Holyfield vs. Akinwande 1998

The fact that some reasonable people here were giving Akinwande a real chance to defeat Holyfield in 1998 kind of puts Lennox Lewis's win over Holyfield in 1999 down a notch.
On the other hand, it makes Lewis's 1997 DQ win against scared Henry look even better.

 

It's hard to put faith in Akinwande considering that Holyfield won four or five rounds in the Lewis rematch and arguably beat Valuev as a fossil.

 

Awkinwandes size and power would have troubled an aging Holyfield, but he buckled under pressure and Holy is probably one of the most determined fighters to ever step foot in the ring. Its a shame Akinwande had hepatitis if iirc because my dad was going to order that fight, and it got cancelled dammit.

 

that would be up to akiwande roids. maybe his were better.

 

I thought Akinwande would upset Holyfield. My question though is both fighters at the time were trained by Don Turner, so who was going to be in either guys corner?

 

I remember when this fight was made I really fancied Henry to win on points, this was all kinds of wrong for the real deal. Provided Akinwande can keep his head.

 

I was rooting for Henry... felt if he could keep his distance that he would have done well.. once Holy closed the distance than Henry would hug of course... but I think after his fight with Lewis... that Akinwande had a lot to prove and may have come in with some hope for redemption....producing a stiffer ring of defense and distance with his jab